To what extent would you agree with the critique of Othello by William Shakespeare that "Iago is a dangerously attractive character within the play". Please shape your response by considering the form, style, language and the dramatic elements of the play

INTRO AND CONTEXT:Othello, written in 1603 was subject to initially Elizabethan audiences, in which were reported to have a desire for violence and horror on stage. The counterplot and character Iago fabricates, in which he brings the audience along with him by using hate filled soliloquies and devious plans, ticks these boxes of Elizabethan dramatic desire. This is how audiences of Othello become silent witnesses of his evil, in an enchanting sort of fashion. His dangerous, manipulative character exposes us to the dark side of human nature that perhaps lies dormant or unconscious within us, and this is what could make him so attractive as a character.
LANGUAGE ANALYSIS:Throughout the play. Iago speaks primarily in prose, this sets him aside from the other characters. "I hate the moor/ it is thought abroad/ that 'twixt my sheets/ has done my office". Iago, here is referencing his accusation of Othello to have slept with his wide. Shakespeare conveys Iago as having an almost occupational relationship with sex- 'has done my office', using the work environment of an 'office' as a euphemism for sex. This reserved side of Iago, is perhaps something that provokes interest from audience members, his use of riddles flowing through his language is almost something that brings us closer and more fixated to Iago. His hatred of black people and racist discourse "I hate the moor" makes him seem more of a violent nature, in which would have grabbed the Elizabethan audiences attention.
STUCTURAL AND SYMBOL ANALYSIS:Iago looks for doubts and jealousy within himself, as fuel to exploit jealousy of other characters. Early on in the play, Iago spots Othello's hamartia, his tragic flaw of honesty. "The moor is of a free and open nature/ that thinks men honest". This is the very positive attribute that, he so blatantly identifies, that Iago uses in order to destroy Othello. He even manipulates Othello's perception of himself 'honest Iago' 'good Iago' pairing adjectives that are the antithesis to Iago's true character alongside his name. He also manipulates his perception of the handkerchief, from being a symbol of Desdemona's purity and chastity, the white background against red strawberries symbolising a nuptial night, a marriage bed where the virgin pure wife bleeds, to being a symbol of Desdemona's impurity and infidelity. A.C Bradley said he thought Othello's actions were not of evil "but of agony, for Iago had made his angelic figure, to him, turn impure". This sheer power Iago inflicts on a martial bond in some ways is incredibly gripping to any audience.
DRAMATIC TECHNIQUE ANALYSIS:Our fascination with the dark side of human nature is something of human condition. Early audiences were reported to NOT have felt depressed and angry after exiting the theatre, but rather a sense of catharsis, a purging of emotion. This audience reaction is almost a parallel to that of Iago's asides during the play "for daws to peck at/ I am not what I am". This intimate relationship Iago seems to have with the audience in his soliloquies of his own catharsis, is perhaps why the audiences feel such an attraction towards him. The build up of dramatic irony, the audience knowing the "monstrous birth" of the plan "coming to the worlds light" gives the audience an insight into his almost caricature villain- like attitude.
CONCLUSION:In conclusion, the counterplot Iago so carefully crafts makes him seem skilful, yet evil in which especially Elizabethan audiences yearned for. Shakespeare is timeless in his writing, how he seems to use Iago as a catalyst for change and exposure to the dark and deeply engrained prejudices that lie within us. Shakespeare seems like he made sure the audiences had that intimate closeness with Iago, to create an almost olden day 'meta-theatrical element', to get us to reflect upon ourselves and question why we find danger so very attractive.