“Some by sin rise, and some by virtue fall” – William Shakespeare. This quote is central to the themes of the play “Othello,” written by William Shakespeare in 1603. Iago is a character who rises through “sin” through his masterful manipulation of those around him. It is therefore used by Shakespeare to convey the idea that truth often lies beneath false appearances, as Iago is not quite what he appears to be. However, characters like Othello are the complete opposite of Iago: Othello is an open man who wears his heart on his sleeve. The text therefore shows us that the truth is only to a certain extent hidden behind false appearances. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Iago is a character whose truth is hidden beneath many layers of false appearances. He has many different sides, and no character can see the whole truth about his character until the very end of the play. All in an effort to bring about Othello's ultimate downfall. Iago is a character who doesn't care about anyone but himself and therefore doesn't hesitate to be dishonest with those around him. The character he is most wrong about is Othello. When Roderigo questions Iago about his apparent affection for Othello, Iago simply states: "I follow him to serve him my turn." This succinctly sums up Iago's attitude towards Othello. He is affectionate towards Othello, pledging allegiance to him through statements such as "I am yours forever". All this in an effort to gain Othello's trust, so that he can effectively turn Othello against himself and bring about his downfall in such a way that he can never get back up. Iago's false appearance towards the other characters in the play is highlighted through the language he uses. When he is alone or expressing his true feelings, he uses bestial and dark images. For example, during the monologue in which he formulates his plan to ruin Othello, Iago states: "Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the light of the world." The dark and menacing images created through the words used and Iago's reference to the Devil reveal his true evil nature. Until the end of the play, Iago's false appearances are so convincing to the other characters that he is consistently referred to as "honest Iago". This creates a sense of dramatic irony and highlights how wrong it is. When the audience considers how Iago appears to many of the other characters in the play, he is almost too good to be true: to characters such as Othello and Desdemona, he would seem loyal and kind, and completely free of anger . Shakespeare highlights the danger associated with basing others on their appearance – this can often lead us to make similar mistakes, viewing those around us as honest, when they are in fact the opposite. It also shows the audience that those things that seem good to be true often are. Iago's truth is even hidden from the public, to some extent. During the play, Iago states that his anger towards Othello and Cassio is because Cassio, whom he describes as a "creditor and debtor", was given the role of lieutenant in his place. He also states that "it is thought abroad that 'between my sheets, Othello has done my office...I am also afraid of Cassio with my last drink.' He suggests that his wife, Emilia, was unfaithful to him with Othello and Cassio. However, these are unlikely to be his only motivations, purely because of the effort he puts forth. He tirelessly manipulateshis entourage, and even plans the murder of Cassio and Desdemona. It is more likely that jealousy of Othello due to his high position and romantic relationship with Desdemona, exacerbated by the fact that he is black, is one of the main reasons for Iago's villainy. Iago uses false appearances and hides the truth in order to gain a sense of justification. He is so unhappy with his own situation that he feels revenge is the only way for him to feel truly happy. Through Iago, Shakespeare warns the audience against resorting to revenge to achieve a sense of contentment, as plans such as Iago's often fail. No matter how intelligent a person may be, weaving a web of lies is a fruitless occupation that often results in irreversible damage for everyone involved, especially for those in the position of perpetrator of the crime according to Iago. In Iago's case, he is condemned to a life of torture in order to repay his sinful actions. In many ways, the character of Othello is the opposite of Iago. Othello is a naive and open man who does not hesitate to express what he feels. The truth of his feelings and thoughts lies on the surface of his appearance – it is almost never hidden. This is seen throughout the play. At first, Othello's love for Desdemona is clear as he calls her "gentle" and a "fair warrior." He does not try to hide his affection in the name of decency or modesty. His relationship with Desdemona brings him joy and he is not afraid to express it. Once Iago manipulates Othello into believing that Desdemona has been unfaithful, Othello quickly turns from loving Desdemona to hating her, as he states "I am mistreated and my relief must be to hate Desdemona". In every scene of the play, the audience is fully aware of what Othello is feeling. When confronted by Desdemona after Iago's manipulation, Othello does not try to hide his anger from her either. He is so direct and harsh with her that Desdemona wonders: “Why do you speak so abruptly and rashly?” He doesn't try to hide his anger, even though many in his position may have done so, as they tried to figure out how to deal with the situation. Othello is unaware of such tendencies. This is likely because he was raised on the battlefield and therefore was not raised in the knowledge of how to act in common society. Instead, he was taught to fight for what is right, at all costs. He was raised with a strong sense of right and wrong, and this is reflected in his daily life. His lack of knowledge of society also gives him a certain naivety. This means that Othello goes from treating Desdemona with nothing but love to calling her an "impudent whore" and a "cunning whore of Venice." There is no middleman for Othello, which means he treats Desdemona as he feels she deserves, regardless of the cost to her public image. This is emphasized when Othello strikes Desdemona, with an exclamation of “Devil! in front of Venice officials. Lodovico is shocked and says: “You wouldn’t believe that in Venice.” Othello has just sacrificed his good reputation as “a man whom passion could not shake” because of his anger. However, there is no evidence in Othello's play of caring about this. He is unaware of the fact that it is sometimes important to keep his emotions aside, lest they ruin other people's perceptions of him. Othello is the complete opposite of Iago, who carefully constructs his image in order to achieve his own ends. He has an "open nature", which, as Iago describes it, means that he "allows himself to be led too.