In Act III Scene III, I noticed a great aspect shedding some light over Iago’s manipulations techniques. Right after Cassio leaves, Iago is jumping on the window opportunity in order to influence Othello’s mind into thinking his wife, Desdemona, is cheating on him with Cassio. More precisely he simply says right after Cassio leaves –

Ha, I like not that (A III S III , 36)

I chose this passage since it gives us an insider look to a specific method or technique used by Iago to achieve his ultimate goal. He is quickly planting the desired idea in Othello’s mind and backing out almost. Right after, he is acting as if the dialogue was naturally started (He doesn’t say much – less is more in this case). It gains the important advantage of credibility, which Iago uses over and over again into deceiving Othello.

Right after, Othello is asking –

What dost thou say? (A III S III , 37)

And Iago replies –

Nothing my lord; or if – I know not what (A III S III , 38-39)

Iago started this discussion by making Othello notice the coincidence, but when Othello is asking him what this is about, he is playing innocent, like as if he doesn’t know. Brilliant. Right after, we notice that the message has been successfully delivered to Othello –

Was not that Cassio parted from my wife? (A III S III , 40)

‘Mission accomplished’ by Iago. He is basically modifying he’s methods by forcing Othello to get information from him about his wife’s loyalty, as if it comes naturally out of his mind and personal concerns, thus, releasing the weight from Iago not to seem like undermining between them himself (which is actually the case!). Right after that, Iago says as if he is surprised from the connection made:

Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it

The he would steal away so guiltylike.

Seeing your coming (A III S III , 41-43)

Iago is trying to allegedly question his own point in this discussion, to gain more and more credit from Othello and make his presence and self-interests disappear from the topic, making it only about Desdemona and Cassio, and not about: how did this topic come up? (which is to cause damage).

This is a fascinating way of undermining in my opinion, even though he is far from being a good person and a friend as he pretends to be. Another interesting part here is that the whole thing happened in a very short time frame (at least that’s how it feels from the textual vibe of the play) and escalates very quickly in Othello’s mind (from not noticing à to thinking about it himself). As Jose said in class – it is admirable.