For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In complement extern, ’tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
– William Shakespeare
Othello, Act 1, Scene 1. Iago reveals his deceitful nature to Roderigo. Confessing he is not the man he pretends to be, he never openly displays his true emotions for others to see. Otherwise he would leave his heart vulnerable for "daws" (foolish jackdaws or humans) to pick at. A fascinating and sinister character and the villain of the play, what you see is not what you get with Iago. Ironically when Iago speaks about his dishonest nature – "I am not what I am" – he is speaking the truth. This line is an allusion to a quote from Exodus 3:14, where Moses asks God is name and Gods says: "I am that I am." What is suggested here is that Iago is something of a diabolical figure and the opposite of God. Iago also provides us with the idiom "wear my heart upon my sleeve," a metaphor for openly showing your true feelings and emotions This is something he prefers to keep hidden from others. Iago remains one of Shakespeare’s most interesting villains.