The Lies, Betrayal and Self-Destruction in Othello In the play Othello composed by Williams Shakespeare, the main character has been misled by another into a world of self-destruction (Bevington, D., 2014). It all began when a villain by the name of Iago had been passed over for a promotion in the military by Othello the main character, a Moor from the northern part of Africa, and a General in the military. To say the least, this villain is willing to do anything to gain his revenge against the Moor. In the wake of perusing the events that surrounded Othello, his bride, and others that it is evident the best strategy would have been for the main character to have controlled his feelings from the beginning; however, this was not the case as he let the images in his mind defeat him. During this story, the degree of lies that are premeditated will show how a controlling person can devastate the lives of innocent victims. …show more content…
In fact, he needs to convince Othello a general that has led many troops to battle that his wife Desdemona is having an affair with a man named Cassio, the man who received his position as Lieutenant (Bevington, D., 2014). Additionally, Iago has suspicions that his wife may have been seduced by Cassio and Othello; however, there is not enough sufficient evidence that this act took place. In Act I Scene III, Iago shares with the audience his ill will against Othello, and they soon discover he has reasoned it out with the loss of his occupation and the belief that Othello has enticed his wife, Emilia. “He proposes, as revenge of wife for wife, to put Othello into such a jealousy as judgment cannot cure” (Jorgensen, P. A., 1985, p. 59). However, this is only the first of many schemes that have been devised for this
Othello’s love for Desdemona was so deep he could not bear the thought of another being with her; “If she be false, O! Then heaven mocks itself. I’ll not believe’t.” Iago uses the characters of Cassio and the obsessive Roderigo as his weapons in his cunning plan. Iago drives the idea into Othello’s mind that Desdemona has been unfaithful, inciting him into a state of jealousy. “Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, but I do love thee; and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.” Othello growing insecurities about his wife’s faithfulness only adds to his psychological suffering which in turn acts as a catalyst towards the suffering of other characters involved in the play.Iago tells these lies with the intention of driving Othello insane as well as establish his dominance and influence the situations of those characters close to Othello. Evidence of this comes in one of Iago’s soliloquies from act two, scene one; “That Cassio loves her, I do well Believe’t: That she loves him, ‘tis apt and of great credit.” This section shows that he is trying to convince himself that his own manipulative lies are true and is trying to reassure his motives by justifying his own actions. By convincing Othello
Iago also has his own suspicion that Othello had an affair with Emilia, Iago’s wife, and seeks revenge. Iago’s soliloquy at the end of “till I am even’d with him, wife for wife” (Act 2, Scene 1) has the notion that Iago might sleep with Desdemona so that Othello must feel the same destructive jealousy.
Like many of the plays written by William Shakespeare, betrayal is what drives the story of Othello. Betrayal, being the main theme in Othello, is revealed through the actions and behavior of the characters. The main character centered around the theme of betrayal is Iago. At the very beginning of the book Iago says, “I am not what I am” ( I. i.11) which is ironic; setting the tone for his role throughout the rest of the story. Iago’s jealousy is what drives the deception of the other characters.
Othello trusts Iago and now Iago is trying to take his wife from him for someone else. Furthermore, “He takes her by the palm...sir in.” (pg. 71). Iago watches Cassio and Emilia because he thinks they had an affair he watches them carefully so he can figure out how to convince Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Another example involves the plan to help Othello kill Desdemona. “Do it not with poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated” (pg. 185). Othello believes that Iago is most honest, thus he believed killing his wife Desdemona was the right thing to do. Iago brainwashed Othello into believing the wrong thing was the right thing. The characterization of Iago is created by the use of dramatic irony. The audience knew how devious Iago is, but the characters fell for his mischievous acts.
In the play Othello, Shakespeare creates a tragic plot with the use of betrayal through the actions of the most villainous character of the play, Iago. Iago’s betrayal of his commander, his friend and his own wife sprang from his jealousy of being overlooked for a promotion. Betrayal is the overall catalyst to the buildup of the tragic ending to this play, where the majority of characters die due to Iago’s intricate plan of betrayal to all who were close to him.
Within this very same scene (Act III/ scene iii/ lines 101-274) Iago, who was denied a promotion by Othello, convinces him that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. Their marriage clearly has some trust issues, since Othello loses faith in his wife after a few misleading words from Iago. In fact, Othello even went so far as to physically hit her. He let himself get so
Iago once sees Cassio holding Desdemona's hand while talking to her, so he decides to convince Othello that his wife cheats on him. Iago's wife, Emilia, is Desdemona's attendant, which makes Iago make use of this as well. Iago tells Othello that he has heard Cassio call out Desdemona's name in his sleep, and he suspects Desdemona and Cassio to be in love. This makes Othello get anxious about losing his wife's love for him; he says: "She's gone.
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor, / I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear” (II.iii.262-265). Cassio believes that Iago is trying to help him gain Othello’s respect again; however, Iago states that as Desdemona pleads her case to Othello, Iago himself will tell Othello that Desdemona is only pleading Cassio’s case because she is having an affair with him. Iago’s cruel scheme initiates Othello’s growing jealousy that results in his own
Honesty is an unpredictable beast that has such polar effects when unleashed. It may be tamed and treat everyone fairly. On the other hand, unleashing it may set free destructive forces that endanger everything in its way. Honesty plays an important role in Shakespeare’s Othello, a tragedy focusing on the downfall of characters as a result of the deceiving manipulations shaped by Iago.
William Shakespeare’s Othello characterizes a tragedy of deception and manipulation which leads to a false reality within the character Othello’s mind, thus generating drastic personality and motive changes within him. Due to Othello and Desdemona’s secret marriage, Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, is enraged, leading him to wish to use force and arrest Othello. This should naturally cause a stressful situation for Othello; however, he remains completely calm and in control as he politely asks the court to “[h]old [their] hands” and sit still, because if this was a realistic “cue to fight” he would have “known it without a [prompt]” (I, ii, 83, 85-86). Othello has been brought up in a military scene with constant combat surrounding him at
Iago drops subtle hints that he knows of an affair between Desdemona, Othello’s wife, and Cassio, his lieutenant, but after being asked about the topic he follows on denying it and codling Othello so as to stay on his good side. Thus he corrupts Othello’s mind with simple play.
Betrayal within the book Othello by Shakespeare is definitely the biggest stand out point in the novel. To make it clear, there is an immediate flag thrown when desdemona married Othello without her father's consent. Bradantio tells Othello “She has deceived her father, and may thee,” (I.iii.293). What he is trying to say is that she has no issue turning against her own father, so she will have no issue doing the same thing to her husband. Betrayal in Shakespeare's society partakes a huge role within Othello by turning characters against each other and putting out a bigger interest to the novel.
Deception is what this quotation shows about Iago. Iago knew that Othello trusted and believed in him. He took this and used it in his favor. He manipulated and lied to Othello to get revenge for giving the lieutenant position to Cassio. Iago devised a plan for the destruction of Othello’s life.
Iago takes notice of Othello’s weakness and jealousy and uses it to manipulate him into accusing Desdemona and Cassio of adultery, and ultimately, Othello unknowingly places his own fate in Iago’s hands.
Alongside Othello’s trusting nature, comes his gullibility. This is shown as Othello suspects that Cassio was having an affair with his beloved wife, Desdemona because Iago said so. Iago is also so eager to get revenge on Othello that he decides to deceive his own wife, Emilis . Emilia so blinded by Iago that she doesn’t even realize she’s being manipulated as she steals the handkerchief from Desdemona. “My wayward husband hath a hundred times wooed me to steal it” (Act 3 Scene 3 Line 294) Emilia exclaimed.