The quote is taken from Act 2, scene 3. Iago is referring to Desdemona, Othello's wife, in this instance. He is saying that he plans to besmirch her good name and destroy the virtue that she holds. Desdemona is held in great respect by all who know her, especially her husband, for she is a good woman of high moral stature. She has an unblemished record and has maintained her integrity thus far. Even her father, Brabantio, commented on her humble and shy nature when he spoke to the duke after Othello had been accused of abducting her. At the time he said:
A maiden never bold;
Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion
Blush'd at herself...
The general opinion of Desdemona, therefore, is that she is morally upright, a woman of incomparable virtue. By saying that he will turn her virtue into pitch, Iago means that he will deliberately blacken her name.
He and Roderigo have already managed to get Cassio to lose his lieutenancy through their scheming. Earlier in this scene, Iago had managed to persuade Cassio into drinking some more wine. Cassio had mentioned that he is easily intoxicated but took another cup at Iago's insistence. The two devious plotters had planned this, and once Cassio was out of sorts, Roderigo provoked him into a fight. When Montano intervened, Cassio turned against him.
Othello was roused by the brawl and was extremely upset since the situation in Cyprus was very tense because of the looming threat posed by the Turks. When he heard from 'honest' Iago that Cassio was, in part, the reason for the row, he immediately dismissed him. Cassio was, obviously, extremely upset and felt that he had not only lost his title, but also his honour.
Iago then slyly advised the distraught ex-lieutenant that he should approach the fair Desdemona, for she had much influence on her husband, to ask that she make representations to Othello to reappoint him. Desdemona would, out of the goodness of her heart, not refuse Cassio's request. He suggests that the general might be swayed by her appeal for Cassio's reinstatement. Cassio is pleased with the idea and promises that he will follow Iago's suggestion. This is precisely what the malicious ancient wants, for he later says in a monologue:
...for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,
That she repeals him for her body's lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.
The devious Iago plans to turn good into bad. Whilst Cassio plies Desdemona with requests to speak to Othello and she acquiesces to his entreaty, they will, unknowingly, be playing right into the dastardly villain's hands. Iago will inform Othello that Desdemona is making these petitions on behalf of Cassio to satisfy her lust. The more Desdemona beseeches her husband to reinstate Cassio, the more he will believe that she is, indeed, involved with him. Iago will make sure of that. That is how he will destroy her reputation—Othello will be convinced that she is committing adultery with Cassio.
Iago's malice is remorseless and unbridled. He will stop at nothing to get his revenge. He wishes to use Desdemona's good intentions to draw them all into his trap and thus destroy them.
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