Othello: Roderigo

"I know his gait, 'tis he. Villain, thou diest!" V.i.22

       Roderigo. Oh, naive Roderigo. He is the only character throughout the play who repeatedly gets the short end of the stick. In fact, he is the only one who is so weak willed, that Iago changes his perspective completely every time that Roderigo becomes angry at him, even to the point of murdering another man. He is basically the pocket behind Iago's evil plans. And so comes the brilliant irony that I pointed out today in class. By the end of the play, Roderigo's pockets turn out to be Iago's demise. They find the notes between the two, revealing all. And this is the ultimate irony of all. Roderigo, the stupid, love struck, falsely bearded man, takes down the all mighty Iago.