Why Can't I Write Like This for Class?

Playlist Title: Iago (as in the ancient)
1.) Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
2.) Stupid Girl - Cold (I promise, it makes sense. You just don't know it.)
3.) We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
4.) This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race - Fall Out Boy
5.) Burn - Three Days Grace
6.) Master of Puppets - Metallica
7.) The Pretender - Foo Fighters
8.) House of Wolves - My Chemical Romance
9.) Shameful - Atreyu
10.) I So Hate Consequences - Relient K
11.) You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us in Prison - My Chemical Romance

Now, I expect you'd fancy an explanation on most of these. Sorry, #2 is staying in my mind, don't even bother asking.

Another One Bites The Dust - I'm not sure if this is the reason I chose to include this song; however, it could be argued that this is how Iago feels about not getting his promotion, albeit a bit over the top. "You took me for everything that I had, and kicked me out on my own! Are you happy? Are you satisfied?...There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man and bring him to the ground - you can beat him, you can cheat him, you can treat him bad and leave him when he's down. But I'm ready. Yes, I'm ready for you." You took me down. Oh no. Bring it on, Othello. Bring it on.

We're Not Gonna Take It - Iago was passed over for a promotion, and he wasn't gonna take that lying down. There are few lines in this song that, to me, embody Iago. "You're so condescending, your gall is neverending." In my mind, he hates that Othello presumes nothing to be wrong. Of course, we all know that if Iago and Othello were as close as the former makes it out to be, he would realise, but...Anyway, it fit in my mind.

This Ain't a Scene... - The first line is "I am an arms dealer, fitting you with weapons in the form of words...And the lies I weave are oh so intricate." Iago manipulates words so well and so easily that this just seemed perfect. He also has this ability to - well - act. On the one hand, toward Roderigo, he hates the Moor, but as soon as anyone else happens upon them, he's loyal and "honest." As we, the readers and audience know, however, he has everyone duped. And the lies woven are so intricate that they cannot be unwoven until most parties involved are killed (or, in the case of Cassio, maimed).

Burn - "I'll tell you now - you can't win this...I won't let it show that I'm not always flying." While it doesn't end up happening, in Iago's mind, his plan is failsafe. He can't lose. Because of his duplicity, he cannot let his guard down and show his true colours ("wear his heart upon his sleeve," as he says in the first scene), nor does he care to. What good could be gained that way?

Master of Puppets - While I'm sure this speaks to your common sense, I'll explain it anyway. "I'm your source of self-destruction...Leading on your death's construction." Iago in a nutshell. He's the direct cause of Othello's downward spiral, and whether or not he planned it, he does indeed construct Othello's death.

The Pretender - I'm noticing a trend here...but the lyrics work as well as the title. Mostly this part: "I'm the voice inside your head you refuse to hear; I'm the face that you have to face mirrored in your stare; I'm what's left, I'm what's right - I'm the enemy; I'm the hand that will take you down, bring you to your knees." Again it could be directed toward both Othello and Cassio...poor bastards. They get the rotten end of the stick.

House of Wolves - One could argue that the lyrics of this song are written from Iago's point of view and directed at either Cassio or Othello. "You haven't got a prayer...Well I think I'm gonna burn in hell...Tell me I'm a bad man...It's a compliment, I swear..." In my mind, anyway, it lends itself to Iago's mental state.

Shameful - The title works well here, but this is my favourite part: " If you knew what I know, would you move like you do? With malicious discontent, you went about hell-bent to destroy - but did you have a reason why?" I love it. If Othello knew what Iago knew, which is that Desdemona is innocent, would he still try to catch her? No. While it's true he was acting under Iago's influence, he was still not being a very nice guy. And he was hellbent to destroy her without cause. I also love this bit: "Now, it's time to see what you don't mean to me."

I So Hate Consequences - "I got to get away...I so hate consequences, and running from you is what my best defense is...Don’t make me face up to this." In my mind, Iago was hoping to get off scott-free from all of this. He didn't get a promotion, so he was determined to take down as many people as possible. And when he gets caught, well... "It just now hit me this is more than just a set back." He's fucked.

You Know... - There's no skirting the issue - this song is about prison rape. While there are no specific lyrics in this one to apply directly to Iago or his motives, we know that Iago likely ends up in prison. Considering his decent standing in the military, chances are that he's responsible for more than one or two of the inmates' incarcerations. Chances are they aren't too thrilled about that. Chances are, they want some semblance of revenge.

Well...there it is.