Othello And Palpatine Analysis
Comparisons of the Manipulation of Othello by Iago and Anakin Skywalker by Chancellor Palpatine
The primary characters in Shakespeare’s Othello and George Lucas’ Star Wars Episodes 1-3, show striking similarities. Mainly, Othello’s Iago and Star Wars’ Chancellor Palpatine use clever manipulation tactics and deceit to cause a protagonist to undergo major changes in their mindset and behavior. Both Iago and Palpatine are masters at theory of mind, the idea that there are levels of thought between characters that ultimately explain their decisions, and manipulate Othello and Anakin into committing terrible acts that they never once dreamed they could do. Over the course of a short amount of time, the true villains gain the trust of the hero and …show more content…
Othello and Anakin begin as noble, high ranking military heroes, but by the end of the story, they become irrational, violent, and jealous. This is due in large part by their accompanying major characters, Iago and Palpatine. In Othello, Iago acts as Othello’s friend, but “In following him, I follow but myself” (1.1.62). Iago is only using Othello as a tool to further his career, yet Othello trusts him completely. In Act 3, Othello and Iago walk in on Desdemona right as Cassio is leaving. Iago says “Ha, I like not that”, which confuses Othello. To Othello, it appeared that Cassio had just left the room and was previously talking to his wife. Iago slyly frames Othello’s narrative by saying “Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it that he would steal away so guilty-like seeing you coming” (3.3.37-39). Yet, Othello already knows that it was Cassio, so he begins to believe that whatever Cassio and Desdemona were talking about, something must have been awry. In this way Iago changes Othello’s point of view from a harmless encounter between Michael Cassio and Desdemona to a dishonest encounter between the two. This plants a seed in Othello’s head that his wife may be cheating on
The primary characters in Shakespeare’s Othello and George Lucas’ Star Wars Episodes 1-3, show striking similarities. Mainly, Othello’s Iago and Star Wars’ Chancellor Palpatine use clever manipulation tactics and deceit to cause a protagonist to undergo major changes in their mindset and behavior. Both Iago and Palpatine are masters at theory of mind, the idea that there are levels of thought between characters that ultimately explain their decisions, and manipulate Othello and Anakin into committing terrible acts that they never once dreamed they could do. Over the course of a short amount of time, the true villains gain the trust of the hero and …show more content…
Othello and Anakin begin as noble, high ranking military heroes, but by the end of the story, they become irrational, violent, and jealous. This is due in large part by their accompanying major characters, Iago and Palpatine. In Othello, Iago acts as Othello’s friend, but “In following him, I follow but myself” (1.1.62). Iago is only using Othello as a tool to further his career, yet Othello trusts him completely. In Act 3, Othello and Iago walk in on Desdemona right as Cassio is leaving. Iago says “Ha, I like not that”, which confuses Othello. To Othello, it appeared that Cassio had just left the room and was previously talking to his wife. Iago slyly frames Othello’s narrative by saying “Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it that he would steal away so guilty-like seeing you coming” (3.3.37-39). Yet, Othello already knows that it was Cassio, so he begins to believe that whatever Cassio and Desdemona were talking about, something must have been awry. In this way Iago changes Othello’s point of view from a harmless encounter between Michael Cassio and Desdemona to a dishonest encounter between the two. This plants a seed in Othello’s head that his wife may be cheating on