Iago Deceptiveness In Othello

Act iii, scene iii, lines 108-131 of William Shakespeare’s “Othello” unquestionably shows Iago’s trickery and deceptiveness which is masked through his reputation for honesty, reliability and direct speaking. This section not only shows Iago’s slow but powerful act of deception, but also shows the jealousy and insecurities slowly depriving Othello’s inner peace and balance.

Iago, Othello’s ensign, and the villain of the play, performs his monstrous acts in a complex way by deceiving others to believe that he is honest and reliable while using this reputation to manipulate others. In this section, Iago says very little to deceive Othello into thinking that he has information that he would want to know. Iago’s clever use of silence and intimacy

By repeating what Othello had originally asked, Iago is creating a deceptive illusion that causes Othello to think that he is hiding something that he does not want to show. This not only makes Iago seem like a reliable source of information, but also drills another reason to become insecure and outraged into Othello’s head. Iago not only deceives others by using the power of silence and intimacy, but he also lies to his targets to manipulate them into thinking something else; “My lord, you know I love you” (iii, iii, 122). Iago’s dishonesty causes Othello to think that he is a friend that he should trust and talk to, when in reality, Iago is plotting against him for his own benefits. Iago is not only lying to Othello in this passage, but he also says very little to once again make Othello even more curious and frustrated at the same time. Iago’s use of words causes Othello to believe every word that comes out of his mouth, even the most ridiculous statements that can cause an outrage. Iago’s trickery does not always have to come through silence and lies, but he can sometimes be honest as well to trick others into thinking that he is reliable; “For Michael Cassio, I dare be sworn, I think, that he is honest” (iii,