Iago is one of Shakespeare's most misunderstood villains in literature. We are on Othello's side from the beginning because his name is on the cover of our paperback, we read Othello when we learn about heroes, so we expect Iago to be a villain, a ruthless manipulator. We don't know why, he doesn't say it clearly or in plain English, so we assume he's evil, that he's just a disgruntled sociopath who wants to exact his exaggerated revenge on the good and noble Othello. Iago's misunderstood reputation is the result of him not truly examining his character and being unable to answer the "why" factor behind his actions. After all, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. His goal in the show wasn't just to destroy Othello for the sake of it. His goal, rather, was to do justice to the wrongs inflicted on him by Othello. Denied the job he had worked for all his life, Shakespeare's Iago set out to demonstrate what happened when personal friendship was placed before merit, and to demonstrate that a servant is not simply someone to give orders to: a servant is also a capable man. Serving as Othello's right-hand man for many years, Iago believed that he would be the chosen one for the position of Othello's lieutenant. When Cassio was chosen, Iago could not understand why Othello had made that choice. So he decided to seek justice on the one who harmed him: the "good" and "noble" Othello. The relationship between master and servant is, ideally, one in which the two can speak to and respect each other, all based on a foundation of Trust. This was the relationship between Iago and Othello before their drama (no pun intended). There must have been some sort of trust between the two, perhaps even a friendship, before Iago betrayed Othello. They fought together... in the middle of the page... from this time I will never say a word." (V.ii.303-304) By silencing himself, Iago also demonstrates to Othello that perhaps he is not the great pious hero that everyone believes that is. Othello took an ambiguous piece of information and made this great fantasy out of it, convincing himself that Desdemona was sleeping with Cassio. Instead of questioning Desdemona, Othello only believed a small rumor. Othello's fall into Iago's trap can only be blamed to Othello for blindly following such an ambiguous statement; “I told him what I thought and said no more/Then what was found was appropriate and true” (V.ii.187-188). whether or not Iago hoped to gain something from his actions However, Iago succeeded in destroying Othello, emotionally and ultimately physically, achieving his goal of bringing justice to himself, the victim..