Othello reacts typically, sating: Haply for I am black

And have not those soft parts of conversation

That chambers have . . . I am abused, my relief

Must be to loathe her (III.iii.260-5).

Iago has no respect for Othello, his marriage, or Desdemona, for that matter. To be precise, he cares for no one but himself.

Another characteristic that makes Iago unique is that he is clever. Being smart is a good thing but being smart and evil is not. Iago knows enough about human nature and, Othello in particular, to do severe damage. He uses Othello's jealousy against him and he does so in a calculated way. Iago knows he wants to destroy Othello and he knows that Desdemona is the love of Othello's life. To destroy that life means to bring it down through the power of love. All he must do is suggest infidelity and Othello's insecurities and jealousies are put in motion. Once these emotions are triggered, it is almost impossible to stop them. Iago knows the nature of man enough to know this and he knows Othello's nature as well. Iago shrouds his motivations behind the guise of friendship, leading Othello to believe he actually cares for him. He cautions him against jealousy, stating, "O, beware, my...

Here we see Iago successfully setting Othello up for a fall. It is also worth noting that by instigating Othello's jealousy and then telling him not to react on it, Iago is removing himself from any blame or responsibility. Iago knows that jealousy alone will provoke Othello to anger and Othello will not have anyone to blame but himself.
Iago is one of the most interesting characters Shakespeare ever created because he is pure evil and does not care. Criminals are always mean and hurtful but some of them are not so smart. Iago is so smart, he almost gets everything he desires in the play. He can be conniving because he has no respect for life or good intentions. Because he has no respect for good intentions, he justifies his jealousy rather easily. This is significant because his reason for jealousy is rather flimsy. Because he was not promoted is not enough to destroy so many lives but for someone who has no respect for life, it is. Iago illustrates how pride, ego, lack of respect for life in general, and intelligence prove to be a deadly mix.

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William. Othello. New York: Penguin Books. 1968.