**Roderigo's Lament**
He hath betrayed me in the worst of ways, this man. This man who dared to call himself a friend; this man who dared to say he was doing all of this for mine own good. Pah! All lies, for lying is something Iago does best. Lying and scheming... the bastard is never what he seems.
Oh, why? Why did I trust him so? I was but a fool to believe him. He is a devil with a silver tongue and a voice most sweet to the ear--too sweet, for it is so hard to ignore his words.
Iago is an actor of the finest degree. No one would ever suspect such an honest man to be such a truly evil creature.
The man is a curse and an addiction, to be sure. That much I know, for despite all his wrongs and the pains he has brought unto me, I have kept coming back, kept obeying his whims and carrying out deeds most foul for him.
He is a player in the great game; he moved us all like chess pieces for his own rewards. He has driven the Moor to mad jealously, stripped Cassio of his rank, even used his own wife to further his ends. It is madness to be sure!
And it seems he has used me, too, up until the end. It was I who goaded Cassio into a fight that night. Lord, but it seems so long ago now...
I risked death by Cassio's drunken hand that night. Iago has left me near penniless more times than I can count, and he has used my infatuation with dear Desdemona as well...
And worst of all, he has used my devotion to him.
I would die for him, as I am sure I have told him more than once. But still, he would rather see me as a tool than as a friend, an equal. Or more. Would that I had been a stronger man, perhaps things could have turned out much differently.
Tonight marked my last mistake and the last time I followed Iago's orders. So blinded was I by Desdemona's beauty, that I was so easily taken in by Iago. His words moved me to set myself upon a mad path to murder Cassio, all in a desperate attempt to have but a chance at winning Desdemona's heart.
Roderigo the fool. It has a ring to it, no?
But as I came upon good Cassio, he was too quick for me. A blow I suffered to my side by Cassio's blade. I stumbled back and would have been easy prey at that moment. If it had not been for a sudden turn of events. There was a scream and Cassio went down, holding his leg.
It was Iago who had come out then, stabbing Cassio from behind. A coward's attack...
I pulled myself off to the side and managed to avoid discovery when the sentries came down to tend to Cassio. I lost sight of Iago, distracted by a haze of pain and my own blood that was streaming down my side.
So it is no small surprise that my heart jumped when Iago was suddenly in front of me. I suppose... I suppose I should have guessed from his low, breathless voice and the glint in those iced blue eyes. But I am only Roderigo, the fool.
He was so close to me then... it made my mind flit back to the night we arrived in Cypress. The brief moment under the wagon...
It took harsh words and a cold blade to bring me back to the present time.
I think that my eyes were clouded with disbelief when I looked at him then. How could he betray me so heinously? How...? All of the times before, those were but small betrayals complared to this.
He whispered a few last words into my ear before drawing back, pulling the blade back out.
"Roderigo, you fool..."
I had stared at him in amazement and disbelief then, sliding to the ground. But he gave me no aid--said nothing else to me. Instead, he turned and disappeared into the night to finish his evil deed. Desdemona would be dead, Cassio too. And Iago would have his place as Othello's right hand.
He was right. Roderigo is nothing but a fool.
And this is naught but a fool's lament.
How I wish things could have been different...
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Author's Note: After reading Othello and seeing the movie about five times, I really felt sorry for Roderigo. Iago used him, and Roderigo was too blind to see the truth. It was kid of sad, really. Poor Roderigo. Well, I hope you enjoyed this, reader... please tell me what you thought. ^_^
He hath betrayed me in the worst of ways, this man. This man who dared to call himself a friend; this man who dared to say he was doing all of this for mine own good. Pah! All lies, for lying is something Iago does best. Lying and scheming... the bastard is never what he seems.
Oh, why? Why did I trust him so? I was but a fool to believe him. He is a devil with a silver tongue and a voice most sweet to the ear--too sweet, for it is so hard to ignore his words.
Iago is an actor of the finest degree. No one would ever suspect such an honest man to be such a truly evil creature.
The man is a curse and an addiction, to be sure. That much I know, for despite all his wrongs and the pains he has brought unto me, I have kept coming back, kept obeying his whims and carrying out deeds most foul for him.
He is a player in the great game; he moved us all like chess pieces for his own rewards. He has driven the Moor to mad jealously, stripped Cassio of his rank, even used his own wife to further his ends. It is madness to be sure!
And it seems he has used me, too, up until the end. It was I who goaded Cassio into a fight that night. Lord, but it seems so long ago now...
I risked death by Cassio's drunken hand that night. Iago has left me near penniless more times than I can count, and he has used my infatuation with dear Desdemona as well...
And worst of all, he has used my devotion to him.
I would die for him, as I am sure I have told him more than once. But still, he would rather see me as a tool than as a friend, an equal. Or more. Would that I had been a stronger man, perhaps things could have turned out much differently.
Tonight marked my last mistake and the last time I followed Iago's orders. So blinded was I by Desdemona's beauty, that I was so easily taken in by Iago. His words moved me to set myself upon a mad path to murder Cassio, all in a desperate attempt to have but a chance at winning Desdemona's heart.
Roderigo the fool. It has a ring to it, no?
But as I came upon good Cassio, he was too quick for me. A blow I suffered to my side by Cassio's blade. I stumbled back and would have been easy prey at that moment. If it had not been for a sudden turn of events. There was a scream and Cassio went down, holding his leg.
It was Iago who had come out then, stabbing Cassio from behind. A coward's attack...
I pulled myself off to the side and managed to avoid discovery when the sentries came down to tend to Cassio. I lost sight of Iago, distracted by a haze of pain and my own blood that was streaming down my side.
So it is no small surprise that my heart jumped when Iago was suddenly in front of me. I suppose... I suppose I should have guessed from his low, breathless voice and the glint in those iced blue eyes. But I am only Roderigo, the fool.
He was so close to me then... it made my mind flit back to the night we arrived in Cypress. The brief moment under the wagon...
It took harsh words and a cold blade to bring me back to the present time.
I think that my eyes were clouded with disbelief when I looked at him then. How could he betray me so heinously? How...? All of the times before, those were but small betrayals complared to this.
He whispered a few last words into my ear before drawing back, pulling the blade back out.
"Roderigo, you fool..."
I had stared at him in amazement and disbelief then, sliding to the ground. But he gave me no aid--said nothing else to me. Instead, he turned and disappeared into the night to finish his evil deed. Desdemona would be dead, Cassio too. And Iago would have his place as Othello's right hand.
He was right. Roderigo is nothing but a fool.
And this is naught but a fool's lament.
How I wish things could have been different...
**************************************************************************************
Author's Note: After reading Othello and seeing the movie about five times, I really felt sorry for Roderigo. Iago used him, and Roderigo was too blind to see the truth. It was kid of sad, really. Poor Roderigo. Well, I hope you enjoyed this, reader... please tell me what you thought. ^_^