Othello: Act Three

Othello: Act Three

1. Scene 1

   • CASSIO brings in musicians to play in front of OTHELLO'S house. A servant sends them away
     • CASSIO: "Masters, play here; I will content you pains; Something that's brief; and 'Good morrow, general"
     • CLOWN: "But, masters,...for love's sake, to make no more noise with it."
   • CASSIO asks if he can speak to EMILIA
     • CASSIO: "Tell her there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech."
   • IAGO enters and promises CASSIO that he will keep OTHELLO out of the way
     • IAGO: "And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor out of the way"
     • CASSIO: "I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest."
   • EMILIA tells CASSIO that DESDEMONA is pleeding his case to OTHELLO, but CASSIO still wants to speak to DESDEMONA
     • EMILIA: "He loves you but refuse you; but he protests he loves you,"
     • CASSIO: "Give me advantage of some brief discourse with Desdemona alone."

2. Scene 2

   • OTHELLO sends IAGO to deliver some official correspondence, and to meet him later
     • OTHELLO: "That done, I will be walking on the works; repair there to me"
     • IAGO: "Well, my good lord, I'll do it."

3. Scene 3

   • DESDEMONA promises CASSIO she will do everything she can for him. OTHELLO and IAGO see them to talking
     • DESDEMONA: "Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do all my abilities in thy behalf."
     • CASSIO: "Than give thy cause away."
     • OTHELLO: "Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?"
   • IAGO tries raising suspicions but DESDEMONA tells OTHELLO that she was trying to argue to get CASSIO'S position back. OTHELLO believes her.
     • IAGO: "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster."
     • IAGO: "Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio; wear your eye thus not jealous nor secure."
     • IAGO: " Not if your lady strain his entertainment with any strong or vehement importunity - much will be seen in that."
   • IAGO succeeds with manipulation OTHELLO that CASSIO and DESDEMONA are having an affair
     • OTHELLO: "Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds."
     • OTHELLO: "O curse of marriage, that we can call these delicate creatures ours, and not their appitites!"
   • DESDEMONA comes to dinner, be OTHELLO says he has a headache, DESDEMONA offers to help with the HANDKERCHIEF and drops it. EMILIA picks it up and gives to IAGO
     • OTHELLO: "Your napkin is too little; [he puts the handkerchief from him; and she drops it] Let it alone.
     • EMILIA: "Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona; that which so often you did bid me steal."
   • IAGO manipulates OTHELLO says that he saw CASSIO with DESDEMONA'S HANDKERCHIEF. OTHELLO believes both must die
     • OTHELLO: "Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore"
       • IAGO'S LANGUAGE
     • OTHELLO: "Death and damnation"
     • OTHELLO: "Damn her, lewd minx!"

4. Scene 4

   • DESDEMONA sends the CLOWN for CASSIO as she hopes that OTHELLO will restore his position
     • DESDEMONA: "Do you know, sirrah, where Lieutenant Cassio lies?" CLOWN: "I dare not say he lies anywhere
     • DESDEMONA: "Tel him I have moved my lord on his behalf"
     • This part of the play s to have a beak from all the drama and add a sense of comedy.
   • DESDEMONA figures out that she has lost the HANDKERCHIEF and OTHELLO questions her about it. DESDEMONA tries to talk about CASSIO. OTHELLO exits when she cant find the HANDKERCHIEF
     • DESDEMONA: "Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia?"
     • OTHELLO: "There's magic in the web of it"
     • OTHELLO: "The handkerchief" DESDEMONA: "I pray, talk to me of Cassio." OTHELLO: "The Handkerchief."
   • IAGO acts surprised that OTHELLO is angry and leaves to try and 'find out' what's wrong with him.
     • IAGO:" Is my lord angry?"
     • IAGO: "Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon when it hath blown his ranks into the air and like the devil, from his very arm puffed his own brother; and is he angry?"
   • IAGO and CASSIO arrive and CASSIO wants answers about restoring his position. DESDEMONA tells him that OTHELLO won't be giving an answer anytime soon.
     • DESDEMONA: "My lord is not my lord, nor should I know him were he in favour as in humour altered."
   • EMILIA believes that OTHELLO is jealous, but DESDEMONA says he's upset over a problem in CYPRUS, and tells CASSIO to wait while she finds OTHELLO
     • DESDEMONA: "Either from Venice or some unhatched practice made demonstrable here in Cyrus to him."
     • EMILIA: "Pray heaven it be state matters, as you think and no conception nor no jealous toy concerning you."
   • CASSIO is waiting and his prositute girlfriend BIANCA finds him when she complains that he's been ignoring her. CASSIO gives her DESDEMONA'S HANDKERCHIEF to copy. BIANCA gets jealous and steals the HANDKERCHIEF
     • BIANCA: "What, keep a week away?...and lovers' absent hours, more tedious than the dial eight score times?"
     • CASSIO: [giving Desdemona's handkerchief] Take me this work out." BIANCA: "...This is some stolen token from a newer friend."