"Thus do I ever make my fool my purse.
For I mine own gained knowledge should profane
If I would time expend with such a snipe
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor," (I.iii.363-366)
Identify the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s). Are there any foil characters? What dramatic functions are served by the various minor characters?
The protagonist of this story is Othello while the antagonist is Iago. Othello is a hero to the city of Venice and is in love with Desdemona. Iago hates Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant and for the rumor that Othello has slept with Iago's wife. Iago is the antagonist because he is purposely trying to ruin Othello's marriage as revenge.
Emilia and Desdemona are foil characters and this is evident in how they talk to Iago in Act II, Scene i, lines 100-162. Emilia is very quiet and timid while Desdemona is assertive and unintimidated by Iago's rudeness.
The main purpose of the minor characters is so that Iago can manipulate them to carry out his plan for getting revenge on Othello. Roderigo is used to alert Barbantio of Othello and Desdemona's marriage. Iago gets Cassio drunk so that Roderigo will get in a fight with him and he will lose his job. The minor characters, without Iago, would not make much of a difference in the lives of Othello and Desdemona.
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