The most horrible thing a villain can do is commit a crime that claims several victims and provides no explanation for the anguish it causes. Human nature drives people to desire knowledge of why something happened, and when a person thinks they are in possession of such knowledge, the illusion arises that they can control future events to prevent any further disruption to the natural order of things. If such a thing were possible, the answers provided by criminals in past centuries would have allowed governments to completely rid society of crime. However, people do not realize this and still desire complete control, which, in turn, brings comfort to the soul. Unfortunately for the characters in William Shakespeare's Othello, none of them are in control. The infamous villain Iago controls the other characters with such precision they might as well be puppets. He is the cause of several deaths at the show's conclusion and commits the final crime by refusing to provide an explanation for his actions. Ever since Shakespeare's Othello was printed in 1622, critics have continued to debate what Iago's motivations were, who he was, and why he was so successful in carrying out his devious plans. So many countless people, so many countless ideas, and so many countless hours have been spent trying to answer these questions when Shakespeare answers them all in Act Two, Scene One of Othello. Act Two, Scene One of Othello provides insight into Iago's motivations, character, and reasons for success through the interactions between the characters. Many viewers see the scene between Iago, Desdemona, and Emilia as a simple exchange that was common in Shakespeare's day, or as another scene in which Iago expresses... middle of paper... no more. Manipulating these characters' insecurities allowed him to regain his trust. The last thing Iago does to gain trust and power over people is to keep his motives a secret, as the remaining characters' insecurities are that they crave answers as to why he committed his crimes in hopes of controlling the future. They are looking for comfort and he refuses to give it to them. He regains his power and validity in this last heinous act. Once the victim of villains who stole his self-esteem, Iago turns the tables and becomes the villain himself. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Othello. Penguin Group Inc., 2001.Sproat, Kezia Vanmeter. "Rereading "Othello", II, I." The Kenyon Review (1985): 44-51. Zender, Karl F. "The Humiliation of Iago." Studies in English Literature 34 (1994): 323-339. April 2014.