What is the purpose of Iago's virtue? a fig speech in the play Othello?

Iago was the villain of the play and he was not a virtuous character at all. In the speech you're talking about he equates virtue with a "fig," which in the early 17th century didn't mean a fig like in Fig Newton, but it was a hand gesture where you hold your thumb between your index finger and middle finger and shake it disapprovingly at someone or something, it was called "giving the fig" and supposed to be an insult. Basically, what Iago was saying in this speech in equating it with this offensive gesture was "F** ("fig," if you like) virtue, I don't need it and it's worthless. The equivalent nowadays, I guess, would be saying "virtue can kiss my a##." The purpose of the speech in the play is to show that he is truly a villain and that he has no respect at all for virtue or people who are virtuous, like Othello, who (other than his chief weakness being his jealously) is a virtuous character. It shows what a low and seedy character he is and how little he regards Othello and that he is out to bring him down and whatever cost.

omar