I have now assembled the conceptual components of the complex concept mindfuck. They comprise: trust, deception, emotion, manipulation, false belief and vulnerability. With these materials in hand, we can now consider some examples of the phenomenon, and attempt a rough taxonomy. To my mind, the classic example of the mindfuck occurs in Shakespeare's Othello, with Iago's deception and demolition of the “noble moor”. Iago has a reputation for directness and honesty, solid soldier that he is, although he is actually deceptive and devious, demonically so. He puts his sturdy reputation to effective use in persuading Othello that his new wife, Desdemona, is being unfaithful to him with his lieutenant Cassio, producing in Othello intense and violent jealousy, leading finally to the murder of Desdemona by her crazed husband. Iago's procedure is insinuation and reluctant admission, not so much direct lying (although there is some of that); he plays on Othello's vulnerabilities perfectly, timing his suggestions with exquisite psychological acuity. One of his chief tactics is to exploit Othello's sense of racial difference, suggesting that Desdemona cannot really love a black man, at least beyond an initial infatuation at his sheer novelty. He creates in Othello's susceptible and credulous mind a lurid fantasy of gross sexual licence on Desdemona's part, which is totally at odds with the facts. This results in the complete breakdown of Othello's hitherto robust personality, along with homicidal urges in relation to his wife.