Iago's deception and manipulation in Othello Iago is widely recognized, in the words of Agatha Christie, as "the greatest villain of all time". He is a manipulative character who "weaves a web of deception" exploiting even the smallest defects of others. Maintaining a comical, boyish façade, he uses his honesty and twisted truth to play others "as a virtuoso" and "drive them...to madness." In the play Othello, Act 2 Scene 1 is perhaps the most illuminating scene regarding Iago's truly manipulative character. Containing several soliloquies and interactions between all the main characters, his manipulation is well encapsulated in both this scene from the play and Stuart Burge's 1965 film adaptation. In this scene, soliloquies are used by both Shakespeare and Burge to convey copious amounts of dramatic irony, symbolism, and metaphor that convey Iago's devious personality and his evil plans. Burge augments these linguistic techniques with various cinematic techniques such as high angle shots, use of intonation and salience to characterize Iago. After Othello and Desdemona are reunited, Iago in his soliloquy uses a musical metaphor: "Oh, you are well tuned now, but I will put the pegs that make this music work." The effect here shows both the depth of Othello and Desdemona's love and Iago's manipulative ability to completely destroy the love between them. Indeed, later in the play, the hatred Othello has for Desdemona is made even more shocking due to the height of their previous love. In the film, the use of salience increases the viewer's impression of Iago as a manipulative and vindictive individual in the soliloquies. While Iago stands in the background, covering an entire half of the screen while Cassio and Desdemo......in the center of the paper ......simply urinate due to his jealousy and for his amusement. The manipulative and vengeful character is made even more terrible and magnetic by the scene's final metaphorical phrase: "Knavery's plain face is never seen until it is used." Clearly, Iago fully embraces the wickedness of his actions and revels in the pain it causes, and this line foreshadows the downfall of Othello, Desdemona, and, in certain interpretations, himself. In conclusion, both Shakespeare's Othello and the film adaptation of Burge's play use drama and cinematic techniques to convey Iago's unparalleled manipulation and revenge. Through the use of dramatic irony, gaze, metaphor, and many other techniques in just one scene, Iago is shown as a manipulative and highly unpleasant individual who exploits the flaws and even virtues of others for his own sadistic gain..