Othello Reading #2

            The play begins to move quickly in Act II, because the threat of the Turkish fleet is eliminated at the beginning of the act (II, i, 19-20). As a result, the conflict in the play becomes personal and not related to military action. Iago remains unclear about his exact motive for taking revenge on Othelllo. Iago does give a vague motive for his hatred towards Cassio: “For I fear Cassio with my (nightcap) too” (II, i, 29). Iago believes that his wife may be having an affair with Cassio, and  in Act I, Iago made a similar comment about Othello having an affair with his wife. Since Iago has used this same excuse on two different occasions it makes his motives appear to be made up, and that his go to excuse for hating someone and wanting to take action against an individual is when there is a possibility that the individual has slept with his wife. When Iago takes action, it appears that his justification for his actions is not important, but who he manipulates is. Iago’s soliloquy at the end of scene I is repetitive to his speech to Roderigo in Act I when Iago explains his plan. Iago seems to feel the need to explain his plan, but not his exact motives.