In the play “Othello” by William Shakespeare, love, jealousy, and conspiracy set the tone of the play. Desdemona's beauty causes two men to fall desperately in love with her, but their differences make Othello the tragic hero of the play and Iago the despicable villain. Othello is a “tragic hero” because of his self-centered nature and gullibility. Othello also has a noble stature and a high position in his culture. Othello is great and an honest but not perfect soldier. He also allows himself to be manipulated by other people for example, Iago instead of trusting his own heart, Othello easily believes others or his friends. Othello is a tragic hero because he is noble, he suffers fatal tragic events and goes through a tragic downfall. Iago is an envious and resentful man whose ambition is to possess everything that belongs to Othello. Iago's ambition is to obtain Othello's position, love and fortune. Although Othello kills his wife Desdemona, Iago is responsible for her death and the downfall of Othello and himself. Iago is more jealous than Othello because Iago is willing to hurt. Iago sees Cassio and Emilia kissing but he does not act. He is simply too busy planning the destruction of Desdemona and Othello's love and Cassio to have taken his stand, but Iago doesn't care at all for his own wife Emilia. Even Iago is at a lower military level than Othello, he hates Othello and he would not follow him. Iago simply gains an advantage by serving under Othello. “That I am in some way just refined /To love the Moor./ (I.1 36-37) I am to serve him my turn./ We cannot all be masters, nor all masters /Cannot be really followed. (I.1 39-41) by saying this, Iago really proves that he does not respect Othello and that he will not follow him