The Leak of Iago’s Lies and Deceit

The Aftermath of Desdemonas Death

On a dark evening in Venice, Cyprus, I continued to look through the window of Desdemona and Othello’s window. After witnessing Othello murder his dear Desdemona, I couldn’t find the courage to leave my trespass. Emilia, Desdemona's companion, came knocking on Othello’s and Desdemona's chamber door to speak to them, causing Othello to panic. He rose from the bed where he had just killed his Desdemona and went to open the door for Emilia. She came into the room, panicking and shouting about what happened to Cassio and Roderigo; informing him that Cassio had been severely injured and Roderigo had been murdered by Cassio. Once Othello digested the news that Emilia had just exclaimed, his glumness turned into confusion as he announced,

“Roderigo kill’d! And Cassio kill’d!”

Emilia reassures, “No, Cassio is not kill’d.”

Emilia's response seemed to have heavily angered Othello, causing him to speak his exact thoughts,

“Not Cassio kill’d! Then murder’s out of tune, and sweet revenge grows harsh.”

From the corner of the room, a quiet and sweet voice was heard. Desdemona had not yet died, and began to speak; her last words,

“O falsely, falsely murder’d! A guitless death I die Nobody; I myself. Farewell commend me to my kind lord: O’ farewell!”

Desdemona then layed dead on white wedding sheets while Othello stood beside her, slightly tearing up. Emilia immediately fell to her feet in devastation. She asked who was responsible for her death, in which Othello admitted to his crime of murdering her. Emilia was struck with anger and grief. She questioned him, shocked to see that Othello looked to have no remorse for his actions.

Othello explained that he believed her to be a whore; having an affair with his lieutenant, Cassio She was taken by his words; telling him that what he believed to be true was entirely false. Emilia was assuring Othello that Desdemona loved him more than she had ever loved anything. Yet, Othello insisted she was a liar. Emilia was disgusted by Othello, criticizing him with slurred words of hatred, and using diabolical verbs.

Othello then told Emilia that he had learned of Desdemona’s unfaithful behaviors via her husband, Iago. Emilia could not believe her ears, consistently asking Othello if her husband was truly behind these lies, and each time, Othello confirmed her husband to be behind his beliefs. Emilia angrily responds saying,

“If he say so, may his pernicious soul rot half a grain a day! He lies to the heart: she was too fond of her most filthy bargain This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven than thou wast worthy her…

Though hast not half the power to do me harm as I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt! As ignorant as dirt! Thou hast done a deed- I care not for thy sword; I’ll make thee known, though I lost twenty lives. - - Help! Help, ho! Help! The Moor hath kill’d my mistress! Murder! Murder!”

She had yelled so loudly, that the town could probably hear her; Montano, Grantiano, Iago, and the guards entered the room a few seconds later. They looked confused and shocked as ever; looking at Desdemona, then Othello, and locking eyes with Emilia. Montano asked what had happened, and Emilia turned to Iago and questioned him with strong hatred and disgust. Emilia then told Montano and Gratiano that Iago had lied to Othe fair. We all turned to Iago for an explanation, and of course, he had one:

Emilia consistently insists that Iago is lying; even Othello defends Iago’s beliefs to be true. Gratiano and Montano were shocked by Iago’s belief, claiming it to be strange and/or monstrous. Iago tells Emilia to go home, but she refuses and continues to tell her truth about Desdemona’s pureness and loyalty to Othello. Othello and Emilia then began arguing about who is the deluded one. Iago requests Emilia go home one last time, and she refuses once again Iago then draws his sword and offers to stab her Everyone jolted back and drew their swords. It was hard to watch. A man was to never draw his sword amongst a lady.

Gratiano then draws his sword to Iago and tells him to let down his sword Emilia takes the opportunity to tell Othello the truth behind the handkerchief that Cassio had possession of:

“O thou dull Moor! That handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune and did give my husband; for often, with a solemn earnestness, more than indeed belong’d to such a trifle, he begg’d of me to steal it.”

Iago denies her claims, but Othello puts the pieces together and realizes that Iago had been lying to him the whole time. Othellos face changed from confused to furious. All eyes were now on Othello and Iago, and there was a short silence of stares Othello charges at Iago and Iago stabs his wife, badly wounding her, and runs away. All guards including Montano and Gratiano go after him, and Emilia begins to die, in song.

I did not follow, but as they chase Iago, Othello stays with Desdemona and accepts his fate and guilt for a mistaken crime. He was filled with shame and sadness for killing the one woman he had ever loved, and for believing such a conniving devil, like Iago. Othello sentences himself and chooses to end his life in honor.

Once Iago had been caught, he was brought back to Othello and Desdemona’s chamber to be dealt with. As soon as Othello sees Iago, he expresses his hatred and stabs him but doesn’t kill him Othello then admits to condoning Iago with his plan to kill Cassio, ashamed of doing so.

Lodovico, a nobleman of Venice related to Brabantio, enters with a letter that was in the pocket of the dead Roderigo. The letter was proof of what Iago had planned for Roderigo to take part in, and what Iago had done/planned since the consummation of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage and the promotion of Cassio to lieutenant.

Othello then confronted Cassio about his handkerchief in which Othello had given to Desdemona. Cassio explains,

“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 There is besides in Roderigo’s letter, how he upbraids Iago, that he made him brave me upon the watch; whereon it came that I was cats.”

Othello then accepts his fate of death, and reminds us of his honorary past, as he lies next to the woman he killed because of the false truths of others:

“Soft you. A word or two before you go. I have done the state some service, and they know ’t. No more of that. I pray you in your letters, when you shall these unlucky deeds relate, speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice.