1.A smiling villain.
2.The latent homosexual.
3.The devils emissasary.
4.The playwright (i.e. creator of events and observer, who conducts the outcome).
5.The melodramatic machiavel. (Jackson, 181)

Each of these poses a legitimate argument. The mock marriage of Othello and Iago provide evidence that the latter possesses a homosexual attraction to his general. The numerous comparisons, both direct and indirect, of Iago to a demon suggest that, at least in the minds of the characters, he may be doing a supernatural's bidding. He certainly spins a complex web and exercises a degree of control that rivals Shakespeare's own on Othello itself. Iago is also fantastically pragmatic, gaining great wealth from Roderigo and eventually a promotion from Othello; perhaps he was a student of The Prince. Or indeed perhaps, meager textual evidence aside, he is simple psychopathic, acting upon irrational and sadistic impulses while still managing to exercise reason.

Additionally, it is sometimes thought that Iago simply hates women, therefore, he want the most powerful women in his world, Desdemona who as the "general's wife is now the general" (II.iii.292) to be destroyed. This is most obvious when, after arriving on Cyprus, Iago banters with and then verbally attacks Desdemona and Emilia calling them "pictures out of doors, / Bells in your parlours, wild cats in your kitchens, / Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, / Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds" (II.i.113-116). He thinks of women as simple and lazy creatures accusing that they "rise to play and go to bed to work" (II.i.118). After all, Desdemona is essentially taking from Iago the man whom he may love, "Othello's marrying means that their friendship will never be the same again" (Jackson, 183). However, since much of Iago's hatred seems directed towards Othello, too much faith cannot be placed on this explanation.

It is also possible that Iago acts, much like Othello eventually does, out of jealousy. Immediately, the ensign is envious of Cassio's promotion, feeling the other less deserving and greatly desiring the accolade for himself. Iago is not willing to accept living in Cassios shadow but realizes that "He hath a daily beauty in his life / That makes me ugly" (V.i.18-19). In addition, he suspects that both Cassio and Othello might have made a cuckold of him, that is, either may have slept with Emilia. Although his suspicion of Cassio might simply arise from the fact that Iago himself is painting Cassio as an adulterer, he is more serious about Othello secretly charging that "I do suspect the lusty Moor / Hath leapt into my seat, the thought whereof / Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaws my inwards, / And nothing can or shall content my soul / Till I am evened with him, wife for wife" (II.i.282-286). If, however, Iago does indeed act out of jealousy we must be careful not to analyze him to closely. After all, "jealous souls will not be answered so; / They are not ever jealous for the cause, / But jealous for they're jealous" (III.iv.154-156), or as Suchet adequately translates "don't look for reasons in the behavior of jealous people" (Jackson, 182).

There is not any ample supply of text to adequately confirm Iagos motivations as lying in one area or another. It is of course possible that his actions originate from a mixed background, but the general refusal to accept the test as ultimate on the part of academics and the subsequent searches for answers outside the play suggests otherwise. He is indeed a complicated character, one who at times, such as in his dealings with Roderigo, acts out of predominant self-interest, an understandable and natural human motive. However, at other times, the great lengths he goes to console Desdemona only to eventually plot her murder, appear to be the result of a serious psychosis. The text can not always be trusted either as David Suchet points out: "Human beings are given to finding justifications for deeds or actions to make those deeds allowable in their own minds even though they are not always valid justifications. And so it is with Iago" (Jackson, 182). Perhaps Iago is simply satisfied to do what he does so well, that is to "play the villain" (II.iii.310).