Explore the theme of evil in Shakespeare's 'Othello'.

The theme of evil is the undercurrent to ‘Othello’, and explores what it means to be human and what drives human behaviour. It is often convincingly argued that Iago is the personification of this emotion, but a multitude of different productions have shown that this evil can be personified in many different ways. From the seedy Bob Hoskings, to the malevolent Ian Mckellan or even the understated Mark Rylance, who said he wanted to play a human character as he believes evil is ‘mundane’. In the play, the theme of evil links directly to the themes of power and deception, as it is through Iago’s deliberate manipulation of Othello that he is able to bring him down so successfully and easily. Potentially, it could be argued that evil manifests itself in society in the play; the brutal Venetian society dictated lifestyle and gender roles at the time, and this oppression marginalised minorities and emphasised the power of the rich. Therefore, it is possible to argue that that the evil in ‘Othello’ is a result of the contextual political and social climates, and man-made customs, such as the repulsion of a “black ram” on top of a “white ewe”. If the argument is taken that Iago is the agent of the state, then the use of animalistic imagery, as well as hellish imagery, such as Othello’s exclamation that Iago is a “Devil!” and the eerie and ominous last line of Iago’s first soliloquy, which is “Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light” show that the state’s ‘rules’ are the root of all evil. However, a more complex argument would be that Iago is actually his own person and not just a representative of the state - his evil is more personal and intimate. This is particularly highlighted by his first soliloquy at the end of Act 1, in which he is given several motives as to why he hates “the Moor”. These include potential sexual jealousy (Iago thinks that Othello may have “done my [his] office” and slept with his wife) and jealousy of Othello’s position. This suggests that Iago is operating more on a personal mission than to oppress Othello for his ‘otherness’ thanks to the orders of the state, and therefore creates the debate about whether evil is private or public in this domestic tragedy. Arguably, it is both.However, it is perhaps more alarming to consider the idea that evil is deliberate and conscious in this Shakespearean tragedy. Iago is obviously presented as the villain throughout, and the use of frequent soliloquies (Iago has the largest weighting of dialogue in the play, significantly) make his thought processes obvious to the audience. They are invited into his mind, whilst Othello and the other characters must helplessly experience the extent of his manipulation. The use of soliloquies show clearly and disturbingly that Iago's decisions are his own, inviting audiences to see him - almost in a Machiavellian style - as the trickster, and deliberate imposer of evil in a harmonious world. Iago's statements such as the imperative “Call up her father…plague him with flies” (Act 1, scene 1) and the declarative “I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear” (Act 2, scene 3) contribute to this idea that evil is conscious and a choice. Furthermore, there is irony here in Iago's honesty; he tells the audience what he will and is doing, which contrasts greatly to his repeated dishonesty throughout the tragedy to all the other characters. Othello's "honest Iago" is, in fact, the opposite - the audience are taunted with the truth, whilst the characters struggle on to the "tragic loading of the bed" (Act 5, scene 2) in the play's final scene. Therefore, the combination of contextual factors and the characterisation of Iago (which are arguably interlinked) personify evil into a conscious, terrifying force in 'Othello'. Arguably, the most alarming aspect of all is Iago's assuredness and determination to destroy Othello and his world - making audiences question their own innate morality and whether a wholly good person can ever, truly, exist.