It is a common misconception that Roderigo is an inferior character in Othell and that he doesn't play an important role because of his simple supergoal that he doesn't achieve, which is to be with Desdemona by whatever means necessary. However, Shakespeare's purpose for Roderigo, which makes him important to the play, is very different from what Roderigo wants. Roderigo's superobjective is introduced in the first act when we see Roderigo and Iago confront Brabantio about Desdemona's whereabouts. In the first act we also see how much Roderigo wants to be with Desdemona when he says that “I will drown myself incontinently” (I.iii.305). We begin to see the power that Iago has over Roderigo and because of this Roderigo begins to appear weak and indecisive. This weakness comes from how desperate Roderigo is to be with Desdemona. Roderigo's Achilles heel is his love and desire to be with Desdemona. Roderigo had asked Brabantio for Desdemona before the first act. Brabantio also regrets not having given Desdemona to Roderigo: “Oh, if I had had her” (Ii174). Iago immediately recognizes Roderigo's guilt and begins to take full advantage of it. It is easy to say that Roderigo was the fool of the play because Iago plays with his emotions, but Roderigo was one of the characters closest to Iago. Roderigo You told me you hated him. Iago Despise me if I don't. Three grandees of the city, in personal dress to make me his lieutenant, without hat to him; and, by the faith of man, I know my price; I am not worth a worse place (Ii7-11)As much as Iago was using Roderigo, Roderigo was using Iago to try to separate Othello from Desdemona. Roderigo's extreme feelings make him easily manipulated and incapable... middle of paper... a lot about Roderigo's character and what he is willing to do to be with Desdemona. Roderigo never achieves his super goal as he dies at the hands of Iago. Because of this some see Roderigo as weak, however I think this shows how deceitful Iago is and how dedicated Roderigo was to his super goal. Roderigo went as far as he could to achieve his supergoal, and just as he said: "It is nonsense to live when living is torment, and then we have a prescription for dying when death is our doctor" (I.iii.307 - 310). In the end, Roderigo keeps his promise and dies trying to achieve his super goal: to separate Desdemona from Othello so that Roderigo can be with her. However, Roderigo has a greater purpose and fulfills the role Shakespeare assigned to him by being the catalyst for the falling action that led to the tragic ending..