In the play Shakespeare uses repetition to portray the theme
honesty. He repeats things to exaggerate what he is talking about. Repetition
points out that we are reading something important and this makes it easier to
find the theme honesty.
Throughout the play Othello calls Iago, “Honest Iago”, (25).
Othello repeats throughout the play to make us believe Othello thinks Iago is a
honest person. It seems the more Othello calls Iago this the more we realize
Othello is making more terrible mistakes. The more he repeats himself by
calling Iago honest the worse it gets for Othello.
Iago tells Roderigo to, “put money in thy purse” (26) He
repeats the line to Roderigo several times. When Iago tells this to Roderigo he
is being dishonest. He is telling lies to Roderigo to get what he wants. He
wants to steal Roderigo’s money (which is also dishonest). He repeats himself
to make a point to the audience and while he is doing this we see how cruel and
dishonest Iago is.
Repetition *“Honest Iago” (25) Through out the play Othello calls Iago "Honest Iago". He calls him this several times. It makes us believe Othello thinks Iago is honest when really we know he is not. The more Othello calls Iago this the more Othello believes Iago's lies and ruins his own life.
*“put money in thy purse” (26) Throughout this conversation Iago tells Roderigo to "put money in thy purse" many times. This proves that Iago is very dishonest and doesn't care that he is telling his friends lies.
Irony Over the course of the play, Othello has given Iago the name honest Iago. As you are reading the play, you start to realize that Iago is the most un-trustworthy and dishonest person found in the entire play. The irony is that although Iago is very dishonest, Othello seems him as the most trustworthy man.
Iago has been able to convince Cassio to get drunk, he then sends Montano to try and bother him so that he may pick a fight. Iago’s plan is a success and the Moor has been woken from all the noise. After giving Cassio the boot from Lieutenant he speaks to Iago and explains that, "Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee, but never more be officer of mine"(51). This quote explains a lot about Othello and how easily tricked he is by Iago. He considered Iago honest and told him about all his feelings because he trusted him. Iago was able to manipulate Othello and lie behind his back the entire play, without him even knowing that he was the one ruining his life.
Hyperbole One of the literary devices used in Othello to enhance the theme of honesty are hyperboles. Hyperboles are a severe exaggeration used to display the importance of an occurrence or topic. Hyperboles can be seen throughout Othello, and help portray the significance of irony throughout the play.
At the beginning of the play Iago is already trying to tear apart Othello and Desdemona. He’s trying to make Othello believe that Desdemona isn’t honest and that she will constantly lie to him. "My life upon her faith!-Honest Iago" (I, III, 290). Othello is saying that he would bet his life that Desdemona would never lie to him, wife is an exaggeration because he hasn’t even known Desdemona that long, and he wouldn’t actually kill himself just because of one lie. Even though Desdemona is very honest, this quote is still considered a hyperbole because Othello would not take his own life due to one lie.
Othello was a very noble, trusted, honest person. He loved his wife and would never be unfaithful to her. He was also one of the best warriors. He had a lot of pride and he was too good for lying. Everyone looked up to him until he lets lies get to him, making him become a very dishonest person.
Act II, Scene I Line 176;
It gives me wonder great as my content
To see you here before me. O, my soul's joy,
If after every tempest come such calms,
May the winds blow till they have waken'd death,
And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas,
Olympus- high, and duck again as low
As hell's from heaven. if it were now to die,
'Twere now to be most happy; for I fear
My soul hath her comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.
MEANS: I'm amazed you got here before me. But I'm overjoyed! My love, if the calm after the storm could always be this wonderful, I'd want the wind to blow until it waked the dead, and whipped up waves as tall as mountains! If I died right now I'd be completely happy, since I'll probably never be as happy as this again in my life.
Based on the circumstance Othello is being honest. He is
expressing his feelings truthfully to his wife. It also sounds so cheesy that
it almost sounds like sarcasm and he doesn’t truly love her. He just says what
she wants to hear which is very dishonest and it could lead to him cheating
which would also be very dishonest.
Cassio
Cassio is Othello's friend. He was made Othello's lieutenant and this made Iago very mad. He gets accused of cheating. Him and Desdemona are good friends however, he is an honest man and wouldn't do that to Othello.
Act V, Scene II Line 314
I found it in my chamber;
And he himself confess'd but even now
That there he dropp'd it for a special purpose
Which wrought to his desire.
MEANS: I found it in my room, and Iago just confessed that he put it there for his own purpose.
Iago tells Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. However, this quote proves Cassio wouldn't do that because he is an honest person. Cassio is admitting that he saw Iago put the handkerchief in his room for his purposes.
Iago
Iago is the most dishonest character. The only time you know he his honest is when he is talking to himself about all the lies he will tell others. He is unfaithful to his wife and treats her very poorly. He does nothing but dishonest things to everyone because he is selfish and a liar.
Act I, Scene I Line 43
I follow him to serve my turn upon him.
MEANS: I am serving him to take advantage of him.
This proves Iago is a very dishonest person. He lies to everyone to use them to his advantage. He lies to Cassio, Rodregio and to Othello. He does nothing good for anyone but himself.
Roderigo
Roderigo is a venetian gentleman. He adores Desdemona and is very gullible. Therefore, everything Iago tells him he beleives and acts on it, in the end, taking his life.
Act I, Scene II Line 178
I think I can discover him, if you please
To get good guard and go along with me.
MEANS: I think I can find him. Get together a group of armed men and follow me.
Iago told him to go tell Desdemona's father that she ran off with a moor. He would get so mad then Roderigo could take her for himself. So, he does this. He doesn't care about his 'friends' and he doesn't care if he ruins a marriage. he is very selfish and a very dishonest person.
Desdemona
Desdemona is a very faithful wife who loves her husband. She rarely does anything wrong and she's the type to follow her heart because she is honest to herself and everyone else.
Act V, Scene II Line 58
And have you mercy too! I never did
Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love. I never gave him token.
MEANS: And you have mercy on me too! I never did anything wrong to you in my life. I never loved Cassio, except with the pure love that I feel for humankind. I never gave him token of romantic love.
Desdemona is one of the most honest people in this play and she gets punished the most. She loves everyone and is kind to everyone yet she is accused of cheating and fights for survival which doesn't workout for her in the end.
Emilia
Emilia is honest to everyone around her. She is truly an honest person, just like Desdemona. She is honest to her mistress and her husband and cares about everyone.
Act V, Scene II Line 245
What did thy song bode, lady?
Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan
And die in music: [Sings] 'Willow, willow, willow.'
Moor, she was chaste; she lov'd thee, cruel Moor;
So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true;
So speaking as I think, I die, I die.
MEANS: What did your song mean, lady? Can you hear me? I'll die like a swan. They sing when they die. (singing) Will, willow, willow.- Moor, she never cheated on you. She loved you, you cruel man. I swear on my soul I'm telling the truth, and as I say this, I die.
Emilia was a good friend of Desdemona and it shows she new everything about her and her life. she swore on her soul she was being honest. You feel how deeply honest she was being and how much she cared about Desdemona.
Brabantio
Brabantio is Desdemona's father. Instead of talking the situation out, he goes into shock when he is told his daughter married a moor. He is racist against the moor. He is a dishonest person and should welcome anyone into his family.
Act I, Scene I Line 180
Pray you lead on. At every house I'll call;
I may command at most. Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night:
On, good Roderigo; I'll deserve your pains.
MEANS: Lead the way. I'll stop at every house. I'm respected enough that most of them will do what I say. - Get your weapons! And get the officers who guard the city at night. -Let's go, Roderigo. I'll reward you for your troubles.
This just makes Brabantio sound crazy, selfish and immature. It would only make sense to find your daughter when she comes home and ask her why she would do it without his consent. It sounds like he's ready to star a war to kill the moor which is very dishonest and disrespectful, seeing as he didn't get the chance he deserved to explain himself.
Because we are in the 21st century we will study honesty in the sense of not lying or telling the truth. Here are some examples;
Act II, Scene I Line 191
Oh, you are well turned now,
But I'll set down the pegs that make this music,
As honest as I am
MEANS: (to himself) Oh, you're happy now, but I'll ruin your happiness, for all my supposed honesty.
Iago admits that he his naturally a dishonest person and all he cares about is himself. He plots and lies to everyone that are suppose to be his friends.
Act III, Scene III Line 265
This fellow's of exceeding honesty
And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings. If I do prove her haggard,
Though that her jesses were my dear heart- strings,
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply for I am black
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chanberers have, or for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years- yet that's not much-
She's gone, I am abus'd, and my relief
Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones,
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;
'Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
Even then this forked plague is fated to us
When we do quicken. Look where she comes.
MEANS: This Iago is extremely honest and good, and he knows a lot about human behavior. If it turns out that she really is running around on me, I'll send her away, even though it'll break my heart. Maybe because i'm black,, and I don't have nice manners like courtiers do, or because i'm getting old- but that's not much - She;s gone, and i've been cheated on. I have no choice but to hate her. Oh what a curse marriage is! We think out beautiful wives belong to us, but their desires are free! I'd rather be a toad in a moldy basement than to have only a part of someone I love, sharing the rest of her with others. This is the plague of important men- our wives betray us more than those of poor men. It's out destiny, like death. We are destined to be betrayed when we are born. Oh here she comes.
Iago puts in Othello's head that Desdemona is cheating on him. He believes him but starts to have his doughts. He thinks about how much he loves her, which is very honest, and
Act V, Scene II Line 37
And yet I fear you, for you're fatal then
When your eyes roll so. Why I should fear I know not,
Since guiltiness I know not, but yet I feel I fear.
MEANS: You're scaring me. You terrify me when you have that look in your eyes. I don't know why I should be afraid, since I haven't done anything wrong. But i'm still afraid.
We know Desdemona is very honest and always tells the truth. You can feel how honest she is, she is bagging for her life and begging to understand. Goes to show how dishonest Othello becomes.
InShakespearian times being honest was being faithful. It was devoting yourself to your husband or wife and not cheating or being disloyal. Here are some examples;
Act III, Scene III Line 292
(picks up the handkerchief)
I am glad I have found this napkin;
This was her first remembrance from the Moor.
My wayward husband hath a hundred times
Woo'd me to steal it; but she so loves the token,
For he conjur'd her she should ever keep it,
That she reserves it evermore about her
To kiss and talk to. I'll have the work tane out
And give't Iago.
What he will do with it, heaven knows, not I:
I nothing but to please his fantasy.
MEANS: (picking up he handkerchief) I'm glad I found this handkerchief. It's the first keepsake the Moor gave her. My stubborn husband has asked me to steal it a hundred times. But she loves it so much (since Othello told her she would always keep it with her) that she always keeps it near her to kiss it and talk to it. I'll copy the embroidery pattern and then give it to Iago. Heaven knows what he's going to do with it. I only try and satisfy his whims.
Emilia is a very honest loving person. She is honest to Desdemona and honest to her husband. Even though she knows he is up to no good she still tries to please him the best she can, while not hurting anyone else.
Act II, Scene I Line 108
Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors, bells
in your parlours, wild- cats in your kitchens, saints in
your injuries, devils being offended, players in your
housewifery, and housewives in your bed.
MEANS: Come on, come on. You women are all the same. You're as pretty as pictures when you're out in public, but in your own houses you're as noisy as jangling bells. In your own kitchens you act like wildcats. You make yourselves sound like saints when you're complaining about something, but you act like devils when someone offends you. You don't take your jobs as housewives seriously, and you're shameless hussies in bed.
Iago is extremely dishonest. The way he talks about women like there trash proves he would have no trouble sleeping with someone else. It also shows he does have selfish honesty because he is finally stating OUT LOUD how he really feels and thinks. We get to see the true him which is very dishonest talking.
Act I, Scene II Line 20
Let him do his spite;
My services which I have done the signiory
Shall out- tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know-
Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,
I shall provulgate- I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege, and my demerits
May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd. For know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the sea's worth. But look what lights come yond!
MEANS: Let him do his worst. The services I have done fore the Venetian governement will count for more than his complaints will. No one knows this yet- and I don't like to brag, but I come form a royal family, and i'm as noble as the women i've married. And let me tell you, Iago, if I didn't love Desdemona as much as I do, i'd never agree to get married and lose my freedom at all. But look at those lights. Who's coming?
You can tell Othello is saying this out of the goodness of his heart and he means every word. you can tell he is a very honest, trust worthy person.
