Honesty

Honesty

1. Literary critic, William Empson’s, the words “honest” and “honesty” used 52 times in the play.

2. Iago destroys trust between characters, simply using his reputation.

3. Iago: “The moor is of a free and open nature/ that thinks men honest that but seem to be so,/and will as tenderly be led by th’nose/as asses are”

4. Iago expresses to audience how he believes that Othello’s trusting nature is a weakness that can easily be manipulated - perhaps is fatal flaw.

5. Iago will “Abuse Othello’s ear/That he is too familiar with his wife”

6. Iago puts Othello in the position of choosing to trust either his wife, or his friend - Desdemona or Iago.

7. Due to Iago’s lies, Othello is eventually driven to insanity, thus led to his downfall.

8. “Is this the noble Moor whom our full senate/ Call all in all sufficient”, “I am sorry that I am deceived in him”

   • Noblemen & governors distrust Othello after slap

9. Iago takes advantage of this and says to Lodovico “It is not honesty in me to speak / what I have seen and known. You shall observe him”