Another principle that seems consistent throughout Shakespeare's work is that his main interest was rarely, perhaps never, to create plots simply for the purpose of realism. Rather, he used the stories to maximize the dramatic effect on both the audience and the characters. For example, Othello, at the beginning of the play, is the type of successful and respected military man who would never choose to show his inner workings and true emotions. But the plot doesn't give him any choice, and by the end of the story, all is revealed. One of the most powerful moments in 3.3, the scene where Othello is psychologically turned upside down by Iago, occurs when he realizes that his confidence and therefore his career are in the past:

O, now, for ever

Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!

Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,

That make ambition virtue! O, farewell!

Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,

The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,

The royal banner, and all quality,

Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war!

And, O you mortal engines, whose rude throats

The immortal Jove's dead clamours counterfeit,

Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone!

It's particularly remarkable for the fact that ordinarily we would never see a military professional admit that some aspects of war are enjoyed. But as Picasso once said, "Art is the lie that reveals the truth."