Promises to make it fearful and difficult demands desiring a subject to command Othello love"("Strategies of submission" Studies of English Literature: online). Shakespeare, in developing the power struggle of Othellos marriage, reminds the audience that to control a person fully only brings about turmoil.Like the sexual relationships, the non-sexual relationships in Othello emphasize the vulnerability of people when involved with other people personally and especially when dealing with people of shady character. The two adversarial relationships in the play develop out of Iagos master plan to destroy any happiness Othello has. Iago gets into the hearts and minds of his colleagues so he can use psychological and emotional control over them. Harold Bloom, Professor of Humanities at Yale University, compares Iago to the devil because of Iagos unusual resentment towards Othello and his plot to destroy not only Othello but also his wife and everything Othello values (Introduction Modern Critical Interpretations page 1). The only explanation Iago gives for his behavior is "I am not, what I am" (act 1 line 60). Shakespeare uses the character, Iago, to show that it is dangerous to believe any individual completely. The eagerness of Othello and Roderigo to accept Iagos lies shows that they found some strange type of comfort in what he was saying. In a profound statement, Professor Steven Hale says that Iago is successful in manipulating Othello, because of Othellos yearning to be sure of something in his marriage to Desdemona (lecture, Georgia Perimeter College). The relationships between Iago and the other characters display that ones own emotions and desires can be used against one when interacting individually with another person. The emotional attitudes in the tragedy display vulnerabilities that are caused by interrelation among characters. Othello portrays emotional attitudes in such a way that they touch a very personal core and remind t...
