The art of deception
     The art of deception many times changes the current conditions or plays a
significant role in the end result of literary works. In Othello and The Tragical History of
Dr. Faustus shows how deception changes the identity of individuals and the outcome of
certain events. There is a juxtaposition between the characters of Iago and Faustus, whom
use their human autonomy to manipulate the sequence of events in each work. By
deceiving themselves or the characters around them there becomes an absolute play on
words and actions, wherein the identity and outcome is strengthened or lost.
     Iago wishes to be Othello and this becomes apparent in his discussion regarding
Cassio promotion, his social status, and his own identity. Iago seems to deceive himself,
by wishing he were Othello and by doing so he almost believes he is Othello. Shakespeare
states: “Were I the Moor I would not be Iago,” begins Iago abolishing his own identify to
fulfill his desires to be another person (line 58). Stephen Greenblatt discusses the possible
meanings of Iago role-playing briefly in Act 1 and states:
          Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago, because The “I” always loves itself
          and the creature I know as Iago hates the Moor he serves or, alternatively,
          because of the Moor I would be other than I am now, free of tormenting
          appetite and revulsion that characterize the servant’s relation to his master
          and that constitutes my identify as Iago. (235-36)
     Iago appears to manipulate his own thoughts regarding Othello and by doing so it
directs him as to what identity he holds. By imaging himself as Othello he is able to see the
opposing outcomes of himself in regards to Othello, therefore he construct his own
identity by furthering his manipulation.
     Iago deception is furthered in his conversation with Roderigo and states: “But I
will wear my heart upon my sleeve/For daws to peck at, I am not what I am,” showing
he’s not what he appears to be ( line 65-66). Iago’s language and words make you believe
he is noble and a friend, but the underlining cause of his actions are because his emotions
and identity are being effected. Iago submits to his own beliefs he has lost himself, but he
chooses to make other believe otherwise in his statements. Greenblatt refers to Iago’s
purpose of being of “self-interest” and his self-interests were disguised by wearing a mask
and deceiving the people around him (236).
     Iago at times act as Othello’s friend, but his reasoning are to bring him down
socially and emotionally. Othello was befriended by Iago in Act 1, when Iago is leading
Brabantio to Othello whom has took his daughter as his wife. Iago states: “I must show
out a flag and sign of love/Which is indeed but sign. That you will surely find him,” where
Iago is planning to set Othello up so that Brabantio can accuse him of wrongdoing. Again
Iago is deceitful, by saying his love was but a sign and ultimately leading Brabantio to
confront Othello on their marriage. Iago’s love here is not real and he acts as if he cares
for Othello only to make a criminal out of him.
     In Scene 2 Brabantio is deceived by Iago for the mere fact that Othello is a colored
individual, thus strengthening Iago perception of himself. As he belittles Othello and talks
of his unacceptable marriage to Desdemona, he understand by doing so he is increasing his
chances of being respected by others. The matter is brought up in court and Iago’s plan
was working as he had thought, but again Iago is shunned socially because of Othello’s
reputation as a good fighter and a war has broken out. The matter seems to be forgotten
in the time of crisis, therefore Iago has to come up with another plan to gain his identity
back.
     Within Scene 3, Desdemona is pleading with her father that she and Othello are
misrepresented by others and that they do love each other. She thinks of herself as the
victim, but her father disagrees because of Iago’s deception of Othello’s character.
Brabantio believes she is wrong and states: “These sentences, to sugar or to gall, Being
strong on both sides, are equivocal. But words are words, I never yet did hear. That the
bruised heart was pierced through the ear”(line 219-22). Brabantio believes it was not
heresy that effected his heart, it was the mere action of her marrying this man that made
him upset.
     It was deception and a play on words that gives her father notions that Othello was
not suitable for her daughter. Iago’s desire to be Othello and revenge him becomes very
apparent, yet he believes he has a solid claim to his words, actions, and thoughts. At the
close of Scene 3, Iago is trying to show Roderigo that people make themselves what they
are and this all depends on the person’s will. Iago actually believes he has a control on his
will and states: “Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are the gardeners,” which
relates to his appetite for identity (line 316-17). Greenblatt states: “Confident in his
shaping power, Iago has the role-player’s ability to imagine his nonexistence so that the
can exist for a moment in another as another” (235).
     In the second act the audience can see more deceptive measures on the part of
Iago, which gave further grief to the other characters within this work. Iago convinces
Roderigo that Desdemona actually loves Cassio. His claims are because he hates Cassio
and wants to further the emotional turmoil he has put on Othello. Greenblatt discusses the
reasoning for this and states: “He has no evidence, of course-indeed we have earlier seen
him “engender” the whole plot entirely out of his fantasy-but he proceeds to lay before the
gull of all circumstances that make this adultery plausible.” (234). This would relate to
how “she first loved the Moor”, but she desired something new like Cassio who was
younger, accepted socially, and handsomer (line 215).
     Although his claims are not justified nor true, Iago proceeds with his tales to gain
satisfaction on lying and making others believe his words. For example, Iago using the
expression “by this hand” he prove that his own invention grants him control. (line 238).
Greenblatt describes this use of words by stating:
          The metaphor makes explicit what Iago has been doing all along,      
          constructing a narrative into which he inscribes (“by this hand”) those
          around him. He does not need a profound or even reasonably accurate
          understanding of his victims; he would rather deal in probable      
          impossibilities than improbable possibilities. (234).
     Deception becomes very apparent in Scene 3, wherein Iago gets Cassio drunk and
he persuades Roderigo to get him in a frenzy, thus he acts out of character. Iago creates
an image that Cassio abuses alcohol and should be punished for his actions. Othello takes
away Cassio’s ranking because of the scheme that Iago develops. Again Iago deception
and manipulation of the event benefits him. His deception becomes apparent in
conversation with Montano and states: “I had rather have this tongue cut from my
mouth/Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio”, which he pretends to care or “love
thee” while carrying feelings of jealously still about him (lines 194-5; 221).
     Iago’s play on words with Cassio like he has earlier to others in this work, but this
time he brings Cassio and Desdemona closer. Iago states: “hath devoted and given up
himself,” which says that Othello has structured his life and therefore she has all the power
(line 272). Iago manipulates the situation again having Desdemona talk to Othello, he feels
that by her defending his honor he can convince Othello her love for Cassio is true. Iago
states: “And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor, I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear,
That she repeals him for her body’s lust,” that being his main objective in his trickery.
     Iago sets the stage for interaction between Desdemona and Cassio in Act 3, he
wants to make his claim be seen and to be acknowledge as true. He even enters his own
wife into the confusion, her role becomes very important especially in Scene 3. Iago shows
proof of Othello’s handkerchief in possession of Cassio in this scene, his deception of
events and solid proof make his story more credible. He tells Othello of Cassio’s dreaming
of his wife and then performing sexual actions on him as if he were Desdemona. He was
not sure his deception was working, therefore he discusses the handkerchief again. This
enrages Othello, the trickery is working and Othello is getting angry, he wishes for Cassio
to be dead.
     As Iago brings these charges against Desdemona and Cassio, he manipulates
Othello’s mind to believing that he should kill his wife. In the later acts the audience
witness that Othello soon learns of the deception by Iago, but by this time it is too late.
With Iago’s constant reminders of adultery, the things that Othello learned about the two
supposed lovers, and the feeling of being betrayed he had no other choice but to end his
wife’s life. Greenblatt states:
          Othello’s identity is entirely caught up in the narrative structure that drives
          him to turn on Desdemona into a being incapable of pleasure, a piece of
          “monumental alabaster,: so that he will at last be able to be able to love her
          without the taint of adultery. (251)
     By Iago providing a continual story for Othello to believe, he makes him fall victim
to the play on his words. Iago makes Othello become obsessed with this “circumcised
enemy who must be destroyed,” thus Iago’s deception played it’s part.
     Since the beginning of this work Iago’s self-esteem is effected to the point of him
creating this fantasy, but he too becomes a character within this work. He becomes the
villain and he plays his part as he had made it for himself. He had stated earlier to
Roderigo that people make themselves what they are, eventually he feel victim to the same
story. In Act 2 he states: “I am about it, but indeed my own invention./Comes from my
pate as birdlime does from frieze,” which refers to his own entrapment of his own illusion
of this story (line 126-7). He is not only consumed with determining the actions and
thoughts of others, he is consumed with how he plays a role as well.
     His perception of this play on words, actions, and deception play a significant role
in determining his identity at the close of this work. Iago’s manipulation of others
determines his own worth and he finds he can not escape this fantasy he has developed. By
stripping the identities of the other characters, he too lost himself in the confusion and
deception. As Greenblatt thinks of this play on words as “submission to narrative
self-fashioning,” the audience can see Iago submits as well (234). By surrendering to the
manipulation and deception he causes, he discovers his identity is no more determined
than next person.
     Deception plays a key role in Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus, the
character of Faustus can be compared to the character of Iago in Othello. Faustus’
dissatisfaction with life can also be related to Iago’s unhappiness, which they deceive
themselves and others to bring them to the another level of existence. By the play of
words, Faustus creates an illusion much like Iago had done and therefore gets consumed
in the drama that there appears to be no turning back. Faustus desire to be more
knowledgeable than others becomes his downfall, his involvement in shaping his identity is
so excessive he can not think otherwise.
     In Act One Scene 3, Faustus quest for knowledge is started with the introduction
of the character Mephostophilis and he was sent for Faustus fear of God. Mephostophilis
does not force any thoughts on Faustus, he is merely a device that molds Faustus identity.
What Mephostophilis does is allows to Faustus to make a decisions as to what he wants
his life to be. In relation to Othello where Iago talks of people make themselves what they
are, Faustus too makes himself a part of his own vision of what is to come. Faustus states:
“Now that I have obtained what I desire, I’ll live in the speculation of this art,” which
shows where his creation and desires to be worldly become his main aspiration.
     Stephen Greenblatt on Marlowe’s fascination of a person entering into a new
world such as Faustus desired to be stated: “The obvious effect is to enact the hero’s
vision of a nature that “Doth teach us all to have aspiring minds” and of the soul that
“Wills us to wear ourselves and never rest,” which related to the determination that
Faustus had to manipulate is own mind that this new life would be beneficial and justifiable
(194). His deception of his own mind is parallel to that of Iago, both characters appear to
believe that what they are doing is justifiable. The overwhelming thoughts of this fantasy
appears to be the downfall of each character, because a departure of the events is not
logical and surrendering to their own fantasy is logical and may times unavoidable.
     Faustus believes that his present state is unacceptable, he feels as if he can be more
powerful by submitting his life to Satan. In the same sense he is not totally convinced that
the destination of hell carries validity to himself. Mephostophilis guides him to believe
otherwise by stating: “Aye, think so still, till experience change thy mind” (196). As the
work progresses we can see Faustus is not totally satisfied with the responses, which is
another reason he is dedicated into manipulating his mind to bring about satisfaction that
was not granted in Wittenberg.
     The problem that arises within Faustus is that he is consumed heavily in wanting to
know more about this other life, he accepts nothing but learning what he lacks. In Scene 1
in Act Two, Faustus states: “But tell me , hath every sphere a dominion or intelligentia,”
which furthers his want of discovery within himself the answers of his identity (lines 52-3).
Greenblatt discusses Faustus infatuation about giving up everything, his desires are to fill
his mind with new thoughts and new emotions. In comparison to the first section of the
work, he gives up his life to seek a more satisfaction and needs to erase his past. By
deleting his past, he allows himself to believe in his deception of what Hell could do for
him.
     Greenblatt feels that Faustus does not reject his life, but he violates it many times
to manipulate his thoughts into believing his life can be improved. Greenblatt states:
          The violence arises not only from the desire to mark boundaries but from
          the feeling that what one leaves behind, turns away from, must no longer
          exist; that objects endure only for the moment of the act of attention and
          then are effaced that the next moment can not be fully grasped until the
          last is destroyed. (199)/
     Faustus has a hard time doing this, but he does so to get to the point where he
feels his life is worth something and his identity is strengthened by his thoughts and
actions. His belief was that earth was not his platform for existence, he through his own
deception and the his involvement with demonic figures regards Earth not to be relevant
to his being. His thoughts on earth’s important appear is in Act 3 in Scene one and says:
“That looking down, the earth appeared to me/No bigger than my hand in quantity,” thus
stating that earth had no relevance and he desired to convince himself Hell had importance
(lines 72-73). Faustus by believing that this is his destiny, submits to the deception he
constructed since the beginning of the work.
     Ironically, his submission to the this other world can be thought of out of his
hands, therefore his destiny has been predetermined. This other world controls him, thus
supporting his manipulation of his own thoughts towards abolishing his current status.
Within Act 4 in Scene 2, Faustus shows where he now assures himself of his identity and
states : “The Doctor stands prepared, by power of art, To cast his magic charms that shall
pierce through/The ebon gates of ever-burning hell”, this art is his own invention that he
has created thus believes this is his purpose (lines 19-20). Greenblatt relates his thoughts
of deceiving himself to believe this was his purpose was because, “ Identity is a theatrical
invention that must be reiterated if it is to endure (201).
     Although Faustus has abolished his status on earth, it appears he still his not given
the answers to what this other life will do for him ultimately. Mephostophilis again is a
mechanism for guiding Faustus and does not assure that the quality of life is better in Hell,
he tells Faustus that man can be saved by faith alone. As the audience knows, he rebels
against the teachings of God and becomes dissatisfied with what righteousness provided
him. This righteousness is what he thinks made him simple or an average individual. Due
to his own play against himself and the other characters not assuring him his decision was
correct, he is mistrusting what has consumed his thoughts about giving up himself to
demons.
     The reality is his alienation made him destructible in his actions, but also hurt his
existence as an individual. In Scene 5 of this act his uncertainties become apparent as
Faustus says: “Despair doth drive distrust into my thoughts./Confound these passions with
a quiet sleep,” wherein death appears to eliminate any uncertainties about his being (lines
32-2). The stronger his claims are, the more his own manipulation brings his downfall to
actually understanding the importance of this other world and his identity. Faustus
confusion lies solely on the fact that he is unfamiliar with his own presence, which is what
Greenblatt refers to as “repetition compulsion” (200).
     In the final Act of The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus the deception, the
manipulation of himself, and the mental confusion Faustus feels his increased. Although he
did not want to serve God and his world, he would not be in total control of what hell
could offer his life and existence as well. He would not be independent of his ways, he
would again be molded into aiding in Satan’s world. His own invention and free will of his
situation destroyed him and for a rational and intelligent man, he created a illusion that
was similar to his past existence on earth.
     As the audience has witnessed his manipulation of himself, people, and
occurrences he has been part of, they can all be seen as beneficial to his ego of being
deceitful. In Act 4, he wishes to be introduced and deceive Helen of Troy, but his
manipulation finally gets the better of him. He appears to care for her and states: “Come,
Helen, come give me my soul again,” where he is seeing that he desires to show affection
(line 98). His soul has been lost with his interaction with this other world, but he thought
this world would provide him more than what the other could offer. His curiosity not only
made him deceive himself, but it appeared to be too late when he discovered his appetite
for love. There is a comparison between Iago and Faustus, there play on words and
actions enslaved them into their fantasies.
     When Faustus realizes his mistake with selling his soul to the devil, he understands
that he is damned by reason of his own infliction. For Faustus to find himself he took his
will and intelligence to gain his freedom and establish what he could not on earth. He
states: “And what noise soever you hear, come not unto me, for nothing can rescue me”,
which again can be compared to the character of Iago who has tormented his own life
while trying to locate his existence (lines 69-70). Greenblatt discovers that this repetition
in Faustus actions makes him continue his quest, because he his judgments had gave him
no other alternative. He tries to repent his sins and therefore his manipulation of his own
mind is visible.
     Greenblatt provides why Marlowe has made Faustus dedicated to this exchange of
this soul, he believes this is what shapes the identity of the individual. He views that ”all
objects of desire are fictions, theatrical illusions shaped by human subjects” and “those
subjects are themselves fictions, fashioned to reiterate acts of self-naming (218-219).
Faustus finds his faults in his deception and states: “All beast are happy, for when they
die/Their souls are soon dissolved in elements, But mine must live still to be plagued in
hell”, thus determining his illusion did not bring true gratification (lines 165-7).
     Within Othello and The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus shows were the
characters while playing on words and actions have dedicated themselves to play a major
role in the outcome. Iago was very consumed in the idea of revenge and wishing to be of
higher status, but his involvement made him a subject to the surrendering that is included     
in his invention. Faustus too is very consumed in the idea of forgetting his own existence
and wishing to be of higher power, but it is the very thing that steals away his existence
and desire to be in control. Each character while manipulating the events in the works,
have deceived not only the other character, but themselves and their quest to find the self.