Act II

In Act II of William Shakespeare's Othello, the reader gets to see Iago put his sinister plan into effect. Iago begins to set up his dominoes that he will then knock down. Iago shows that he plans to get Casio drunk so he will make a fool of himself and be quick to anger. This works swimmingly, as Casio falls into Iago's puzzle, stabbing Montano for calling him drunk. In this part of the play, the audience is beginning to see the serpentine qualities of Iago. I can now see why some may consider him the greatest villain of all time. Shakespeare's writing makes Iago seem even worse a villain. The poet's syntax and diction contribute deeply to the meaning. After Iago gets Cassio to drink, and Cassio becomes angry, Cassio says to Montano "A knave teach me my duty? I'll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle." (II.iii.109-110) Shakespeare's wordage makes the play more entertaining due to the phrases used during the period.