Othello Act 4 Overview

Othello Act 4 Overview

1. CONCEPTS

   • POWER
     • -> Iago has power over many of the characters because: 1)he is intelligent and will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants(dismisses morality) 2)he is able to choreograph everybody into the places he needs them to be, due to his persona of an honourable man being taken as reality by the other characters.  3)he "knows all quantities with a learned spirit| Of human dealings",so he knows how to exploit their weaknesses. ->The concept of power is relevant when we discuss the way Othello hastily tries to establish his virility after Iago piques him by saying his breakdown was  effeminating.  "Whilst you were here o'erwhelmed with your grief,- |A passion most unsuiting such a man,-" He obviously feels diffident in his own capacity to be a powerful man as he goes to extremes to prove it.  ->Iago formerly addressed his motivation for all these conspiracies and one of the prominent reasons was that Othello awarded Cassio the promotion instead of Iago. Iago's desire for power is clearly expressed through the extremes he is willing to go to, to obtain it and to procure revenge for his declination of it.  -> Othello acknowledges that Desdemona's virtues hold such a power that they could distract him from his murderous intent.  "strangle her in her bed,| even the bed she hath contaminated."
     • -> The roles have been reversed in Iago and Othello's relationship as we see that Iago has taken charge and is acting as an official because Othello is too tormented to be gracious.  -> The image of Desdemona kneeling in front of Iago, conveys the power that he has over the rest of the characters, and also the power men had over women.  -> Due to Othello's decline in demeanour his position has been taken from him. 
   • GENDER ROLES
     • ROLE OF WOMEN
       • ->Women were expected to be acquiescent and silent, to look pretty, to deliver an heir to their husband and to oblige his sexual 'needs'. On the other side, they were shamed and written off as indecent if they showed any desire to engage in sexual acts. Cassio's attitude towards Bianca, who is perceived as promiscuous, shows us how she is disrespected because of her freeness in her sexuality. He describes her as "a customer" and a "fitchew" which are both derogatory terms used to illustrate 'whores'.  -> In the context that 'Othello' is set, it was normal for men to reprimand their wives if they rebelled against them, but this was done in private. Therefore the reason that it was shocking that Othello struck Desdemona, was because he did this in public.  -> Desdemona is praised by Lodovico for her acceptance of Othello's abuse, "Truly, an obedient lady;".  This commendation gives us a further insight into how women were expected to be docile and pliant.  -> "If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears,| Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile."- Othello's opinion that Desdemona's tears are not real, portrays the view that Venetian women and just women in general, are devious and untrustworthy.  -> Othello degrades Desdemona's worth when he asks Lodovico what he would do with her. This highlights how a woman's worth was dictated by a man's opinion of her, a widespread occurrence in this context. 
       • -> Othello uses disrespectful and rude language to describe Emilia, "she's a simple bawd". His misogynistic attitude is evident as he disregards Emilia's view that Desdemona has done no wrong. Would he have taken it more seriously if this voice in Desdemona's favour was a man's? Othello has been convinced by Iago that Venetian women are skiving and untrustworthy, this is likely to have caused his mistrust in Emilia.  -> Othello denotes his loving wife as a "subtle whore| A closet lock and key of villainous secrets;| And yet she'll kneel and pray;". This description excoriates Desdemona's character, and implies her hypocrisy. 
       • -> The image of Desdemona on her knees in front of Iago is poignant as it portrays the imbalance between men and women, visually.  -> The commanding language that Othello uses with Desdemona, "Get you to bed on the instant", conveys how in that time the man was totally in charge.  -> When we look at Desdemona's passiveness, we can identify she always wants to please Othello, no matter how he treats her. "my love doth so approve him,| That even his stubbornness, his checks and frowns...have grace and favour in them." 
       • ->Emilia's view that "it is their husbands' faults if their wives do fall", conveys the patriarchy of the time as this opinion portrays how women were defined by their husband's actions.  -> "Their wives have sense like them;they see and smell,| And have palates for both sweet and sour,| As husbands have."- Emilia explains how women have senses and feeling like men, which was not a widely accepted notion due to the patriarchal objectification of women. 
     • ROLE OF MEN
       • ->In the context of Othello, men were expected to be strong, valiant and domineering. ->Is is clear that Othello is aware and mindful of this reputation of manliness as when Iago mocks him and tells him to "bear your fortune like a man!" and to "be a man;", Othello quickly swears vengeance, "I will be found most cunning in my patience...most bloody.", in a bid to seem manly as real men were surmised to take matters into their own hands and use their might to get what they want.  ->Iago nips at the expectations of men when he subtly takes the hand at Othello's trance which was evoked by delirium.  "Whilst you were here o'erwhelmed with your grief,- |A passion most unsuiting such a man,-".This snide comment gives us an insight how a man expressing his emotion in a way that wasn't perceived as masculine was frowned upon. 
       • -> Iago motivates Roderigo by encouraging him to test his manliness and his courage,  by taking action. 
   • JEALOSY
     • ->Cassio's pillorying of ,what seems to be to Othello, Desdemona adds ammunition to the flaming envy that is engulfing and destroying his soul.  -> Bianca's accusations that Cassio is engaging in sexual acts with another women, shows that she has genuine feelings for him as she is outraged. "This is some minx's token,".  This semblance adds another nail in Desdemona's coffin because Othello is now certain that Cassio has his handkerchief. The weight that the handkerchief has further incenses Othello because it appears to him that Desdemona gave away this meaningful gift no remorse, and to make it worse she gave it to his friend... -> Othello is driven to a state of ungovernable savagery, by the intense envy he is tormented by. 
   • LOVE|HATE
     • -> The reason that Desdemona's 'betrayal' has such a devastating effect on Othello on an emotional, a mental and a physical level is because his love for her is unimaginably strong.  ->Othello is shattered by this treachery because even though he is convinced that Desdemona has lied to him, cheated on him and disrespected the token of his love, he still loves her. "let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night;| for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to| stone....the | world hath not a sweeter creature;" This paradoxical language gives us an insight into how Othello still loves her dearly, but she has to die. It also is an example of how love and hate are two sides of the same join and that there is a wafer-thin line that separates the two.  -> "Hang her!....she will sing the savageness out of a bear." Othello is torn between exalting his wife but also sentencing her to death.  -> There is a contrast between the understandings of love when Desdemona speaks of "the love I bear to Cassio." and Othello's response of "Fire and brimstone!". Desdemona's use of the word love, is to convey the friendship between her and Cassio, which was ultimately born out of their shared adoration of Cassio. Othello perceives this as a proclamation of her lustful intimacy with Cassio,  as he has been manipulated by Iago to do so. 
     • -> Othello demands that Desdemona "Let me[him] see into your[her] eyes.",so he can peer into her soul suspiciously, the opposite of his previous proclamation of his joy, "My soul hath her content so absolute| That not another comfort like to this| Succeeds in unknown fate.". The meeting of their souls is no longer a romantic reuniting, but a hostile confrontation.  -> "thou young rose-lipp'd cherubin| Ay there, look grim as hell!"-Othello compares Desdemona to an angel, but one that is appalling, this conveys his contrasting feelings towards her.  -> Othello is extremely upset by the whole situation because he is genuinely pitiful of what he feels is his duty to do, so much so that he is reduced to tears. ->"my love doth so approve him,| That even his stubbornness, his checks and frowns...have grace and favour in them." -Desdemona's love for him is everlasting and it does not falter when he treats her badly. 
   • APPEARANCE VS REALITY
     • ->"Her honour is an essence that's not seen;  They have it very oft that have it not:" Iago is alluding to the fact that semblances should not be taken for granted and that the Desdemona's integrity is just a facade.   ->"Work on, My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught,|And many worthy and chaste dames even thus,|All guiltless, meet reproach." Iago shows his hidden actuality, which is fallacious and evil, as he gasconades over the fact that he has emotionally, mentally and physically broken Othello. Iago's talent for concealing the truth with a veil of lies becomes clear here as nobody suspects him to be deceitful.  ->Othello has been manipulated by Iago to assume that Cassio is talking of his and Desdemona's salacious relationship but in reality Cassio is mocking Bianca.  "So hangs and lolls and weeps upon me, so shakes,| and pulls me! Ha, ha, ha!"-CASSIO "Now he tells how she plucked him to my chamber. "-OTHELLO.  -> Cassio is using Bianca for his own sexual 'needs' and to him this is the limit of their relationship, but Bianca believes that romance may be in the air. Cassio messes about with her and exploits her feelings. Bianca is unaware of Cassio's degrading account of her one-sided affection. 
     • -> Othello mentions how Desdemona's tears are a "well-painted passion", implying that she has been feigning her emotions. This shows us that Othello is now aware of the concept that aspects can be misleading, but unfortunately, he wrongly suspects Desdemona of beguiling him, when really it has been Iago.  -> Othello illustrates Desdemona as "subtle whore| A closet lock and key of villainous secrets;| And yet she'll kneel and pray;", where as in reality she has been the opposite of hypocritical. She has been guileless and authentic, but the same cannot be said for the 'evidence' which 'incriminated' her. 
     • -> Iago tells Roderigo that because of the strength he has now seen in him, he thinks that it will be no time before him and Desdemona are engaging in sexual acts. "if thou hast that in thee indeed, which I have greater reason to believe now than ever—I mean purpose, courage and valor—this night show it. If thou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona". He tells him not to be deceived by the appearance that there has been no progress, but to use this braveness and take action. 
   • FIDELITY+BETRAYAL
     • ->The concepts of fidelity and betrayal are portrayed when Iago explains how Desdemona and Cassio are not only lying to Othello, but lying on each other. "Lie-""With her?""With her on her what you will." This image enhances both of the concepts as they add another layer to them.  ->The portrayal of Bianca as a prostitute, furthers Othello's feeling of being betrayed as he has been lead to believe that this is a depiction of Desdemona, "what a customer?". The reason that this portrait of a courtesan is significant as it implies that she has not only been unfaithful with Cassio, but with many other men, therefore enhancing Othello's feeling of being deceived.  -> Desdemona is so faithful to Othello, that she make sit her mission to reunite him and Cassio "I would do much| To atone them". She acknowledges her and Cassio's fellowship when she says "for the love I bear to Cassio", but Othello understands this as a confession of her betrayal as he believes the love she speaks of, to be of a sexual nature. 
     • -> There is a discrepancy between Desdemona's hope that Othello "esteems me honest", and Othello's scathing reply. He insinuates that she is corrupt through the revolting images he evokes. " as summer flies are in the shambles,| That quicken even with blowing." ->
   • DECEPTION+HONESTY+TRUST
     • ->Iago maintains a false air of sincerity and on multiple occasions he is referred to as honest, "this honest creature""I know thou art full of love and honesty.".  -> Othello's lack of trust in Desdemona is obvious as he speaks sarcastically of her obedience, alludes that her reaction was false, and ultimately he is convinced that she has been dishonest, even though it has been the 'evidence', that has been deceitful... -> Lodovico feels that he has been duped by Othello for believing that he was a noble and dignified man which he has now proved that he is not. " I am sorry that I am deceived in him." -> Othello is of the belief that Desdemona is a "subtle whore| A closet lock and key of villainous secrets;| And yet she'll kneel and pray;". He believes that she has betrayed him, that she has been dishonest and that she can't be trusted. 
   • REPUTATION
     • ->Iago has a reputation of honesty. "I never knew| A florentine more kind and honest." ->Othello wants to retain a repute of being a strong and firm male, so he vows a bloody vengeance in a bid to show that he will not be made look like a fool by his wife.  -> Bianca is renowned for being a hooker, so she her efforts to develop a genuine relationship with Cassio are ridiculed.  -> Cassio's previous betrayal of Othello has gained him the status of being untrustworthy. This makes it easy for Iago to ascribe terrible things to him.  -> Othello used to have the reputation of being a dignified, valiant, dutiful, and rational soldier, and he was respected for this. This has been dragged through the mud after the wild antics witnessed by Lodovico, a member of the signory. Ultimately,  his position is revoked and his identity as a soldier is taken from him. 
   • CONFLICT
     • -> The discord between love and hate, good and bad, heaven and hell, are explored throughout this act. The entities of heaven and hell are portrayed through contrasting imagery. The juxtaposition of Othello's naive character and Iago's malevolence, conveys the conceptualizations of good bad, in some people's opinions but there are a myriad of ways to look at this.  -> Othello experiences an inner conflict, he is torn between doting on Desdemona and cursing her. "Hang her!....she will sing the savageness out of a bear."
   • VIOLENCE
     • -> Othello is enraged by Cassio's 'confession' and his jealousy leads him to a state of uncontrollable violence. "How shall I murder him, Iago?" The violence in this statement is undeniable because not only does Othello want to end Cassio's life, he wants to murder him.  -> "I will chop her into messes."- Othello's intent is brutally destroy her as revenge for her betrayal.  -> There is a stark disparity between Desdemona's gentleness and Othello's brutality. Desdemona, innocent and loyal, queries as to why Othello is enraged, "Why, sweet Othello?", and Othello then proclaims that she is a "Devil!", and bashes her. 
     • -> Emilia is incensed at the thought of subterfuge and she uses savage language to convey this- "put in every honest hand a whip| To lash the rascals naked through the world,| Even from the east to the west!" -> The image of slaughtering Cassio by "knocking out his brains" is ferocious, and the fact that Iago would suggest this gives us an insight into his immorality as he does not believe that these actions would be too grotesque to inflict on somebody. 
   • REVENGE
     • ->Othello believes that the vengeance he feels he needs to execute is justified. He approves Iago's idea of strangling Desdemona. "Good,good; the justice of it pleases; very good." -> Emilia touches on a point that Iago mentioned in the beginning that he had suspicions that Emilia was having an affair with Othello,  and in the past he has used to justify his vengeance against him. " Some such squire he was| That turned your wit the seamy side without| And made you to suspect me with the Moor." 
     • -> Emilia's stance on the issue of women cheating on their husbands is that women philander as retaliation for their mistreatment. 
   • HUBRIS
     • -> Othello takes offense at Cassio's mocking of his wife, and his sense of pride is hurt.  -> Roderigo gives in to Iago's manipulations when his ego is groomed. This shows how malleable he truly is when his pride is fussed over. 
   • HAMARTIA
     • OTHELLO-> man of action, man of extremes,and man of duty  DESDEMONA->  too naive, too submissive and assumes responsibility without questioning.  CASSIO-> impulsive, impatient RODERIGO-> gullible, foolish
   • NAIVETY+INNOCENCE
     • -> Othello, Desdemona, Lodovico, and Cassio all credulously put their ultimate trust in Iago. They all bear a skewed view that villainy takes place only occasional. Due to this inaccuracy, they are too trusting the wrong people.  ->Another air of naivety that Othello carries, is his inexperience in the realms of jealousy. "Othello shall go mad;| his unbookish jealousy must construe". Othello is unacquainted with the "green-eye'd monster which doth mock| The meat it feeds on", and his naivety allows it to consume him as he trusts Iago to get him out of this problem.
     • -> Desdemona is pure and sincere, and she tells the absolute innocent truth when she denotes herself as Othello's true and loyal wife. Her innocence is contrasted with Othello's anger and condemnation.  -> She accepts his mistreatment, even though she is innocent and has no idea how this happened-"I know not how I lost him." -> Roderigo is easily persuaded to violently murder Cassio, which conveys his lack of judgement. 
   • RACE
     • ->Othello possesses an insecurity in his physiognomy as he is an outsider because of his ethnicity. This self-consciousness is fleeced by Iago when he introduces indelicate images of Cassio and Desdemona, "to be naked with her friend a-bed", that embolden this feeling.   

2. AUDIENCE'S OMNISCIENT PERSPECTIVE

   • ->The audience is on tenterhooks throughout this scene as they are speculating as to how long the facade will stay cloaked until it is exposed.  -> All of the instances of irony enhance their understanding and their apprehensions because they know many things that the characters are unaware of. They know what Iago is capable of (they know that every portrayal of Iago as honest is false), they know how affected Othello is by this 'betrayal' and they know that Desdemona is innocent to the core...all of these insights  make the consequences of Iago's actions all the more jarring.  ->The image of Iago gleefully standing over Othello's overwhelmed body is dramatic and poignant because it is a visual representation of how Iago is devastating him  and is enjoying every second of it.  ->They get a sense of Iago's plan as he explicates his actions. "Now will I question Cassio of Bianca....As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad." -> They see a visual representation of the theme appearance vs reality as they can see Othello raving at Cassio's 'assertions' and they also see that the reality is the converse of what Othello thinks it is.  -> The moment when Desdemona acknowledges her own weakness and kneels before Iago would be extremely aggravating for the audience as they know how her lack of defiance will lead to her murder. It would be a poignant moment of good versus bad, as the angelic Desdemona gives in to the malevolent Iago.  -> At the end of this act, they are tense as they wait for Desdemona's slaughter, and Cassio's murder.

3. IMAGERY

   • HEAVEN|HELL IMAGES
     • ->"The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven"-Othello uses these most contrasting entities to elucidate his view that the act of being "naked a-bed" would not be benign, but they'd be alluring the Devil and provoking God.  -> Iago mentions that he "would to heaven if he[Othello] were" light of brain, which heightens our understanding of how hellishly far Othello will go when his wits are compromised by jealousy.  -> Othello contrasts the image of Desdemona praying with the one of her being a deceitful villain. "This is a subtle whore| A closet lock and key of villainous secrets;| And yet she'll kneel and pray;"
     • ->"Come, swear it, damn thyself.| Lest, being like one of heaven, the devils themselves| Should fear to seize thee. Therefore be double damned,"- Othello creates the image of a devil being so deceiving that the other demons mistake it for an angel, and they don't catch it. He uses this to portray his opinion that Desdemona is a devil in disguise and that she will be doomed twice for her beguiling.  -> Desdemona insists that she is innocent and uses heaven as her witness, "Heaven doth truly know it". Othello inverses her statement as he says that "Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell.". -> "I took you for that cunning whore of Venice| That married with Othello.—You, mistress,| That have the office opposite to Saint Peter| And keep the gate of hell!"-Othello compares Desdemona to Satan which differs from the usual heavenly portrayals of "sweet Desdemona". 
     • -> Desdemona's acquitting of the villain's actions and Emilia's condemning of it convey their opposite outlooks on life. "If any such there be, heaven pardon him!"-DESDEMONA. "A halter pardon him, and hell gnaw his bones."-EMILIA
     • -> Desdemona associates herself with heavenly and light images and this is a reflection of her angelic character. "No, by this heavenly light!". 
   • ANIMALISTIC IMAGES
     • ->"as doth the raven o'er the infected house,"-Othello ->"The lethargy must have his quiet course.|If not, he foams at mouth and by and by| Breaks out to savage madness." Iago's description of Othello's moment of emotional distress is derisory. The purpose of this stark image of what may happen if Othello is awoken too soon from his fit is to portray how barbaric and primitive his current unstable state of mind will cause him to act.  ->  "If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears,| Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile."- Othello compares women to crocodiles, to convey the image that they are fleecing predators.  - > Othello's chaotic and random outburst of "Goats and monkeys!", gives us an insight into how tumultuous his state of mind is and how unstable he is.  -> He uses animalistic language to illustrate the extremity of his state of mind-"keep it as a cistern for foul toads| To knot and gender in!"
   • HEINOUS + FOUL IMAGES
     • -> The foul image that Iago creates that illustrates Desdemona "naked with her friend a-bed" kissing in private, is one that has been fabricated by Iago.   ->"as doth the raven o'er the infected house,"- The gloomy image of a raven, a bird of ill omen, elevated above an adulterated marriage is one of impurity and it enhances our understanding of how Desdemona and Othello's relationship has been envenomed by jealousy. -> The image of Cassio being led by Desdemona to her and Othello's bedroom is befouled and adds a visual understanding of their treason. "So hangs and lolls and weeps upon me, so shakes,| and pulls me! Ha, ha, ha!"-CASSIO "Now he tells how she plucked him to my chamber. "-OTHELLO.  -> The recurrent image of contamination is established once again by Othello- "Get me some poison,"- and then Iago reinforces the image of Desdemona and Cassio making love in her and Othello's chamber when he says "strangle her in her bed,| even the bed she hath contaminated."
     • -> In Othello's self-comparison with Job, he creates images that resonate with the idea of pestilence and disease -"All kinds of sores, and shames on my bare head,| Steep'd me in poverty to the very lips," -> Othello illustrates the disgusting image of a hot summer house, to convey the diseased and corrupt betrayal that Desdemona has done against him. 
     • -> To portray how loathsome her actions have been, Othello exclaims that nature is repulsed by Desdemona's treachery-"Heaven stops the nose at it and the moon winks,| The bawdy wind that kisses all it meets| Is hushed within the hollow m ine of earth"
   • SYMBOLISM
     • ->The handkerchief epitomises Othello and Desdemona's love. The significance that it carries is evident as Othello does not take Cassio's possession of it lightly. To him it appears that Desdemona has disregarded and disrespected Othello by not valuing this precious gift. He has previously told the story of the handkerchiefs origins highlighting its importance to him.We see why he deduces the extreme thought that Desdemona has no affection for him when he mentions that "To lose't or give't away, were such perdition As nothing else could match.". ->The  "raven o'er the infected house" is a symbol of threat and impending doom. 
     • -> The visual symbol of Desdemona kneeling before Iago, portrays her recognising her own weakness and almost surrendering herself to the powerful man. 
   • BIBLICAL IMAGES
     • -> "If any wretch to have put this in your head| Let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse!"-This image that Emilia illustrates, juxtaposes heaven and hell as she alludes to the concepts of damnation and the biblical betrayal that took place in the garden of Eden.  -> Othello compares himself to Job- "Had it pleased heaven| To try me with affliction, had they rained| All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head..." -> Desdemona uses phrases that are associated with the Lord's prayer, such as, "trespass 'gainst his love.....thought or actual deed". 

4. LANGUAGE

   • LACK OF COMMUNICATION..
     • ->There was a lack of direct communication between Cassio and Othello, this made it easy for Iago to incriminate Cassio in the second act.  ->The misunderstandings and the lack of clarity surrounding the origins of the handkerchief between Cassio and Bianca when she is convinced of his act of making love to another woman add drama.  -> Iago's commanding of the people around him is extremely important to the success of his plan, as he needs everyone in the dark so he can manipulate in the shadows. We see this when he orders Cassio away as he is trying to avoid a situation where his veil of lies would be destroyed by Cassio and Othello sorting things out.  -> "I’ll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again". Othello expresses that he will not bicker with Desdemona and he will not communicate with her...
     • -> Emilia voices the kinds of questions that Desdemona and Othello should have asked each other, such as " What place?what time? what form? what likelihood?". 
   • CLUMSY LANGUAGE
     • ->As Othello's thoughts run wild, his ability to express them becomes inarticulate and incoherent. "Handkerchief, - confessions, - handkerchief.""Confess! - Handkerchief! - O devil!" -> "Sir, she can turn, and turn, and yet go on,| And turn again. And she can weep, sir, weep.| And she’s obedient, as you say, obedient,| Very obedient."- Othello's quality of language declines as his temper inclines...
   • COMMANDING LANGUAGE
     • ->The assertive language that Iago uses to spur Othello into action-"Good sir, be a man;"-shows how their relationship has evolved and the roles have now reversed with Iago taking control.  -> Iago announces that it is time to take action and he eggs on Roderigo. "It is now high| supper-time, and the night grows to waste;| about it."
     • ->Othello authoritatively orders that Desdemona go to bed, "Get you to bed on the instant;", and he is clearly in charge. 

5. CHARACTERS

   • OTHELLO
     • ->Othello clings on to the idea of the handkerchief as to him it is "ocular proof" of Desdemona's infidelity.  ->Othello's observation that "Nature| would not invest herself in such shadowing| passion without some instruction." is tragically poignant as he is right, but the fact that he has his ultimate trust in Iago obscures is ability to suspect that he may not be the fellow "of exceeding honesty" that he resembles.  -> He is overcome with emotion as he struggles to comprehend the thought of Cassio 'lying' with Desdemona. He physically cannot handle the torment and he falls in a "trance". His speech turns into a undignified stammering as his mind flicks between images of betrayal. "Handkerchief, - confessions, - handkerchief.""Confess! - Handkerchief! - O devil!" ->Othello mirrors Iago's cynical language as he conveys himself as betrayed - "A horned man's a monster and a beast."
     • ->Iago implies that Desdemona is; unfaithful, a 'whore' and that Othello is a fool, and what does Othello do but praise him! "O! thou art wise; tis certain.". Othello is so trapped in Iago's web that he no longer questions him. He takes it at face value as if it is scripture. This illustrates his gullible and naive nature.  -> Othello is convinced that Cassio is ridiculing his wife, which further fuels his jealousy.  ->Othello's jealousy has driven him to plan murder, as he is a passionate lover but his extreme nature means that he is also a savage enemy who will stop at nothing to do the 'right' thing.    -> The absolute pathos of this play is that Othello loves Desdemona with all his heart, but he has said before that he "had rather be a toad| And live upon the vapor of a dungeon| Than keep a corner in the thing I love|  For others' uses.". He believes that he has to kill her and that it is the only way of moving forward.  -> He is heartbroken by the situation and by what he feels that he has to do. "the pity of it, Iago! O Iago, the pity of it, Iago!". He 'has to' murder the only person who ever truly loved him for who he was.  ->He recognises the power that Desdemona has over him  when he says "I’ll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again". He decides not to hear her out as he knows that her charm will beguile him.  -> Othello's identity as a man of action is illuminated as he plans to murder Desdemona with haste. "This night, Iago." ->Othello physically and verbally assaults Desdemona in front of Lodovico, a state official. The fact that he does this conveys how much he has changed as in the beginning we were introduced to a noble, war-like, calm, and reasonable soldier, a complete contrast to this erratic man who abuses his wife in public.  He is violent and hostile towards her, and he is unrepentant of his actions.  -> His lack of faith Desdemona is plain to see as he speaks ill of her tears and he uses sarcasm to imply that she is fake.  -> He insinuates that her tears are hypocritical-"If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears,| Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile."
     • -> He insults Desdemona's worth when he asks Lodovico what use he would have with her, implying that she is worthless. "What would you do with her, sir?".  -> Othello is satirical when describing Desdemona's compliance,"And she's obedient, as you say, obedient,| Very obedient.". -> He suggests that her distress is fake and is a "well-painted passion", which conveys how he believes her to be deceitful.  -> As his jealousy thrives, Othello's language becomes increasingly repetitive and he sounds verbally incoherent. "Sir, she can turn, and turn, and yet go on,| And turn again. And she can weep, sir, weep.| And she’s obedient, as you say, obedient,| Very obedient."
     • -> He insults Emilia by calling her a "simple bawd", a naive brothel-keeper.  ->"This is a subtle whore| A closet lock and key of villainous secrets;| And yet she'll kneel and pray;"- Othello insinuates Desdemona's hypocrisy and uses derogatory language to portray his opinion of her.  -> Othello believes that Desdemona is lying when she defends her honour, "Your wife, my lord; your true| And loyal wife.". He wants her to swear on this truth, and his lack of faith in her is evident as he says that she will be double-damn'd, condemned once for her initial sins, and then again for her bluff.
     • -> Othello is at a breaking point, and he is distraught which is evidence of his love.  -> He compares himself to Job, a biblical figure who was tested by God. This estimation conveys Othello's extremity - "Where either I must live or bear no life...keep it as a cistern for foul toads| To knot and gender in!" -> His language is passionate as he evaluates the turmoil he is in.  ->Othello degrades his wife, entitling her as a prostitute, "Was this fair paper, this most goodly book,| Made to write 'whore' upon?".  -> He is so enmeshed in a jealous rage, that he believes that there is evidence, when really it has all been based on lies.  -> Othello uses hyperbole in his speech to scathingly illustrate the Satanic individual that Desdemona is. "I took you for that cunning whore of Venice| That married with Othello.—You, mistress,| That have the office opposite to Saint Peter| And keep the gate of hell!"
     • -> He humiliates Desdemona, acting as if she is a prostitute. "We have done our course; there's money for| your pains." -> Othello's extreme nature means that he feels he can either be with Desdemona completely, or not at all. Evidently, their  passionate relationship has run its course, as Desdemona tells Emilia that she has no husband... -> Othello orders that Desdemona must go to her bedroom, "Get you to bed on the instant", and we see that he has authority over her. 
   • CASSIO
     • ->Cassio has no regard for Bianca and he is dismissive of her affection. He laughs and mocks her and perceives the thought of their marriage to be preposterously entertaining as he would never marry such a 'whore', "I marry her! what a customer?".
   • IAGO
     • ->"to be naked with her friend a-bed"-Iago paints foul, vulgar and  phony images of Cassio and Desdemona which incenses Othello and eradicates his faith in Desdemona as his insecurities of his colour have been played on. His sadism is clear as he twists the knife.  ->As Iago gains confidence that Othello is where he needs him to be, his aspersions turn to deliberate lies. "Hath he said anything?", Othello queries if Cassio has confessed, and Iago replies with a purposeful lie, "He hath, my lord." ->Iago gloats over Othello's unconscious body, celebrating his success in putting "the Moor| At least into a jealousy so strong|That judgement cannot cure.". Iago has achieved his goal of obliterating Othello's reason and sanity. "Work on,| My medicine work! Thus credulous fools are caught;" This conveys the rotten evil that presides in Iago and his sadistic heart.  ->Iago depends on the vacancy of communication for his deceptions to be successful. His tissue of lies is extremely flimsy so he doesn't want the people he is pitting against each other to sort it out as then the veil of deception would fall and the masquerade would come to an abrupt halt. To prevent his hand in the subterfuge from being caught red-handed, Iago orchestrates people like pawns and he has acquired the opportunity to do so by keeping up his facade of "honest Iago". 
     •  ->Iago's misanthropy is seen when he tells Othello that the situation he finds himself in is not unique, but it is shared by many. "There's many a beast then, in a populous city,|And many a civil monster." This speculation is accurate which reveals Iago's realistic approach to life, but also is an example of where he is snidely reinforcing his previous insinuation that Venetian women, and women in general, are mendacious because he says that there are many male cornutos in the world.  ->He then goes on to imply that Desdemona is; unfaithful, a 'whore' and that Othello is a fool. The fact that he is able to address this without Othello making a rebuttal, is testament to his aptitude for devilry.  ->Iago uses derogatory language to describe Bianca, and this illustrates his demeaning view of women. He believes that women are either submissive baby makers or prostitutes..."A housewife that by selling her desires| Buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature| That dotes on Cassio, as ’tis the strumpet’s plague| To beguile many and be beguiled by one."In this chauvinistic rendition, he firmly condemns Bianca as a harlot.
     • -> Iago's apperception of human nature allows him to predict how people will react. He knows how Cassio will react if he brings up Bianca's devotion, but he tells Othello that he will try get a confession out of Cassio for his copulation with Desdemona. "For I will make him tell the tale anew| Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when| He hath, and is again to cope your wife." ->He mocks Cassio by addressing him by his former title- "How do you now lieutenant?" -> He has no mercy as he twists and twists Othello's state of mind with his direct questions."Did you perceive how he laughed at his voce?""And did you see the handkerchief?". The purpose of his frank questions are to steer Othello's mind to think about these things as he knows that they will affect him greatly. He becomes even more malevolent as his shrewd analysis increases in intensity. "And to see how he prizes the foolish woman your wife! She gave it him, and he hath given it his whore." -> He gets Othello back on track to murder by repeating that she has touched a man that was not Othello. "If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend, for if it touch not you it comes near nobody." -> Iago wants Othello to become a jealous monster who slaughters his wife so he introduces the idea of strangling Desdemona "in her bed,| even the bed she hath contaminated.". His ruthlessness and his callousness is highlighted by his evil intentions.  ->Iago takes over Othello's role as a dignified official by welcoming Lodovico.
     • -> Iago hides behind a nuance of reluctance to speak ill of people, framing him as a kind and loyal individual. This hestitance suggests that the information he is withholding is too unpleasant to utter. He did just this after he intrigued Othello by saying, "Ha! I like not that.", and then 'refusing' to illustrate his thoughts while hinting that there was something to be jealous of, thus Othello came to the conclusion that "there were some monster in his thought| Too hideous to be shown". He does this again when asked about the stability of Othello's state of mind. He exclaims that he "may not breathe my censure", but then implies that Othello's sanity has made him unpredictable, by saying that he would want to be in heaven when Othello loses the plot, "I would to heaven if he were!".  -> He then explains how Othello's barbaric actions will increase in severity as time goes on. "yet I would knew| That stroke would prove the worst!". When he says "It is not honesty in me to speak| What I have seen and known. You shall observe him,| And his own courses shall denote him", he is insinuating that Othello's actions will be bad.  -> Iago's depth of understanding of human nature is illuminated through his ability to predict how people will act. He knew Cassio would be easily provoked by Roderigo, he knew Desdemona would do everything to help Cassio because she believed it would benefit her lord, and he knew how violently Othello would react when he got 'ocular proof' of an affair. He warns Lodovico to observe Othello as he knows that he is murderous. 
     • -> "Beshrew him for it"-Iago telling Desdemona to curse Othello for his unwarranted hostility, which is hypocritical for Iago to say.  -> Iago thrives when operating behind the scenes, but when he is faced with direct conflict his confidence falters. We see this when Emilia brings up Iago's suspicions that she had sexual relations with Othello, as Iago sharply tries to shut her up, " You are a fool".  -> Iago blatantly lies telling everyone that it will all be ok.  -> He uses fake flattery to regain control of Roderigo. This conveys his cleverness and flexibility.  -> Once again, Iago lies, telling fibs to Roderigo to manipulate him into action.  -> Iago does not get his hands dirty, so he uses Roderigo to do his dirty work. He exploits Roderigo's naivety and he convinces him to knock out Cassio's brains.  -> As is common with Iago, he uses derogatory language to describe women, we see this when he uses the vulgar word "harlotry" to denote Bianca. 
     • -> Iago says that he "will be near to second" Roderigo's attempt to murder Cassio, but as we often see with Iago, this is not likely to be the case... -> This attack on Cassio is insidious and unfair, as whoever prevails there will be unnecessary bloodshed, but as long as it is not Iago's blood, he does not care. 
   • DESDEMONA
     • -> Desdemona is unaware of the accusations that Othello believes to be true. She genuinely wants to rekindle Othello's relationship with Cassio and she believes that Lodovico will make this happen."there’s fall'n between him and my lord| An unkind breach, but you shall make all well." -> Desdemona's prevailing determination to help Othello, works against her just as Iago had said it would. "I'll turn her virtue into pitch,". She endeavors in her mission to reunite Cassio and Othello. "I would do much| To atone them". When she talks of "the love I bear to Cassio.", she means it in a platonic way as their association was born out of the mutual love for Othello. 
     • -> She is a meek wife, and in the face of Othello's hostility (that she knows she is not deserving of -"I have not deserved this."), Desdemona is obedient and mild. She still follows her husband's command, even after he publicly  abused her, and she assumes that she must have done something to upset Othello as she says "I will not stay to offend you", on her exit.  -> Desdemona gives an accurate account of her honesty. "Your wife, my lord; your true| And loyal wife." -> When she notices that Othello is distraught, she quickly assumes the blame. "Am I the motive of these tears, my lord?" -> Desdemona is faithful, loyal, chaste, and modest, " No, as I am a Christian.| If to preserve this vessel for my lord| From any other foul unlawful touch| Be not to be a strumpet, I am none.". The unjustness of the situation is aggravating. 
     • -> Desdemona's identity as a Christian is paramount to her, and she deeply believes that she will receive salvation. "I shall be saved" ->Again, Desdemona blames herself, as she says "'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.| How have I been behaved that he might stick|  The small’st opinion on my least misuse?". A pity is evoked in our hearts for this soul, who is innocent of all wrongdoing and is the archetypal victim.  -> She looks to Iago for certainty and clarity, "Am I that name, Iago?".  -> Desdemona is so caring, that she excuses whoever has "devis'd this slander", "If any such there be, heaven pardon him!" . 
     • -> Desdemona despairs in Othello's shaking off of her as she loves him affectionately. "though he do shake me off...love him dearly" -> "And his unkindness may defeat my life,| But never taint my love."- Desdemona's affection runs so deep that she would die for her love.  -> We see her delicateness as she is revolted by herself for saying the word 'whore'.-"I cannot say 'whore':| It does abhor me now I speak the word;".  -> Desdemona, ever submissive, obeys Othello's ever command.  ->"We must not now displease him"- Desdemona's passive nature and her everlasting love for him, makes her want to please Othello with all she does, even when he treats her poorly. "my love doth so approve him,| That even his stubbornness, his checks and frowns...have grace and favour in them." 
     • ->"If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud me| In one of those same sheets"- Her language here is paradoxical as it juxtaposes the two most opposite of life events, weddings and death.  ->Desdemona's story of Barbara's love that proved mad, foreshadows her own  death and is extremely poignant. "She was in love, and he she lov'd prov'd mad| and did forsake her" -> Her sweet song is reminiscent of Ophelia's tribulation.   -> Desdemona is innocent of the ways of the world and she has the naive outlook that deceit is an uncommon occurrence. We see this after she has reflected on the accusations and she asks Emilia whether she believes "That there be women do abuse their husbands| In such a gross kind?". There is a complete divergence between our knowledge of her innocence and the falsified narrative that Iago used to convince Othello. His version renders her as an "utter strumpet", where as in reality Desdemona's heart is so unaccustomed to the idea of betrayal, that she has never really pondered it. 
     • -> Desdemona states that she would never betray Othello, "No, by this heavenly light!", and she can hardly contemplate the thought, which illustrates her limited pool of experience.  -> Desdemona's devotion is unwavering and solid. Her victim status in this play can be seen when she says "Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong| For the whole world.", as the things that she has been accused of are so against her nature.  -> "Good night, good night; heaven send me such usage send,| Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend!"- Desdemona believes it is heaven's influence that has sent her this bad treatment, but she is not incensed as she sees this as a gift to grow and learn from it. This illuminates her optimistic and forgiving nature as she finds the light and the good in everything, this makes her saintlike. 
   • BIANCA
     • -> Bianca has a reputation of being 'free with her favours', and therefore she is seen as a prostitute. 
   • LODOVICO
     • -> Lodovico acts as a neutral observer who has witnessed Othello's drastic change from a reasonable soldier to an uncontrollably violent man. He is shocked by Othello's lack of poise and restraint, and his overall decline in character. After observing Othello clobbering his wife, Lodovico questions his sanity, "Are his wits safe?", because the man that he glimpsed was the opposite of "the noble Moor whom our full senate| Call all in all sufficient? Is this the nature| Whom passion could not shake? Whose solid virtue| The shot of accident nor dart of chance| Could neither graze nor pierce?".  -> 
   • EMILIA
     • -> Emilia is outraged by Othello's accusations that Desdemona has been untrue, and she feels so strongly about this that she bets on her life that Desdemona has been faithful, "I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest,| Lay down my soul at stake.".  -> She unknowingly castigates her husband by saying "If any wretch to have put this in your head| Let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse!", as he is the wretch she speaks of.  -> She damns the person who made up these lies, "A halter pardon him, and hell gnaw his bones.".  -> She is determined and brittle. She asks questions that Desdemona and Othello should have discussed. 
     • -> Emilia is infuriated by the manipulation- "put in every honest hand a whip| To lash the rascals naked through the world,| Even from the east to the west!" -> Emilia's realism contrasts sharply with Desdemona's lack of awareness. Emilia has not been treated as graciously as Desdemona has, therefore her opinions are harsher and more cynical.  -> Emilia possesses an earthy humour, as we see when she lightheartedly jokes saying "i might do't as well i' the dark.".  ->Emilia's misanthropic attitude towards infidelity, is that if the reward was large enough, she would betray her husband to make him a king, and she says that she would risk her soul for that. " who would not make her| husband a cuckold to make him a monarch?| I should venture purgatory for't.". This is an unpleasant thought, but when you think about Iago's self serving attitude, he may revel in the power that her conniving might bring... Or maybe the only power that he enjoys relishing in, is when he can watch the drama unfold.  -> Emilia argues that you can do the wrong thing for the right reasons, "'tis a wrong| in your own world, and you might quickly make it right.". 
     • -> Emilia is of the jaded opinion that "it is their husbands' faults| If wives do fall." and that women cheat for revenge, "Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace,| Yet we have some revenge.".  -> She lists how men can fail and we think of Othello when she speaks of men breaking "out in peevish jealousies" and striking their wives. We think of Iago when she mentions men who "throw restraint upon us", as he tries to control all she does and says.  -> She has a modern view of equality, and she explains how women have desires just as men do. "Their wives have sense like them;they see and smell,| And have palates for both sweet and sour,| As husbands have."
   • RODERIGO
     • -> Roderigo's character is reintroduced and he is adamant that he will regain possession of the jewels that he 'gave' to Desdemona.   -> Roderigo comes in with the attitude that he will absolutely not be duped.... and then he agrees to murder Cassio.  -> His insecurity is his manliness is exploited by Iago. 

6. IRONY

   • SITUATIONAL IRONY
     • ->"The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven"- Othello explains how acting foolishly would entice the Devil to exploit you and would give a reason for God to rebuke you. Oxymoronically, the corrupt specimen to whom he is conversing with, has abused and will further abuse Othello's virtue and has convinced him to undertake impious tasks, due to Othello's senselessness. (delineating honour to the most dishonourable) -> Othello denotes Desdemona's passion to be "well-painted, this is paradoxical, because Desdemona has not been false, but the 'ocular proof' on which his conclusions have been based on, have been. 
     • -> Lodovico questions Othello's sanity to Iago, the very man who had the mission of "practising on his peace and quiet| Even to madness.". -> "What I have seen and known. You shall observe him,| And his own courses will denote him so| That I may save my speech. Do but go after| And mark how he continues."- Iago suggests that Othello's actions will be barbaric, but he really is certain that he is murderous.  -> "If any wretch to have put this in your head| Let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse!"- Emilia is unknowingly condemning her own husband and comparing him to the devil.  -> Desdemona relies on Iago as a voice of stability, but he is the perpetrator of all the unrest.  ->Iago pretends to be empathetic and pitiful, when really he is the opposite. "Why did he so?"- He pretends to be concerned. 
     • -> Iago acts like he is ignorant of how Othello came to such a thought, "How comes this trick upon him?", but in actuality it was him who planted the seeds of jealousy in his head.  ->"Fie! there is no such man;it is impossible"-Iago says there couldn't be a man so evil as to ruin their relationship... ->Desdemona asks Iago, the architect of her own destruction, for advice-O good Iago,| What shall I do to win my lord again?"
     • ->"Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace,| Yet we have some revenge."-Emilia explains how women cheat for vengeance, which is incongruous as Iago was motivated by retribution also, and part of his plan to achieve this was creating suspicion in Othello that Desdemona was unfaithful in marriage so he would avenge in return. 
   • VERBAL IRONY
     • ->"Her honour is an essence that's not seen;  They have it very oft that have it not:" Iago's insinuations that Desedoma's uprightness is fake is satirical as in sooth it is him that has a bogus persona of moral righteousness.  ->"Work on,|My medicine, Work!" Iago refers to the "pestilence", which drove him to madness, that he poured into Othello's ear as medicine, an obvious irony... -> Iago says that he is "a very villain else." which is a complete lie as is the perfect tyrant who remains undetected.  -> Cassio's choice of words is poor when he explains how the stripping of his title "kills" him, unaware that his murder has been discussed and will be again shortly.  -> Desdemona talks of "the love I bear to Cassio.", and she means it as a quixotic relationship, but due to the concupiscent images placed in his mind by Iago, Othello assumes that she is confessing her immodest adulation for Cassio.  -> Iago's utterance, "He's that he is;", is reminiscent of the words he said not long ago, "I am not what I am". This is incongruous as if it weren't for Iago being his true self, Othello would not be the enraged lover he is today... -> "It is not honesty in me to speak"- Iago then goes on to imply that Othello's actions will be terrible, so essentially he is subtly speaking as to avoid the finger being pointed at him. As Iago has proved time and time again, he is the opposite of honest so it is comical for him to entertain this persona of genuinity. 
     • -> "Nay, heaven doth know"- Desdemona tells Iago that only the skies above could know what has caused Othello's new demeanor, but in reality Iago, Satan's advocate, possesses this knowledge.  ->Iago says that Roderigo charges him "most unjustly", when really, for once, Roderigo is right as Iago's "words and performances are no kin together.". 
   • DRAMATIC IRONY
     • -> As Cassio is berating Bianca's attempts to have her love reciprocated, Othello is listening in and Iago has made him believe that Desdemona is on the receiving end of Cassio's slander.  -> An irony is apparent as Othello interrogates Emilia, the wife of Iago, the crafter of this conflict.  -> Desdemona is a paragon of innocence, yet she is accused of treason.  ->Emilia unknowingly describes her husband-"some eternal villain,| Some busy and insinuating rogue,| Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,| Have not devised this slander. " "The Moor’s abused by some most villainous knave,| Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow."
     • ->  "And his unkindness may defeat my life,| But never taint my love."- The audience knows that  Desdemona's life hangs in the balance of Othello's sanity.  -> "all things shall be well"- Ironic as; a. Iago knows they will not be and b.his version of 'well' is if he himself is content, and if his monstrous plan will succeed. 

7. FORESHADOWING

   • ->The image of a "raven o'er the infected house", foreshadows the further poisoning of their marriage because ravens are an ill omen.  -> Iago insinuates that Othello's actions will be villainous, and warns Lodovico to observe him.  ->"And his unkindness may defeat my life,| But never taint my love."-Desdemona predicts that Othello's unpleasantness may be murderous. 
   • -> "If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud me| In one of those same sheets"-Desdemona is prophetic of her own death.  -> The story Desdemona tells of Barbara's doomed love also forebodes her death.  ->Emilia says, "'tis a wrong| in your own world, and you might quickly make it right.", this foreshadows how Othello feels that the only resolution is to murder Desdemona as punishment. It is a sinful act, but he believes that it is the right thing to do.  -> "The ills we do, their ills instruct us so."- Emilia indicates that as the men sin, the women will follow what they do...

Imagens e arquivos do mapa