Great movie. Branagh, as always, was brilliant. Although, I didn't like the suggestion that Iago dies. The text of the play doesn't actually say that he dies. I like to think of Iago as embodying an evil that does not die. He is often called and refered to as 'devil.' He's alot like Don John from Much Ado who is just evil, simple as that.
but that's just my opinion, smell ya later.
it doesn't suggest he dies, he crawls onto the bed and looks at Cassio. thats the last you see of him. Though i suppose i can see why u'd think that. Thinking of that scene though, rather than wether he dies, how do u feel about him crawling on the bed? I know plenty people who feel this detracts from the character of Iago and are quite annoyed by it. Do you think it shows some remorsefulness on Iago's part?
shareIn my opinion, Iago cries not due to remorse but because he has finally achieved his plan. There is a scene where he throws the black and white chess pieces in the water, this foreshadows Othello's and Desdemona's release into the ocean, thus signifying that Iago's plan has ultimately succeeded. If you had Iago's prespective and you realised that your plan was ultimately victorious, wouldn't you cry of happiness? This adds yet another layer to Iago's psychopathic character. He's Shakespeare at his best, furthered by Parker's creativity.
"Demand me nothing; what you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word" A5 S2 L300
I think there's a hint (only a hint) of Wormtongue here, as portrayed in the Peter Jackson films, emphasising the evil and servility of evil in the character; and at the same time the opposite of the 'I hate the Moor' thing — you could say that Iago only starts to properly understand his own motivations now.
Carelessness on Cassio's part, though — unguarded, villains sneak off, and escape justice. Even now, can we trust the expressions of Iago's face and speech?
The movie is not implying that he dies. When Othello stabs him, he even says: "I bleed, sir; but not kill'd." Othello then replies: "I am not sorry neither: I'ld have thee live; /For, in my sense, 'tis happiness to die."
If the audience is listening, they should be able to catch this. Besides, death really is too good of an ending for Iago.
I don't think that Iago did achieve his goals. He wanted control. Control over people and situations. I think Othello's remorseful suicide is not what Iago wanted. I think he wanted Othello to live in complete hatred, just like he, Iago, did. I also do not think that he wanted to be forced (lack of control on his part) to kill Emilia. Also Cassio lived(right?), not what he wanted. In my Shakespeare class we discussed that Iago wanted to turn Othello into himself, a person who believed his wife cheated on him and that a person he loved and respected (Othello to Iago and Cassio to Othello) was really against him. Thus Iago wanted Othello to live with that hatred and distrust that Iago felt was inflicted upon him by Othello. When Othello forgives Cassio and Desdemona then dies in remorse, but with the bit of peace knowing they did love him he goes against Iago's plan. In the end Iago turns into what he was trying to make Othello, hated, alone, and the murderer of the wife he still suspected cheated on him.
shareinteresting discussion on this board
i do not think it makes him remorseful at all
for a moment i thought maybe, as he gives a strange sad look
but when othello is delivering his final speech and killing himself, he looks more confused than remorseful, like he doesen't understand what othello is doing, because at this point Iago is beyong feeling anything but hate and jealousy and anger
and when hes on the bed, he seems to look towards us (as he does in the movie frequently) or Cassio, and he has an evil smile on his face, or a smile of some sort
it seems to me at this point that he is sitting there happy in the incredibly evil thing his plan has become, yes, things have not gone totally as he wanted but he definitely has achieved the destruction of lives that he had wanted
[deleted]
The text I have says 'Iago is taken away to be tortured and killed'.
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
SPOILER ALERT
He doesn't die. Right before Othello commits suicide he is stabbed (not fatally) by Othello and then claims that he will not speak anymore. The bodies that they throw into the sea are most likely those of Desdemona and Othello.
this is excellent, a good serious message board that has no inane insults being thrown back and forth like so many boards I've seen. I watched this movie at school and it helped me appreciate the book more as it made it seem more realistic and physical. I agree with with cudgalactica, he does not die, he is merely looked at with contempt by Cassio and Iago returns the favour with a look of "thank god I've won, hah!" Pure evil personified!
shareI saw the implication that he dies. It was kind of annoying.
---And every breath we drew was Hallelujah---
Death is too good for him. That is implied in Lodovico's lines on 363-365 in the play version.
shareI once saw a version of this years ago and Bob Hoskins played Iago. At the very end of the play when Iago is led away, Hoskins started laughing, and it was really effective and yes, even scary.
Against all Gods
Too bad Anthony Hopkins was totally ridiculous in that version. His acting performance might have been good if he'd actually been a black man, instead of a white guy with shoe polish smeared on his face lol
share[deleted]
In the play, he is executed, although we don't see that. He is taken away at the end to be that. I guess here they wanted to show his onscreen death but took a liberty by showing him dying on the bed. I guess to show the destruction he caused.
shareI just started watching this film ... but I do know that the play itself does not state whether Iago lives or dies. In the play, he is taken away and it is implied that he will be tortured, and I suppose that could lead to execution, particularly in Iago's case, because Iago makes it clear that he will not confess any guilt: "Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this moment forward I never will speak word."
shareI do know that the play itself does not state whether Iago lives or dies. In the play, he is taken away and it is implied that he will be tortured, and I suppose that could lead to execution
[deleted]
I know how the play ends, but it always seemed like it would have made more sense for Othello to kill Iago and then himself. Iago could get a long death monologue to further expound upon his love of evil.
I feel sorry for Othello that on top of all his previous failures, he couldn't even kill a guy standing right in front if him. :(