Themes


Othello


Appearance and Reality Shakespeare’s exploration of the theme of appearance and reality is a fascinating aspect of Othello. In the world of the play, huge value is placed on appearances as characters recognise the importance of reputation and their outward show. Iago exploits this. His deliberate misinterpretations, slanderous remarks and orchestration of events allow him to misrepresent reality in the most malevolent way.


Deception is a key ingredient of Othello. Throughout the play, Iago uses deception to change how reality appears. This is most evident in his treatment of Othello. Iago scurrilously deceives Othello into believing that Desdemona has been unfaithful with Cassio. Through insinuation, bold lies and by orchestrating events, Iago distorts the truth, replacing it with a twisted version of reality. Iago first insinuates that Desdemona is having an affair. Othello gullibly takes Iago’s suggestions seriously: ‘This honest creature doubtless / Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds’ (Act 3, Sc 3). Emboldened by this, Iago continues to deceive by resorting to outright lying. He tells Othello that Cassio cried out for Desdemona in his sleep: ‘In sleep I heard him say, “Sweet Desdemona, Let us be wary, let us hide our loves.” And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand, Cry, “O sweet creature!” ’ (Act 3, Sc 3).


Iago also lies to Roderigo, filling him with hope that Desdemona returns his love. Iago lies about Cassio to paint him as a frequent drunkard: ‘’Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep: / He’ll watch the horologe a double set, / If drink rock not his cradle’ (Act 2, Sc 3). However, lies and insinuation are merely two of the ways Iago deceives everybody around him. Iago continues to deceive by employing gross sexual imagery to shock Othello. In need


of unquestionable proof of Desdemona’s guilt, Othello tells Iago: ‘be sure thou prove my love a whore! / Be sure of it! – Give me the ocularproof’ (Act 3, Sc 3). However, Iago manages to sidestep this by using sexual imagery to provoke Othello’s disgust and wound his pride: ‘Would you, the supervisor, grossly gape on? / Behold her topped?’ Iago then employs bestial imagery to further fan Othello’s fury: ‘Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, / As salt as wolves in pride’ (Act 3, Sc 3). The audience appreciates the impact this has had on Othello as he starts to adopt Iago’s language: Othello welcomes Lodovico to Cyprus by saying: ‘You are welcome, sir, to Cyprus. Goats and monkeys!’ (Act 4, Sc 1). Iago manages to deceive others by orchestrating events. The audience sees this from the first


scene of Othello, where Iago encourages Roderigo to incite Brabantio’s rage. Iago tells Brabantio about Desdemona’s elopement with Othello using crude sexual imagery: ‘an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe’ (Act 1, Sc 1). This encourages a confrontation between Brabantio and Othello. However, Iago never reveals his presence to Brabantio and instead speaks from the shadows. Iago is keen to remain unnoticed and instead conducts the situation from the background. He says as much to Roderigo: ‘I must leave you. / It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, / To be produced’ (Act 1, Sc 1). Throughout Othello Iago uses a similar strategy, for example: he plans the drunken melee that


results in Cassio losing his position; he also oversees Roderigo’s attack on Cassio. Most tellingly, Iago orchestrates his meeting with Cassio, so that Othello the onlooker is left with a radically altered version of events. By instructing Othello to watch at a distance and by encouraging Cassio to laugh, Iago convinces Othello that Cassio is indeed having an affair with Desdemona. This idea is further strengthened by the appearance of Desdemona’s handkerchief which Iago had previously planted in Cassio’s room. Iago’s clever strategy has made it appear that Desdemona is unfaithful when


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