"Othello" by William Shakespere: Othello and the Wheel of Deceit

In "Othello", a most captivating work, Shakespeare brilliantly spun a web of lies and treachery which every character quickly became entangled in. Each character played an important role in propelling the wheel of deceit into motion. This can be seen specifically through the actions of Desdemona, Iago, and Othello. Desdemona, the fair, virtuous, and gentle wife of Othello is often considered to be guiltless in the play, since she was murdered by Othello for allegedly …

…ultimately led Iago to hatch his plan of destruction. Othello interestingly spoke of Desdemona as one who "[could] turn, and turn, and yet go on and turn again" (1170). This quotation could be applied to the wheel of deceit, primarily turned by Iago, but ultimately propelled by all the characters in some way or another, regardless of the characters' intentions. In Othello, ironically, the ones who had been deceived were the ones who had deceived others.