Act 2, Scenes 2&3
AO1: What happens
in these scenes?
Look at your notes and
quickly summarise.
Act 2 Scene 2
AO2
ACT II SCENE II A street.
Enter a Herald with a proclamation; people following.
Herald:
It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiant
general, that, upon certain tidings now arrived,
importing the mere perdition of the Turkish fleet,
every man put himself into triumph; some to dance,
some to make bonfires, each man to what sport and
revels his addiction leads him: for, besides these
beneficial news, it is the celebration of his
nuptial. So much was his pleasure should be
proclaimed. All offices are open, and there is full
liberty of feasting from this present hour of five
till the bell have told eleven. Heaven bless the
isle of Cyprus and our noble general Othello!
Exeunt
This proclamation marks a
return to civil order – ironic
because in the next scene
this will again be disrupted.
Note: war is mentioned
before love here, a reversal
of the previous scene
where Othello greeted
Desdemona before
Montano, putting love
before war.
Act 2 Scene 3
OTHELLO
Good Michael, look you to the guard to-night
AO2
Four Part Structure:
1. Othello's commission to Cassio serves as a prologue to the first
part of the scene, in which Cassio's weakness is revealed, and
Iago persuades him to drink to excess;
2. Iago just has time to tell Montano (untruthfully) of Cassio's
habitual drunkenness, before the brawl in which Roderigo
escapes from Cassio, who wounds Montano;
3. Iago gives Othello his account of what has happened, leading to
Cassio's demotion;
4. Cassio is consoled by Iago, who explains himself to the audience
in the soliloquy which follows; once again, the scene closes with
the manipulation of Roderigo and a final soliloquy by Iago
Iago versus Cassio – attitudes towards Desdemona
Line 21:
Line 20:
“She's a most exquisite lady.”
“she is sport for Jove.”
Line 23:
Line 22:
“a most fresh and delicate creature.”
Line 26:
AO2
“full of game.”
Lines 24-25:
“An inviting eye; and yet
methinks right modest.”
Line 28:
“She is indeed
perfection.”
Who
said it?
“What an eye she has!
methinks it sounds a
parley of provocation.”
Line 29:
“Well,
happiness
to their
sheets!
Iago versus Cassio – attitudes towards Desdemona
Line 21:
Line 20:
“She's a most exquisite lady.”
“she is sport for Jove.”
Line 23:
Line 22:
“a most fresh and delicate creature.”
Line 26:
AO2
“full of game.”
Lines 24-25:
“An inviting eye; and yet
methinks right modest.”
Line 28:
“She is indeed
perfection.”
“What an eye she has!
methinks it sounds a
parley of provocation.”
“Well, happiness to
Shakespeare presents these two ‘versions’ of their sheets!
Desdemona to foreshadow the choice Othello will
have to make: will he believe his love is a faithful
wife or will he believe she is a whore?
Line 29:
Context: Shakespeare’s Craft – Know your Audience!
IAGO
I learned it in England, where, indeed, they are
most potent in potting: your Dane, your German, and
your swag-bellied Hollander--Drink, ho!--are nothing
to your English.
CASSIO Is your Englishman so expert in his drinking?
IAGO
Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead
drunk; he sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he
gives your Hollander a vomit, ere the next pottle
can be filled.
CASSIO To the health of our general!
MONTANO
I am for it, lieutenant; and I'll do you justice.
IAGO
O sweet England!
AO3
75
80
85
Iago's pays homage to "sweet England" in his song
of this act - though this play does not take place in
England and features no English characters,
Shakespeare throws this in to amuse his audience.
He does the same in other plays, in which a little
nod to England is thrown in for comic effect or as an
audience pleaser.
Iago: Stage director and accomplished actor
Iago directs this scene from the start. He skilfully manages a large
cast of characters and the events which he has set in motion. A
convincing actor, Iago also changes roles in order to manipulate his
victims. He reassures Cassio that he must not give up hope, playing
the role of friend and adviser. This is the same tactic he has used
with Roderigo, who here does exactly what he is told, entering and
exiting on cue. With Othello, Iago is an “honest” soldier. We see how
effectively Iago manipulates events: he convinces Montano that
Cassio is unfit for his job before they fight; more subtly he increases
Othello’s disgust at Cassio by seeming reluctant to criticise him. At
the start of this scene he acted under Cassio’s orders, by the end of
it he is Othello’s right-hand man. He is now free
toscene
move on
to his
This
appears
IAGO
[Aside
to RODERIGO]
next
victim:
Desdemona.
chaotic: who is really
Away, I say; go out, and cry a
in control?
mutiny.
Character Development: Othello and Anger
Othello’s ‘wedding night’ is interrupted by the brawling.
AO2
What does his response tell us?
“My blood begins my safer guides to rule;
Lines 205-7: And passion, having my best judgment collied,
Assays to lead the way.”
Lines 208-9:
“the best of you
Shall sink in my rebuke”
Line 251:
Line 207:
“Zounds”
“never more be officer of mine”
Lines 253-4: “Look, if my gentle love be not raised up!
I'll make thee an example”
Character Development: Othello and Anger
Othello’s ‘wedding night’ is interrupted by the brawling.
AO2
What does his response tell us?
“My blood begins my safer guides to rule;
Lines 205-7: And passion, having my best judgment collied,
Assays to lead the way.”
Lines 208-9:
“the best of you
Shall sink in my rebuke”
Line 207:
Othello’s loss of temper is a turning point: he is no longer fully master
of himself and is ruled by passion, rather than judgement. His swift
dismissal of Cassio (who doesn’t get to defend himself) is evidence of
this.
Line 251:
“never more be officer of mine”
He sounds vindictive here
and is influenced by
Desdemona’s presence.
“Zounds”
His measured
style has
changed to one
that includes
oaths,
suggesting loss
of control.
“Look, if my gentle love be not raised up!
I'll make thee an example”
Lines 253-4
Key Theme: Reputation
AO1
Lines 265-8:
“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost
my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of
myself, and what remains is bestial. My
In his remarks
upon “reputation”,
Iago comes as close
reputation,
Iago,
my
reputation!”
Lines 271--
as he ever does to revealing his true opinions: the
“Reputation
is an idle and
most false
notion of deserved
reputation
or imposition:
integrity doesWhy
not do
theylittle
differ?
oftenter
got without
lost without
deserving” bears
into hismerit,
view,and
which
is that reputation
relation to merit in many cases. Note: Iago's informal
Is Cassio the only one to change his reputation?
prose here suggests intimacy and friendship.
• Othello also damages his reputation as a cool-headed
commander by losing his temper
• Iago enhances his reputation as an honest soldier and helpful
friend
Key Theme: Iago and Appearance
“Honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving,
Speak, who began this? On thy love, I charge thee.”
Line 175-6:
Line 313: “I think you think I love you.”
Line 334:
“Good night, honest Iago.”
Line 335-8:
“And what's he then that says I play the villain?
When this advice is free I give and honest,
Probal to thinking and indeed the course
To win the Moor again? ”
Key Theme: Iago and Appearance
“Honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving,
Speak, who began this? On thy love, I charge thee.”
Line 175-6:
Line 313: “I think you think I love you.”
Iago continues to manipulate. After he uses his
reputation as honest to worsen Cassio’s
punishment, he manipulates language to toy with
Cassio, revealing his duplicity – but not to Cassio!
Line 335-8:
Line 334:
“Good night, honest Iago.”
His advice is honest here, but he will
manipulate the situation to his own
advantage. We, the audience, are not
convinced.
The repeated use of the word “honest”
attention
to the
“And what's hedraws
thenthe
thataudience’s
says I play
the villain?
dramatic
irony
of the
how Iago’s
When this advice
is free
I give
andplay:
honest,
motives
hiddenthe
from
the characters
Probal to thinking
andare
indeed
course
whilst ”being known to the audience.
To win the onstage
Moor again?
Language Study of Key Image: Poison
AO1/2
Iago is convinced he can manipulate Othello’s thoughts. In his soliloquy he says:
Line 355:
“I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear.”
The image of poison fits Iago’s role as villain. His
use of a definite statement shows that he has
confidence in his powers of verbal persuasion.
The sentence structure makes is clear Othello is to
be the passive recipient of the “pestilence” and
that Iago is in control.
The alliteration and sibilance used add emphasis
and intensity to his plan, heightening the tension
for the audience.
Character development: Roderigo
Re-enter RODERIGO
Victim or villain?
AO2
• He has gone from being
thematically significant (a failed
lover) to being structurally
significant (Iago’s first victim – he
has been “exceedingly well
cudgelled” (line 365);
• We see his motivations clearly – he
wants to cuckold Othello and
destroy Cassio’s career;
• When Iago dismisses him at the end
of the scene (“Away, I say; thou
shalt know more hereafter/
Nay, get thee gone” – lines
380-1) it shows how insignificant he
really is. He is a pawn.