“OTHELLO” LECTURE
NOTES
ACT IV
ACT IV SCENE I
• Starts “en medias res” with the language switched.
• “Will you think so?” Obviously, the audience has interrupted a
conversation.
• Iago’s asking questions & Othello is picking up on key words
with repetition.
• “think” “kiss” “private” “naked”
• Michael Jackson
• Iago seems to be frantically trying to explain Desdemona sin, it’s not so
bad. “ venial slip” it’s her handkerchief.
• Cassio’s “Big Mouth”
• Iago implies that Cassio has been bragging about his several
conquests with Desdemona.
• What does it mean for someone to talk about their conquests? How is
this significant in Othello’s eyes?
• Don’t value their partner, materializing you, property, status
• Othello feels protective toward Desdemona from Cassio.
ACT IV SCENE I
• Effect on Othello is seen is language. The eloquent
leader is now reduced to confused/fragmented phrases.
• Iago’s “ With her, on her, what you will” (anything you want
with her) Also be a reference to Iago’s actually telling “lies”
about Desdemona.
• Hyphens denote Othello’s maniacal mental state.
• Juxtaposition of senses ( visual/auditory)
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1. “lie” = sex
2.”Belie” = slander
3. “ Zounds” = signals an emotional upset
4. “ handkerchief”= is Cassio’s confession
5. Othello trembles = verifies a visual
6. Faulty logic= when lucid words do make him upset
7. Body Parts: “ noses, ears, lips” Offending body parts
ACT IV SCENE I
• Iago as Improvisation Genius. He uses Bianca’s sudden
appearance as a means to further convince Othello of
Desdemona’s infidelity.
• Cassio’s confession is based on actions more than words.
(Laughing, facial expressions, body language)
• “Nay, you must forget that”
• “Nay, that’s not your way”
• “ She’s the worse for all this”
• Evidence of Iago’s “gambling”
• Suggests or guides Desdemona’s death. Why?
• 1. He likes imagining the life draining out of Desdemona by
Othello’s hands…. Savagery.
ACT IV SCENE I
• Othello’s Monologue
• “ Turn” from one man to another ( sexual connotations)
• Orders Desdemona to weep (Starts to treat her like a trained
animal)
• “Obedient” ( Willing to do anything you want)
• Mentally unstable
• Holds 2 conversations with two different people at the same time.
Everything on the right side of the hyphen is to Desdemona, Left
side is Lovidico
• Othello is now “ Rude in speech,” Iago’s puppet,
fragmented and confused, violent, and insulting towards
Desdemona. Othello’s change is so powerful that he is
unrecognizable to Lodovico who asks “ Are his wits safe?
Is he not light of brain?”
ACT IV SCENES II & III
• Without Iago’s influence, Othello is back in control.
• Emilia
A. Denies Desdemona's affair by “wagering her soul.”
B. Criticizing Othello’s reputation and judgment shows that
Emilia is honest, brave, out-spoken. She is in a lower class than
Othello. FOIL to Iago.
C. Insight on what’s causing Othello’s jealousy
D. Metaphor/ hyperbole = If she is not honest, every man’s
wife is as foul as slander. Desdemona is a paragon of a
faithful wife.
• Othello’s self pity is a portrait of emotional distress.
Openly crying.
• “A drop of patience” –could endure physical torture more
than emotional pain caused by love. (Biblical Allusion)
• Othello’s language has returned to being eloquent,
accurate, specific, full of imagery. (sensory details appeal
to touch…slippery, clammy frogs, moving frantically,
climbing amongst one another
• Desdemona’s response: “noble lord,” “ignorant” Respectful,
the crimes committed are unknown.
ACT IV SCENE II & III
• Repetition of “committed” Venting of rage?
REFRAIN
• Desdemona as a “goodly book” = The Bible. Othello’s
mistake was viewing Desdemona as perfect as the bible.
TRUE SOURCE OF HIS ANGER
• “ forges of my cheeks” Specific but faulty logic. Othello as
a dark skin African would not blush red. 2ndly, he cannot
speak of Desdemona’s specific deeds because he has no
proof.
• Moon symbolic of chastity; closes her eyes. Desdemona is
the wind that touches all it meets.
ACT IV SCENE II & III
• Iago as a caring parent. Patience, kind and loving with
Desdemona. “How’st with you?”
• “I am a child to chiding” Desdemona is used to being
privileged, protected, and pampered.
• Emilia as friend and wife
• Desdemona’s defense “ He hath bewhored her” Metaphor: “
Beggar is in drunk….callet” Emilia is concerned mostly with the
inappropriate use language.
• Desdemona gave up several NOBLE matches and family to
marry Othello. Insinuating Othello is no longer NOBLE or
deserving of Desdemona. Emilia is Desdemona’s “knight in
shining armor” taken over Brabantio’s role.
ACT IV SCENE II
• Emilia’s Assumption
• Emilia’s guesses correctly the reason for Othello’s jealously.
“ eternal villain” “busy and insinuating rogue” “ cogging,
(cheating) cozening (defrauding) slave” “to get some
office”
• Why did Shakespeare have Emilia guess the motive?
• Irony
• To remind the audience (auditory) what is happening in the play.
• To what or whom is Iago a slave?
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His lust for revenge (ADDICITION)
Jealousy
Insecurity
The plot is threatened
ACT IV SCENE II
• Emilia
• Metaphor of hanging “ A noose should pardon notorious,
scurvy fellow” and hell should “ gnaw his innards” Allusion
to the punishment Prometheus whose regenerating liver
was continually devour by a large bird. people should whip
naked from east to west coast.
• Iago has shared his suspicions of his wife with her. ( Emilia)
• Play on words. “ By this heavenly light” …Not by the light,
but maybe in the dark.
• “ who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him
a monarch” Self-sacrifice. Intelligent, complex, mature and
worldly.
ACT IV SCENE III
• EMILIA IS A FEMINIST!!!
• According to Emilia, why do women cheat?
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The husband’s fault
Men slack on the marital duties
Men are unfaithful and other women pregnant
Men can controlling (jealous)
Men who physically abuse their women
Or spitefully take away what we enjoy
Women have needs too.
Men take marriage as game…while women are more
serious.