Act 4 Scene 1

Iago plays another role. He tries to dissuade Othello from overreacting Othello : “O it comes o’er my memory, as doth the raven o’er the infected house” The raven is a symbol of death and disease Foreshadowing Look at Othello’s speech in lines 35-43. How does Shakespeare use language to portray his state of mind? He is speaking in prose. He can’t form sentences – “Noses, ears and lips,” “Handkerchief – confessions – handkerchief.” Minor sentences Stage direction: “He falls in a trance” Othello is physically affected by his emotions

Iago fools Othello by talking to Cassio about a prostitute he visits called Bianca Look at Othello’s speeches in lines 168-210 (p96-8) How does he talk about Desdemona? “a sweet woman!” – bitter, sarcastic “I will chop into messes.” Thinks killing her is “justice”

Othello is now completely in Iago’s hands - agreeing to suffocate her in her “contaminated” bed Othello is completely unreasonable with Desdemona, striking her and shouting at her Notably Desdemona responds without anger: “sweet Othello”, “I have not deserv’d this”

Lodovico says that “this would not be believed in Venice” Look at Othello’s speech in lines 250-261. The word “turn” has a double meaning His sentences are broken up with pauses Repetition is now used to show the obsessions in his mind and to allow him to explore words’ double meanings: “obedient”, “weep”

Act 4 Scene 2

Othello refuses to believe what Emilia tells him. “This is a subtle whore” Desdemona seems concerned about Othello when she would be justified in being angry: “Why do you weep?” Othello confronts Desdemona, using a series of images to describe how he feels his love has been ruined. Desdemona is as honest “as summer flies in the shambles [slaughterhouse]” O wishes “thou hadst ne’er been born”