Iago: While I would argue that Iago is the epitome of evil and that as such he is an integral part of humanity, I don't believe that humans such as Iago truly exist. To me, he represents pure evil; Shakespeare makes a point of connecting Iago to the serpent who ruins Adam and Eve's paradise in the Garden of Eden. Iago is Shakespeare's only villain who seems to have no redeeming qualities. The extent of his malevolence overshadows any justification for his actions against Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, and even his own wife.
Desdemona: Desdemona is partly responsible for her fate. She lies to Othello about the handkerchief. While he most likely would have been upset about her losing the handkerchief, Iago would not have been able to frame Desdemona if she had simply told Othello that she had misplaced it. Similarly, Othello begins acting out of character--he becomes a different man from the gentle, controlled, Renaissance man whom she observed and fell in love with in Venice. This should have been a hint to her that she needed seek out who or what had changed her husband. Even at the play's end, she is too passive and goes too easily to her death.
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