When it comes to Iago, character from "Othello", the following is an example of a Jungian analysis of his persona, anima, and shadow self. To improve readability, the paragraph is divided into three parts:
- Iago's persona is loyal and disinterested. He seems to care deeply about Othello's well-being, and he does not seem to care about not having been promoted. He projects this image so well that Othello trusts him blindly.
- On the other hand, Iago's shadow is constantly overriding his personality. No wonder he is unable to control his irrational, childish feelings of jealousy and envy, as well as his need for revenge. That means he has not brought his shadow to consciousness, and its repression is taking its toll.
- Finally, Iago's anima appears in his strange relationship with women. Iago does not trust women, and clearly sees them as an enemy to be defeated and conquered. According to Jung, a strongly constellated anima can make a man irritable and jealous.
What is the definition of persona, shadow, and anima?
- Persona, according to Carl Jung, is that side of ourselves that we present to the world, the impression we want others to have of us. We can think of our persona as the social mask we wear when dealing with others.
- Our shadow is that other side of our personality, not accessible to the conscious mind. It is repressed because it contains our instincts and feelings that are considered bad by society.
- The anima is the feminine quality every man possesses (the masculine quality in women is called animus). It is often manifested in dreams, and it can appear in several forms, such as mother Earth, or a seductress. The anima too can influence a man's attitudes and emotions.
How about Iago?
- Iago, from the tragic play "Othello", is constantly overridden by his shadow and his anima. However, he is good at hiding such feelings and intentions behind an effective persona.
- Iago's persona is of a loyal, disinterested man. However, his shadow and his anima drive him to be ambitious, jealous, egotistic, and vengeful. In the end, he ruins the lives of those around him.
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