SHAKSPER 2001: Re: Iago's Evil

From: Hardy M. Cook (editor@ws.bowiestate.edu)
Date: 12/27/01 

The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 12.2899  Thursday, 27 December 2001

[1]     From:   Sophie Masson <smasson@northnet.com.au>
        Date:   Sunday, 23 Dec 2001 20:14:10 +1100
        Subj:   Re: SHK 12.2877 Re: Iago's Evil

[2]     From:   Larry Weiss <pandw@akula.com>
        Date:   Sunday, 23 Dec 2001 02:36:47 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 12.2877 Re: Iago's Evil


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Sophie Masson <smasson@northnet.com.au>
Date:           Sunday, 23 Dec 2001 20:14:10 +1100
Subject: 12.2877 Re: Iago's Evil
Comment:        Re: SHK 12.2877 Re: Iago's Evil

It’s quite true, our fascination with evil reflects negatively on us.
Not only because evil is ugly, but because in fact it puts excitement
where no real excitement is. In real life evil people are often rather
boring and unremarkable until the right circumstances make them reveal
themselves(one of my friends, who was a Homicide Squad detective for
many years in South Australia, and dealt with several cases of serial
killers, has made this point very forcefully to me--serial killers are
boring, dull, sordid little twerps). They can only come forth in those
circumstances; people meeting Iago beforehand would probably have
thought what a dull person he was (thereby adding no doubt to his secret
fury and desire to destroy). Real evil is a mystery but one that is
curiously without relief or dimension, in the end.  It is a cold thing.

Real good is as Janie says, however, very mysterious, because it’s not
just an absence of evil but a truly positive quality, and hot. It’s not
just innocence, either. And one that recognises evil for what it is,
without flinching but without admiration. Possibly it’s much rarer than
true evil which in itself is very rare. One of the interesting things
about Othello is that there is no truly good person in it--Desdemona
herself is innocent rather than good.

Sophie Masson
Author site: http://www.northnet.com.au/~smasson

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Larry Weiss <pandw@akula.com>
Date:           Sunday, 23 Dec 2001 02:36:47 -0500
Subject: 12.2877 Re: Iago's Evil
Comment:        Re: SHK 12.2877 Re: Iago's Evil

> evil in its essence is the inordinate use of power, shown in everyday
> life by seeking out the weaknesses of other people and pulling their
> strings.

I suspect that all successful people have this ability, and manipulation
(otherwise known as “people skills”) is essential to any successful
enterprise, be it political, economic or social.  Successful marriages
probably depend on the skill with which the partners can identify each
other’s needs and “pull their strings,” “push the right buttons,” what
you will.  Mother Theresa was certainly adept at social manipulation,
but few would call her evil.

Sorry to say, evil is not a procedural issue but a far more difficult
philosophical question of the object, not the means, of behavior.   The
use of power is not evil; the use of power for wicked ends is.

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