Othello Analysis (act 3/scene 3: Page 137-145)

Othello’s presentation Act III scene III, from page 137 to 145, from line 356 to line 478

Today I am going to present and analyse you ma passage of the play Othello. My passage takes place in act three, scene three, from line 356 to line 478.

Context

Cassio is removed from his functions by Othello because he behaved in a despicable way in a bar. Iago cheers him up. He says that maybe he can ask Desdemona to help him to recover Othello’s confidence and his lieutenant post. Desdemona promises Cassio that she will do everything she can for him. Then Othello and Iago appear and see Cassio speaking with Desdemona. Iago tries to raise Othello's suspicions, but Desdemona declares that it was Cassio she was talking to. Desdemona also argues that Othello should restore Cassio to his position. She manages to convince him. Iago succeeds in his plan. Othello believe now that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. His jealousy grows when Othello thinks about various elements. Desdemona comes to call Othello to dinner. Othello says he has a headache, and Desdemona offers to bind his head with her handkerchief, but Othello pushes it aside and it drops to the floor. Emilia picks up the handkerchief and gives it to Iago.

Summary

Othello threatens Iago because he is not sure if he is honest or not. Since this reaction of Othello, begin moments of doubts, of anger, of humanity and of persuasion from Iago and Othello. Iago tries to persuade Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are disloyal and are having an affair together. Othello doubts and acts furiously. He even pretends to kill himself. And in the end, both are going to be in agreement.

Analysis

Iago and Othello are the two characters of my passage. We see them in a different situation than in the beginning of the play. Iago is not used of this kind of situation; in any case it is the first time we find Iago in this position. It is too the first time we see Othello like he is here: he is uncontrollable, he pretends to kill himself, in lines 386-387, and he threatens Iago’s life, in lines 360-361 and 366-367.

We were used to see Iago and Othello differently together. They were respectful for each other. Here Othello attacks Iago, and Iago defends himself like he can, and does it well. We will see it later. In line 357, Othello says the word “Villain” to Iago. I think that Othello says it because because of Iago, Othello’s mind is not calm anymore. He doubts about Desdemona, Cassio and Iago’s loyalty and honesty. He doubts about all the one he loves. And he is too disturbed.

Othello wants to clear his doubts. Before my passage, in page 125 he says that if he has doubts, he resolves them, line 178-179. So he asks Iago to give him proofs and reason that Desdemona is not loyal. Iago here plays the best he can with all he knows and with inventions. We can see that he simulates in lines 371-372 “O grace! O heaven defend me! Are you(Othello) a man? Have you a soul or sense?”. He plays with honesty and human being sense and soul which are acts that he pretends to have. Iago gives strong and audacious examples or tenses to be more convincing. For example in lines 400-406, he gives a description of the sexual act of Desdemona and Cassio. Comparing it with animals, showing it wild side. I think that Iago says it to Othello to be more convincing by one side. But he gives too strong images which, he surely knows, will let Othello more and more disturbed. So, being disturbed, Othello became a weak prey. It will be much easier to Iago to get what he wants from Othello. Even with these horrible images in his head, Othello in line 407, is still doubting. Well, he doesn’t know what to think. It is why he asks Iago a strong reason why Desdemona would be disloyal.

Always convincing, Iago tells Othello about a fictitious dream of Cassio. A night in which Cassio has lived his dream while sleeping and speaking loud. Saying in lines 417 to 418 “Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves”.

In lines 437-438, we can see that Iago doesn’t let Othello finish his sentence. I think it is because he wants to say what he wants to say quickly, to be more effective and consistent.

In my passage we can see and feel different phases I think for each characters.

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