1. Act 3, Scene 4 AO1: What happens in this scene?
Look at your notes and quickly summarise.

2. Act 3 Scene 4
Desdemona asks the clown to tell Cassio she has pleaded for him
She is upset that she has lost her handkerchief
Desdemona speaks on Cassio’s behalf once again
Othello is angry with her because he believes she has lost the handkerchief
Bianca, Cassio’s mistress, is annoyed with Cassio because he has not visited her recently; he gives her the handkerchief, saying that he found it in his bedchamber

3. Character Development: Desdemona as a victim
AO2
This scene focuses on Desdemona. How do the actions and choices of the other characters isolate her?
DESDEMONA
Do you know, sirrah, where Lieutenant Cassio lies?
Clown
I dare not say he lies any where.
Why, man?
He's a soldier, and for one to say a soldier lies,
is stabbing.
Go to: where lodges he?
To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you where I lie.
Can any thing be made of this?
1. The Clown’s riddles
What does the clown’s riddling and manipulation of language suggest?
Desdemona is at the mercy of the clown. He confuses and misconstrues her words, mirroring the way her actions and words will be twisted against her.

4. AO2 2. Emilia’s lie 3. Othello’s demands
Character Development: Desdemona as a victim
AO2
This scene focuses on Desdemona. How do the actions and choices of the other characters isolate her?
2. Emilia’s lie
DESDEMONA
Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia?
EMILIA
I know not, madam.
Emilia knows what has happened to the handkerchief but does not defend or help Desdemona.
3. Othello’s demands
Lines 49-95:
Lend me thy handkerchief.
Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it out
o' the way?
Fetch't, let me see't.
Fetch me the handkerchief: my mind misgives.
The handkerchief!
The handkerchief!
Othello bullies Desdemona as she pleads Cassio’s case.
Away!
The handkerchief!

5. AO2 4. Cassio’s selfishness
Character Development: Desdemona as a victim
AO2
This scene focuses on Desdemona. How do the actions and choices of the other characters isolate her?
4. Cassio’s selfishness
Lines :
Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you
That by your virtuous means I may again
Exist, and be a member of his love
Whom I with all the office of my heart
Entirely honour: I would not be delay'd.
Cassio knows Othello is angry but still pleads with Desdemona to help him.
Note: At the end of the scene Cassio sends Bianca away because he does not want Othello to see him “womaned” (line 189) but he’s happy for Desdemona to intercede on his behalf!

6. They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;
Character Development: Desdemona as a victim
AO2
How does Emilia’s quote about men below sum up Desdemona’s situation?
Lines :
They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;
To eat us hungerly, and when they are full,
They belch us.
It suggests that men soon tire of women.
Women as ‘food’ suggests that their role is to be consumed by men, stressing Desdemona’s vulnerability.
The image of belching (or vomiting) suggests the danger that Desdemona is in: she will be eaten up and destroyed.

7. ‘Hot’ here has a suggestion of lust/promiscuity.
Enter OTHELLO.
How is't with you, my lord
OTHELLO Well, my good lady.
Aside
O, hardness to dissemble!--
How do you, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA Well, my good lord.
OTHELLO Give me your hand: this hand is moist, my lady.
DESDEMONA It yet hath felt no age nor known no sorrow. 35
OTHELLO This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart:
Hot, hot, and moist: this hand of yours requires
A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer, Much castigation, exercise devout;
For here's a young and sweating devil here, 40
That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand,
A frank one.
DESDEMONA You may, indeed, say so;
For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart.
OTHELLO A liberal hand: the hearts of old gave hands;
But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts. 45
DESDEMONA I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise.
OTHELLO What promise, chuck?
DESDEMONA I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.
How does this extract show Othello’s changing emotions towards Desdemona?
‘Hot’ here has a suggestion of lust/promiscuity.

8. ‘Hot’ here has a suggestion of lust/promiscuity.
Enter OTHELLO.
How is't with you, my lord
OTHELLO Well, my good lady.
Aside
O, hardness to dissemble!--
How do you, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA Well, my good lord.
OTHELLO Give me your hand: this hand is moist, my lady.
DESDEMONA It yet hath felt no age nor known no sorrow.
OTHELLO This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart:
Hot, hot, and moist: this hand of yours requires
A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer, Much castigation, exercise devout;
For here's a young and sweating devil here,
That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand,
A frank one.
DESDEMONA You may, indeed, say so;
For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart.
OTHELLO A liberal hand: the hearts of old gave hands;
But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.
DESDEMONA I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise.
OTHELLO What promise, chuck?
DESDEMONA I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.
How does this extract show Othello’s changing emotions towards Desdemona?
‘Hot’ here has a suggestion of lust/promiscuity.
This metaphor betrays his distrust of Desdemona. The next line shows him trying not to betray his feelings.

9. Give me your hand: this hand is moist, my lady
This command shows Othello physically marking the beginning of his interrogation of Desdemona.
He sees the moistness of her hand as proof of her adultery.
We could see this ‘palm reading’ as a move away from his adopted Christianity towards his pagan ancestry.
Shakespeare is foreshadowing Othello’s comments about the magic qualities of the handkerchief.
The focus on Desdemona’s hand also foreshadows her fate – Othello will later use his hands to smother her, convinced of her infidelity.

10. Key Theme: Lies and Deceit
AO1/2
Othello interrogates Desdemona about the handkerchief but is never open about his suspicion that she has given it to Cassio.
Othello spins a wild and contradictory tale about the origins of the handkerchief.
Desdemona (understandably?) lies about still having the handkerchief.
Emilia lies when she says she does not know where it is.
Bianca thinks Cassio has lied to her about where he got the handkerchief.
Cassio tells Bianca the truth about where he found it.

11. Key Theme: Jealousy AO1/2 Lines 154-158: EMILIA
After Othello’s angry exit, Desdemona wonders what has upset him.
AO1/2
Lines :
EMILIA
But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;
They are not ever jealous for the cause,
But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster
Begot upon itself, born on itself.
DESDEMONA
Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind!
Emilia rightly identifies jealousy and calls it a ‘monster’. In later scenes, we will see how right Emilia’s description is.
Lines 175-8:
O Cassio, whence came this?
This is some token from a newer friend:
To the felt absence now I feel a cause:
Is't come to this?
Bianca’s jealousy is also provoked by the handkerchief. Her treatment by Cassio shows us that she (like Desdemona and Othello) is powerless to change her treatment at his hands.

12. Bianca: Attitudes towards Women
Cassio's behaviour toward Bianca is in sharp contrast to the courtly politeness he shows Desdemona and Emilia.
This is because of Bianca's station as a courtesan; not regarded the same respect as ladies
The change in Cassio's tone and behaviour around Bianca betray a cultural bias of the time toward women of certain stations
His behavior would not have been thought mean at the time, because of Bianca's lowly status.

13. Iago’s Triumph: Anger AO1/2 Lines 127-135: IAGO Is my lord angry?
Notice how the repetition of the word ‘jealous’ in the previous scene is replaced by repetition of the word ‘angry’ in this one.
AO1/2
Lines :
IAGO
Is my lord angry?
EMILIA
He went hence but now,
And certainly in strange unquietness.
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
Puff'd his own brother:--and can he be angry?
Something of moment then: I will go meet him:
There's matter in't indeed, if he be angry.
Iago has the power to control Othello’s moods now: his anger is a result of his growing jealousy, also orchestrated by Iago.

14. Key Symbol – The Handkerchief
That handkerchief
Did an Egyptian to my mother give; 55
She was a charmer, and could almost read
The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it,
'Twould make her amiable and subdue my father
Entirely to her love, but if she lost it
Or made gift of it, my father's eye 60
Should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt
After new fancies: she, dying, gave it me;
And bid me, when my fate would have me wive,
To give it her. I did so: and take heed on't;
Make it a darling like your precious eye; 65
To lose't or give't away were such perdition
As nothing else could match.
'Tis true: there's magic in the web of it:
A sibyl, that had number'd in the world
The sun to course two hundred compasses, 70
In her prophetic fury sew'd the work;
The worms were hallow'd that did breed the silk;
And it was dyed in mummy which the skilful
Conserved of maidens' hearts.
The irony is that although the handkerchief is lost, Desdemona still loves him.
The theme of appearance vs. reality appears

15. What different roles does the handkerchief play after this speech?
Key Symbol – The Handkerchief
What different roles does the handkerchief play after this speech?
For Desdemona now, it is a frightening object of discord. It is loaded with ominous significance.
For Emilia, it is a test of loyalty – she chooses her husband over Desdemona.
For Cassio, it is a trifle. He treats it as carelessly as he treats Bianca. It shows us that Cassio is also a user of women.

16. How do you think the audience would respond to Othello at this point?
OTHELLO Give me your hand: this hand is moist, my lady. DESDEMONA It yet hath felt no age nor known no sorrow. OTHELLO This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart: Hot, hot, and moist: this hand of yours requires A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer, Much castigation, exercise devout; For here's a young and sweating devil here, That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand, A frank one. DESDEMONA You may, indeed, say so; For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart. OTHELLO A liberal hand: the hearts of old gave hands; But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts. DESDEMONA I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise. OTHELLO What promise, chuck? DESDEMONA I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you. OTHELLO I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me; Lend me thy handkerchief. DESDEMONA Here, my lord. DESDEMONA I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you. OTHELLO I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me; Lend me thy handkerchief. DESDEMONA Here, my lord. OTHELLO That which I gave you. DESDEMONA I have it not about me. OTHELLO Not? DESDEMONA No, indeed, my lord.
OTHELLO That is a fault. That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give; She was a charmer, and could almost read The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it,
'Twould make her amiable and subdue my father Entirely to her love, but if she lost it Or made gift of it, my father's eye Should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt After new fancies: she, dying, gave it me; And bid me, when my fate would have me wive, To give it her. I did so: and take heed on't; Make it a darling like your precious eye; To lose't or give't away were such perdition As nothing else could match. DESDEMONA Is't possible? OTHELLO 'Tis true: there's magic in the web of it: A sibyl, that had number'd in the world The sun to course two hundred compasses, In her prophetic fury sew'd the work; The worms were hallow'd that did breed the silk; And it was dyed in mummy which the skilful Conserved of maidens' hearts.
DESDEMONA Indeed! is't true? OTHELLO Most veritable; therefore look to't well. DESDEMONA Then would to God that I had never seen't! OTHELLO Ha! wherefore? DESDEMONA Why do you speak so startingly and rash? OTHELLO Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it out o' the way? DESDEMONA Heaven bless us! OTHELLO Say you? DESDEMONA It is not lost; but what an if it were? OTHELLO How! DESDEMONA I say, it is not lost. OTHELLO Fetch't, let me see't.
In groups, closely analyse the above section between Othello and Desdemona.
Analyse the significance of the language used by Othello. What does this show us about his character and how does it develop throughout the section?
Consider the story he tells Desdemona regarding the handkerchief. What is the effect of this story? Why do you think he chooses to tell Desdemona the story now, rather than when he gave her the handkerchief?
How do you think the audience would respond to Othello at this point?
How does Shakespeare present aspects of love in this passage?