Lies in Othello

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William Shakespeare’s play Othello, shows how a respected general ultimately reaches his dark fate through manipulation and lies. Due to some carefully concocted lies by Iago, and some obvious tragic flaws, Othello lets jealousy get the best of him. As the play progresses, evil Iago’s plan seems to fall right into place, leading Othello, and other innocent lives around him to death. In the beginning, Othello is very much in love with Desdemona and has no reason to distrust her. He speaks to her in a loving and excited manner stating “It gives me wonder great as my content/to see you here before me. O my soul’s joy! (Shakespeare,II,i,178). He is respected by others around him, and respects his wife. Holding a relatively high position in the military, Othello promotes Cassio, leaving Iago behind, which commences the deception and manipulation. Iago was out to get Othello from the start, plotting “yet I put the Moor/At least into a jealousy so strong/that judgment cannot cure” (Shakespeare,II,i,277). As time goes on, Iago’s plan falls into line perfectly, leaving no evidence that he was to blame. By the end of the play one would be expected to feel sorry for Othello, aside the fact that he murdered his wife. Because of Iago’s web of lies, Othello was transformed into a monster, who no longer spoke to Desdemona gently, but rather struck her in public. The emotional change of Othello was extremely evident as he was so utterly in love with Desdemona in the beginning, yet by the end he could actually bring himself to kill her. Othello seemed to be tragically flawed in the sense that he was too proud to stand the fact that his wife had been unfaithful. Being a general he was always in control, and Iago made it seem that he did not have complete dominance over all aspects of his life. Every lie brought him deeper into his madness, and he appeared to be so
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