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Mia ZhaoThe most convincing lies you’ll ever be told are the ones you tell yourself.
Literature shows
these in action, taking us through each moment that drags powerful generals and media barons
down the same spiral of self-destruction. As we delve into the narratives presented by Othello
and Citizen Kane, are you able to recognise their lies?
Set in 16th century Venice, Shakespeare’s Othello introduces a war hero in a society that
constantly doubts his worth. In the Elizabethan era, society was grounded in a dictated social
order with strong racial sentiments. Othello is subjected to and internalises the hatred to the
point where he transforms into the very image of the animalistic Moor imposed on him.
When we are first introduced to Othello, he validates his marriage to Desdemona
through his achievements, declaring that his “services which I have done the signiory / Shall
out-tongue his [Brabantio’s] complaints.” The metaphor fails to assert his worth; rather, it
reveals that he holds no sense of dignity beyond Venice’s approval. This strong dependency on
transactional worth establishes his uneasy capacity for love that, just as it relies on external
validation, is equally vulnerable to external doubt. Iago, fuelled by his resentment towards
Othello, exploits this by warning him “of jealousy; / It is the green-eyed monster.” In
personifying this emotion as a consuming force, he prompts Othello to weaponise his
insecurities against himself. The pressure of Venetian values of rationality, honour and moral
leadership expected of him heightens the internal conflicts he already faces in his racial
marginalisation. Believing Iago’s lies of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, he yearns, “O thou weed, /
Who art so lovely fair.” The antithesis captures Othello’s psychological torment, blind to the
truth of her purity with the poisoned image that Iago has planted in his mind. This reflects the
Elizabethan belief that female infidelity led to the loss of male honour, as Othello’s fragile
self-confidence is undone solely by her supposed betrayal. Othello still clings to a sense of tragic
nobility in his moment of anagnorisis, imploring, “Speak of me as I am… / Of one that loved not
wisely but too well.” The euphemism undermines the extent of his murderous corruption,
appealing to restore his former dignity as the general he once was.
Three centuries later, a similar narrative occurs. Directed by Orson Welles, Citizen Kane critiques
the rise of mass media and its power to manipulate public opinion. The film depicts the
prevalence of capitalism as it shapes personal identities in the 20th century. Kane’s inability to
form genuine connections compels him to present a powerful public persona to compensate for
his inner loneliness.
Kane’s initial characterisation as the publisher of a newspaper is shown as he boasts,
“You provide the prose poems, I’ll provide the war.” The arrogant use of parataxis reflects his
inflated importance as his ability to manipulate public perception grants him the illusion of
authentic power. This reinforces his disconnection from humanity that enables him to gamble
recklessly, reducing people to commodities in return for temporary influence. Kane’s tactics can
be likened to the practice of yellow journalism during the late 1990s, as he places an emphasis
on sensationalism over truth, weaponising public trust to support his political ambitions.
Following his loss in the election, Kane is confronted by Leland, the scene portrayed as an
extreme low shot so that Kane is diminished underneath the ceiling. The ceiling acts as a
physical manifestation of the boundaries of his ego, emphasising that his means of control are
fundamentally powerless. In Xanadu, this scene utilises deep focus to highlight the growing
emotional distance between Kane and Susan. By situating her among the statues, Welles draws
a comparison between Kane’s materialistic desires and his wife to express that he craves the
human connection that his control destroys, trapped in a cycle of his own making. His eventual
downfall stems from the lack of genuine relationships, a media mogul reduced to a materialist
unable to find meaning in his investments.
Having peeled back the truths behind these two narratives, the question I now pose is: how