'Iago's Luck' raises interesting questions
Josh Colon
Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: News Stories
On Tuesday, March 31, many faculty members attended Professor Glen Cannon Arbery's lecture titled "Iago's Luck: The Question of Providence in Othello" in La Maison Francaise. His lecture reflected the question of whether or not providence, the workings of fate by a divine being, apply to Iago in Othello. Arbery answers that Iago is seen as an artist and counter playwright in a form of human providence through comical events in the play. Iago remains in the background, replacing the divine figure for the human one.
"In other plays, what A.C. Bradley calls 'the guiding power', Shakespeare doesn't hesitate to call providence," Arbery said. He argued that Shakespeare's plays contain many forms of providence in the religious and Christian sense through plays like Julius Caesar, Hamlet and The Tempest. But, he believes that this idea of providence is consciously absent in Othello, due to its tragic nature and its devious antagonist Iago.
Arbery added, "one can't be helped but be struck by the good luck of a character generally acknowledged to embody pure evil." Arbery credits Iago for his skill as a mastermind behind his deception and trickery towards many characters in the play. Events such as Desdemona's dropping of her handkerchief, Cassio's drunkenness in front of Othello and Bianca's roles all fall to Iago at perfect moments, such moments are at times seemingly too perfect. This raises the question, as Arbery believes, that there could be a sense of providence working in the play.
"The play puts Iago's good fortune before us as a question. Is it merely luck? ...Or fate of some description? Or if providence is at work in the world of the play, why does it seek the favor of Iago?" questions Arbery. The answer seems to place the play in a view that the providence occurring is not tragic but comic; not divine but human. Here, Arbery reflected on Machiavelli and how this thinker took the place of a providential God. He referred to a "comic thrust of providential order" and questioned whether Shakespeare uses Othello's tragic qualities as a caution against the idea of depending on providence. Scenes such as Desdemona's "second death" seem to show a sense of comedy in its impossibility.
"In other plays, what A.C. Bradley calls 'the guiding power', Shakespeare doesn't hesitate to call providence," Arbery said. He argued that Shakespeare's plays contain many forms of providence in the religious and Christian sense through plays like Julius Caesar, Hamlet and The Tempest. But, he believes that this idea of providence is consciously absent in Othello, due to its tragic nature and its devious antagonist Iago.
Arbery added, "one can't be helped but be struck by the good luck of a character generally acknowledged to embody pure evil." Arbery credits Iago for his skill as a mastermind behind his deception and trickery towards many characters in the play. Events such as Desdemona's dropping of her handkerchief, Cassio's drunkenness in front of Othello and Bianca's roles all fall to Iago at perfect moments, such moments are at times seemingly too perfect. This raises the question, as Arbery believes, that there could be a sense of providence working in the play.
"The play puts Iago's good fortune before us as a question. Is it merely luck? ...Or fate of some description? Or if providence is at work in the world of the play, why does it seek the favor of Iago?" questions Arbery. The answer seems to place the play in a view that the providence occurring is not tragic but comic; not divine but human. Here, Arbery reflected on Machiavelli and how this thinker took the place of a providential God. He referred to a "comic thrust of providential order" and questioned whether Shakespeare uses Othello's tragic qualities as a caution against the idea of depending on providence. Scenes such as Desdemona's "second death" seem to show a sense of comedy in its impossibility.
Be the first to comment on this story