Blog Post #3 - Iago's Fire Fetish

As Iago develops his plot against those he feels did him wrong, his views of war shift from that waged against the army of an enemy nation to that fought against personal enemies. In his mind, war changes from a religion of valor and glory to a game of manipulation. Iago transforms his war from a battle with faceless soldiers to a vendetta of personal devastation. However, Iago doesn't hurt only his target; he ruins the lives of many, setting the lives of countless characters ablaze in his attempt to bring down Othello (and Cassio). He even goes so far as to stab his wife. Intentionally destroyed lives or just part of the tragic vision, the deaths and ruinations of these characters shows Iago's lack of moral limitations. Like a pyromaniac, he chars the lives of everyone around him.