Statement of Intent-Othello Dramatic Reading

   The excerpt that I chose to read is Iago's soliloquy in Act 1, when he reveals his revenge plan to carry out against Othello.  In the first sentence, the tone is sinister, since he is showing how he can manipulate Roderigo to help him carry out his master plan.  From "I hate the Moor" until "Cassio's a proper man,"the tone reflects resentment because he is revealing his reaction to being denied a promotion. There are pauses after "Let me see now" and "Let's see" because this is the time when he is plotting his scheme.  The last two lines, he is triumphant, because the details have been worked out and he is ready to carry out his plan.
   Throughout the recording of this soliloquy, I learned how clever and manipulative Iago is.  Almost every character was part of his master plan that led to the demise of several characters, including Othello and Desdemona.  While he is the antagonist in the play, he is very clever.  His plan was complex and planned very carefully, which shows both his cleverness and his intelligence.  I learned that if Iago wasn't clever and intelligent, the play would have ended differently because the plan could have backfired on him.
     The impact of the soliloquy on the text as a whole was huge.  It set the plot in motion and foreshadowed the events that would follow.  Without it, the play would have had a different outcome.  Iago would have taken a more rational approach to solve the problem. It affected all of the stages of dramatic structure because it shaped the entire outcome of the play.  It also further complicated the characterization because at first, Iago comes off as a loyal officer to Othello.  The soliloquy shows a completely different side to him, and it portrays him as a two-faced person.