English 12 - Mr. Rinka Lesson #18 Othello Acts 3 & 4

Act III Scene 1 Cassio sends musicians to play outside of Othello’s window, hoping to win back some of his friend’s support. However, Othello sends his servant to wave them away. Cassio begs the servant for a message to be sent to Emilia in order for him to

gain access to Desdemona. Iago appears and tells Cassio that he will retrieve Emilia and somehow get Othello away so as Cassio can speak with Desdemona. When Emilia arrives, she relays how Othello and Desdemona have been discussing the case and that even though Desdemona has been pleading his case, the reinstatement

of Cassio is impractical because of Montano’s popularity in Cyprus. Emilia eventually lets Cassio enter, telling him to wait while she fetches Desdemona. Scene 2 Othello and Iago, with a Cyprus gentleman walk at a nearby citadel, discussing matters of state.

Othello hands some letters for delivery to Iago and decides to check the fortifications. Scene 3 Cassio and Desdemona discuss the previous night’s transgressions and Desdemona agrees to speak on his behalf because of the friendship between them. The scene

opens with the two finishing their conversation and Othello and Iago reentering the room. Cassio is embarrassed and quickly leaves the room, fleeing out of uneasiness with speaking so soon with Othello. Othello questions Iago as to whether it was Cassio he saw and Iago responds that surely Cassio would not act so guilty.

Desdemona begins her entreaties to Othello to speak with Cassio. He agrees, but not fully and not with a specific time. Othello appears distracted. After Iago and Othello are alone again, Iago begins in earnest his infusion of doubt into Othello’s mind. He reminds him of how Cassio was the go between during Othello’s

courtship of Desdemona and begins to plant small, indiscriminant thoughts of adultery in Othello’s mind, pretending to be reluctant to answer questions and being very circuitous. Othello begins to show his own doubts, declaring Desdemona does not love him any more and that maybe her father was right in that

her love for him was unnatural and unhealthy, that he was not good for her. After Iago leaves, he contemplates further the implications, how his wife might already be besot with another man and the choice he would need to make, to clear her from his heart. He tries to push those thoughts away. When Desdemona reappears,

Othello is distant and quiet, looking for signs of her unfaithfulness. He brushes aside her handkerchief then tries to sooth the pain in his head and the two soon leave for dinner. Emilia retrieves the handkerchief which Iago has asked her to steal many times. When he arrives, he takes it from her happily and sends her away.

Othello reenters the room now, enraged by the situation and demands that Iago somehow produce proof of Desdemona and Cassio’s affair. Iago, pressed so by Othello, produces a story in which Cassio calls out Desdemona’s name in his sleep, kisses Iago, and embraces him. He then reiterates that it was only a dream but offers

more evidence in that he saw Cassio wipe his beard with the very handkerchief that Othello gave Desdemona and that Iago just retrieved from his wife. Othello’s uncertainty disappears, replaced by calculated anger and a call for vengeance. He announces his plans to kill both Cassio and Desdemona and entreats Iago to

take care of Cassio while he ponders how to kill his wife. Scene 4 Desdemona sends the message to Cassio that she has spoken with Othello on his behalf. She then wonders to Emilia where her handkerchief might have gone to. Othello enters soon afterwards and

asks for her hand, noting how moist it is, a sign of sexual activity. He then claims another head ache and asks for her to bind it, but only with the handkerchief he gave her. He explains the history of the handkerchief, a gift from an Egyptian sorceress that, if kept safe by the woman it is given to, will ensure the fidelity and loyalty of her

husband. Desdemona is distraught and claims it is not with her, changing the subject to Cassio once more, entreating his reinstatement. Othello leaves angrily, soon followed by the entry of Cassio and Iago. Cassio entreats Desdemona’s help once more, but she is reluctant because of Othello’s bad mood.

Emilia states that he appears to be jealous, but Desdemona refuses that theory, stating that it is more likely he is upset by a matter of politics. Cassio is left to wait as Desdemona retrieves Othello and is soon met by Bianca, a prostitute. She asks why he has not visited her more often, and he explains that he is under great stress. He produces a

handkerchief he found in his room (which Iago planted) for her to copy the embroidery of. They agree to meet later that night. Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh as Othello and Iago respectively, in a scene from the 1995 version of Othello.

Assignment #1 Read Act IV of Othello: #18 LA 12 Othello Act IV

Assignment #2 Watch this comprehensive summary of Othello: SgukOU&list=PL_ZDYRY1TD6XK9U1L6 PQQASKT_RPIZSQ0

English 12 - Mr. Rinka Lesson #18 Othello Acts 3 & 4