Theme Essay

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.

Rhetorical Devices

Irony


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.