Download The Pathology of the Evil Person

The Pathology of the
Evil Person
By: Mathew Stachnik
Morality
•
Morality can be defined as
conforming to the rules of right
conduct.
•
It is also the ability to distinguish
between right and wrong.
•
Different cultures have different
moral beliefs that they pass down
from generation to generation.
•
Though people might have
different variations of moral
virtues, mainstream society
determines what is right and
wrong.
•
If someone strays from the norms
of moral belief in society, then
they can be considered evil.
Nature Vs. Nurture
How morality is acquired
•
One side of the argument is
that morality is something
one is born with.
•
Many believe that the genes
that one is born with are a
large factor in determining
one’s morality.
•
One bears morality before
being influenced by other
factors.
•
The other side of the
argument is that morality is
acquired through the way one
is raised.
•
In this instance, influences
such as family actions can
determine what one sees as
right and wrong.
•
How one is brought up
determines one’s moral
beliefs.
Morality in Othello
•
Shakespeare is known for his plays that revolve around the ideas
of love and conflict. Othello is no exception. It is filled love,
passion, blood, and spite. But it is a story that is know for its
power of false persuasion.
•
Iago is the villain of the play. He is Othello’s ensign, and he always
their for him. Unfortunately, he has evil urges to ruin the life of
Othello. The question is: Why does Iago want to split the bond
between Othello and his wife Desdemona?
•
He has plans for Othello, and he discusses Othello’s marital
state with Roderigo. He says, “Her eye must be fed. And what
delight shall she have to look on the devil? When the blood is
made dull with the act of sport, there should be, to inflame it and
to give satiety a fresh appetite, loveliness in favor, sympathy in
years, manners and beauties all which moor is defective in.”
(II,I,246) Here he tries to convince Roderigo that Desdemona will
soon get bored with Othello and will be searching for new
pleasures.
The Evil in Iago
•
Iago’s plan is to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him.
Othello being the jealous figure he is would then kill her for breaking the
bond of marriage.
•
After convincing Othello that Desdemona was cheating on him, Iago
continues his evil wrath. He suggest to Othello the various ways of killing
Desdemona for committing such an unforgivable sin. He says, “Do it not with
poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated.”
(IV,I,223)
•
Iago can be seen as an evil character for his menace promoting actions.
But is he to blame for his actions or are his moral beliefs different from
those around him because of the ways he was raised.
•
I believe that Iago is an evil being because his actions lead Othello to kill
Desdemona. Iago was responsible for her death, and he did this to gain
justification for Othello not making him Lieutenant.
Fin
Sources: Othello by William Shakespeare