English Literature

Shakespeares Iago and Molieres Harpagon appear before the reader in two main aspects their external behavior and actions, as they interact with other characters, and their inner emotions and fears which finally force them to manipulate other people for their own evil needs. This essay will compare dramatic personalities of Iago and Harpagon trying to explain motives for their evil and jealous actions and identifying clearly recognizable tensions and frustrations in inner life of the characters.

Main Body
Iago and Harpagon are two central and wealthy characters who effect the culmination in two plays. They have many similarities, all of which arise, directly or indirectly, from the characters temperaments and passions. On the one part, Iago and Harpagon are perceived by the reader as decidedly cold by temperament. Thus, as a person who does not give love, Harpagon does not create illusions to receive it. At the same time, he reveals to some older men in Molire his anxiety about young rivals. His feelings of uncertainty and low self-worth are seen clearly during his conversation with Frosine, when Harpagon remarks that I am afraid that a man of my age may not exactly suit her Marianes taste (II, VI). Like Harpagon, it seems that Iago is unable to love and has a feeling of self-insufficiency. Iagos need to destroy the union of Othello and Desdemona, characterized by intense emotions and feelings, arises from his own inner fears that he is lacking in worth and does not have the attachment, affection, and regard of other people. Similar to Harpagon, Iago is a man who feels deeply threatened by other people and particularly by their emotions but is absolutely unable to comprehend and deal with his fears. Envious of other peoples feelings of happiness and attachment (Iago confesses that Cassio hath a daily beauty in his life that makes Iago feel himself ugly (V, I), Iago is forced by these inner emotions, basically, to demonstrate that any idea of a passionate love is a deceptive impression of reality. In this way, his low conspiracies serve to shore up the unbearable emptiness of his inner immeasurably deep chasm. As a result, Iago prefers to be burning volcano of harmful actions and pathological jealousy rather than as a numb person devoid of emotions and feelings of love.

On the other hand, there is a reason to believe that Iago and Harpagon are not cold-blooded characters or passionless human beings, but men eaten up with passion - words that Iago says to Othello (III, III) but that could be very appropriate both to Iago and Harpagon. The reader finds in Iagos and Harpagons words many indications that the characters are suffering from severe jealousy and sexual obsession. Thus, Iago appears to suspect his wife extremely. Indignant over Cassios special treatment of Emilia at the harbor, he later has suspicion that Cassio has appropriated his nightcap (his place in bed) I fear Cassio with my night-cap too (II, I). In his very first monologue, Iago also thinks that Emilia has slept with Othello (I, III). Emilia reminds her husband of how some mancious slanderer turned your wit the seamy side without  And made you to suspect me with the Moor (IV, II). Most of all, Iago desires to make Othello feel the same kind of distressing suspicion that he feels. In his second monologue, Iago attempts to justify motives that drive his desire for revenge on his lord

For that I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leaped into my seat the thought whereof Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards. (II, I)

By assuring Othello that Cassio had sexual intercourse with Desdemona, Iago wants to rejoice a victory over the two men  first, have Cassio on the hip and, second, make Othello egregiously an ass (II, I.). He makes plans to weaken gradually Othellos peace and quiet,  Even to madness, a jealousy so strong  That judgment cannot cure. He wants to Make the Moor thank me Iago, love me and reward me Iago. From Iagos heartfelt description of the green-eyed monster which doth mock, the meat it feeds on that cuckold lives in bliss, who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger what damned minutes tells he oer, who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves (III, III)
the reader concludes that Iago is well familiar with the devastations of jealousy and envy.

Harpagon also has passion that arises basically from his is love for money. Like Iagos passion, Harpagons passion for money can overwhelm him emotionally beyond the reasonable boundaries of self-control and into a paranoid condition with unhealthy, obsessional ideas. For example, he suddenly stops conversations with people to run into the garden and look at his strongbox to be sure that it is still in its hiding place. Then, he attacks La Flche violently for trying to take his monies from him and checks the La Flches pants pockets. In the scene IV, VII in which Harpagon discovers that the box has disappeared, he engages in a disagreement even with his own arm (Who is this Stop (To himself, taking hold of his own arm) Give me back my money, wretch.... Ah... it is myself....), threatens to hang everybody in sight (and out of sight), himself included I will hang everybody, and if I do not find my money, I will hang myself afterwards. Similar to Iago, Harpagon is like a madman, going through the whole play in a state of delusion and paranoia.

Conclusion
It seems that any actor who would try to portray Iago or Harpagon in the theatre purely as a character of evil and wickedness would have had to ignore significant parts of the plays complex descriptions of the characters actions and inner world. As this essay demonstrated, both Iago and Harpagon project characters, driven to evil-minded and jealousy actions by psychological motives. The inner drives the reader sees in Iago and Harpagon represent conflicting and terrifying emotional impulses. Both have many desires which they cannot satisfy, which are frustrated, and which finally grow into real wrongdoings.