Act 3 Scene 4 Big question

Thomas Rymer on the handkerchief
So much ado, so much stress, so much passion and repetition about an Handkerchief? Why was not this call'd the Tragedy of the Handkerchief? … Had it been Desdemona's Garter, the Sagacious Moor might have smelt a Rat: but the Handkerchief is so remote a trifle, no Booby, on this side Mauritania, cou'd make any consequence from it. [160]

I do not think Rymer's criticism that Shakespeare's use of the handkerchief as a dramatic device is flawed is valid. I believe this opinion as Rymers criticism on the play Othello if it was based around Desdemona underwear would not effect the play that significantly. I do agree that Othello should worry more if Cassio was walking around with Desdemona's underwear compared to a handkerchief. However a possession that holds high sentimental value and the powers that the handkerchief allegedly  possesses is bound to cause Othello to become jealous as he believes Desdemona gave it to Michael Cassio, whom is good looking man with high social class. The importance of the handkerchief to Othello is profoundly projected by the speech he gives about it, in order to make Desdemona feel guilt and encourage to come fourth with the truth. He describes the handkerchief in a way which gives it super natural attributes, Othello says: "Twound make her amiable and subdue my father Entirely to her love; but if she lost it Or made a gift of it, my father's eye Should hold her loathly, and his spirits should hunt After are fancies." The whole speech talks about a warning that if a lover receives the handkerchief and looses it there love will fall about and all shall be lost. This superstition adds depth to the play, making it in my opinion believable to a Elizabethan audience meaning people can see how consequences can develop from something as simple as a handkerchief.

Act 3 Scene 4 study questions

1. In line 25 Emilia lies to Desdemona about the handkerchief  and says "Is he not jealous?".Emilia purposely does not choose to tell Desdemona about her taking the handkerchief and giving it to Iago. Emilia may have chosen to not tell Desdemona about the handkerchief as she wishes to please her husband be loyal to him as she is desperate for his love. Or she wishes to contribute to Desdemona's death due to her jealousy because of Desdemona's and Othello's loving relationship which she wants herself.  

2. In line 107, Emilia's view of men differs from Desdemona's view of Othello. Desdemona speaks highly of Othello and speaks of her love and compassion for him. However Emilia has no respect for me or her husband Iago. Emilia says "Tis not a year or two shows us a man: They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungrily, and when they are full They belch us out". Emilia speech obviously has reference to sexual content. I believe that she speaks of men in this way because of her own experiences with Iago. Iago simply uses her then chucks her away, once he has got what he has desired.

3. In line 126 Desdemona says 'stood within the blank of his displeasure". This statement by Desdemona is very ironic as the word "blank" definition is: showing a lack of comprehension or reaction. Othello in this instance is not showing a lack of comprehension or reaction but instead is very concerned and his reaction will quickly escalate due to Othello's concern with Desdemona and Cassio. 

4. We found out in a future scene that Bianca is a prostitute that Cassio has been sleeping with. It is apparent that Cassio and Bianca have some sought of relationship, however it is unclear. Bianca came in to the possession of Desdemona's handkerchief when Cassio gave it to her to make a copy of it as he found it in his chamber and liked the work of it: "I know not, sweet: I found it in my chamber. I like the work well. Ere it be demanded (As like enough it will), i'd have it copied: Take it, and do't; and leave me for this time."

5. Bianca in the end agrees to leave for Cassio and to see him later. Cassio doesn't want Othello to see him as "womaned" as he wants to be seen a someone who is solely focussed  on his duties and has loyalty to his position.  However, if Othello saw Bianca and Cassio together it would resolve Othello's jealousy over Desdemona and Cassio as he would see their relationship does not exist in a sexual way.  

Othello extract question

Read the extract below and then answer the question. Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the tragedy of the play as a whole. Remember to include in your answer relevant analysis of Shakespeare dramatic methods. 25 marks.

The extract can be viewed as both significant and non-significant due to contrasting ideas surrounding this extract. The contrast in ideas include whether Othello his naivety, ignorance and tragic flaw (hubris) is in build or Iago manipulates and controls Othello's mind through his deceiving and arguable impressive intelligence that allows him to manipulate a great war hero. Arguable though if Othello is a true tragic hero that conforms to Aristotle’s classic tragedy unities the an ending that has catharsis would be included but Othello discovers his hubris to late and is devoured by his hamartia leading the audience to question how great Othello actually is. 

This extract is significant as it reveals Iago's devious and Machiavellian characteristics through his extensive plotting. People that argue that Iago is responsible for Othello's downfall fully support this interpretation of the extract. Shakespeare uses a dramatic technique where Iago is seen on stage taking part in an aside meaning it is only Iago. Sean McEvoy argues that 'Othello's tragedy that he lives according to a set of stories through which he interprets the world- an ideology- but it is a world that has been suspended. He cannot see that this is so, and the contradictions within his ideology destroy him. He is living the life of a chivalric warrior in a world run by money and self-interest. McEvoy's interpretation is relevant to Shakespeare dramatic technique of Iago being aside as Iago is planning how he will control and manipulate Othello's mind through false stories that Othello interprets to be true. Othello cannot see the truth and lives by these fake ideologies. However the audience who know better realise Iago's intention and qualities. Iago is a "moor", in the Elizabethan era the word "moor" possessed the connotations of 'physiologically weaker and unstable' but physically strong due to Othello being raised in Africa where he would be uneducated. This means Iago living as a chivalric warrior in modern, civilized Venice that is obsessed with money and self interest as shown by Iago who is only interested in himself by exploiting Roderigo for money is only going to end badly as Venetarian society do not share the same qualities and values as Othello does. Shakespeare's dramatic technique means only the audience can hear what he Iago is saying to educate the audience on Iago's evil nature, meaning they are aware of Othello's tragic end before Othello is. Shakespeare purposely did not choose a soliloquy to ensure characters on stage cannot hear Iago's plan and can not future events from unfolding. Iago evil nature is reinforced by him speaking of his plan to metaphorically trap Michael Cassio in "little a web" that "will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio." Iagos first interest is Michael Cassio though which Iago wishes to achieve Othello's downfall  (hamartia) through stripping Cassio of his "lieutenantry" to subvert the social order. However like Iago's two faced character, this extract also has two interpretations how significant it actually is.

People who believe Othello's downfall to be self caused and un-influenced by Iago would argue this extract is not significant to the tragedy on a whole because even without Iago's contributions, Othello still possesses his tragic flaw meaning Othello's fait is inevitable and ending in disaster. Thus meaning Iago's plotting and manipulation only increased and encourages the acceleration of Othello's tragic downfall meaning it would of happened with or with Iago. 

The extracts scene is based in Cyprus where Othello has just docked. The scene is outside where Othello and Desdemona are reunited after travelling from Venice to Cyprus to go to war. The change in location is significant because Othello now possesses all authority and power due to being a general. The council in which ordered Othello to go to war is in Venice and after Othello’s victory and conquering Cyprus he now hold the highest authority in the land with only civilians and his army around him in which he controls showing his power. The extract clearly displays and shows off that Othello is man of great magnitude and importance. We learn this through Iago saying "The moor" and "his trumpet". This conforms to Aristotle's unities of what makes a tragic hero. In Aristotle's poetics, Aristotle says that a tragic hero must be high born and important with great powers. Othello is not high born but has great power therefore partly meeting Aristotle's criteria for what makes a classic tragedy. Linking to the play after the extract the audience can predict that Othello's downfall is going to bigger then himself. Thus meaning the situation is uncontrollable for even such a powerful figure to control. In metaphorical terms Othello is going to fall from a great height and will no longer be a great figure of power as shown in this extract. 

Prior to the extract, Othello is presented as a respected general; the council summons him and sends three search parties out to find Othello, which shows his importance to the war effort; the respect he receives from other people. This is reinforced from Othello's behaviour in this extract as he speaks a great speech when docking in Cyprus and they are victorious and that "wars are done; the Turks are drowned" showing how powerful and important he is as the tragic hero. Contrastingly Othello's behaviour and character is also represented through his love and compassion for Desdemona. We learn this through the speech Othello and Desdemona partake in. Othello describes Desdemona as "o my fair warrior" and she responds with "My dear Othello". This demonstrates Othello's emotional and compassionate side and is further shown through Shakespeare use of iambic pentameter to show they are as one and deeply in love. The audience would react to Othello's compassionate side with great passion and emotion. This extract clearly shows Othello's and Desdemona's love for each other which only makes the tragic ending more sorrowful and unforgettable when Othello finally kills Desdemona. This correlates again to another of Sean McEvoy's  critical interpretation of the “audience" becoming more involved in Imagoes vengeful plotting " and becoming involved with Othello's downfall. The audience have now experienced both sides of Othello and in my opinion subconsciously wanting Othello's tragic ending as much as Iago due to the understanding of human beings existing with original sin. 

Iago's role is significant in the extract as we learn about his aggressive hatred for Michael Cassio and his rude, misogynistic, and sexual attitude towards women. Iago speaks aside to the audience and is in prose compared to speech making it significant. Throughout his speech his motives constantly move around and change. Shakespeare purposely has Iago communication to himself to enlighten the audience into his Machiavellian mind. Iago starts by discussing Cassio and how he will "strip you out of your lieutenantry" meaning he has no social ambitions to climb up the social order/ ranks but just subverts social order for his own personal enjoyment. This relates to tragedy as it contributes to Othello the tragic hero's downfall as Cassio is drawn closer to Desdemona to regain his social status once Iago has stripped him of it without taken an active part which makes Othello suspicious. Iago's sexual imagery and personality is shown through his obsessive references to sex, he persists to make simple actions un-regarded by ordinary people as un-sexual to become sexual: "Very good; well kiss'd" he commentates on Cassio's actions, sexualising them and degrading Desdemona and showing his lack of respect for women making feminists in the audience despise him.

Othello, whom is the dominant character in this extract, creates the mood and atmosphere of the extract. His mood is positive due to his victory and safe voyage to Cyprus. He mood is also recognised as positive due to being reunited with his wife, Desdemona. Othello displays his mood in the extract to the audience through declaring his unconditional love for Desdemona. Othello would travel the ocean to "Olympus- high and such again as hells from heaven" for Desdemona. Showing his compassion and positive attitude which helps to create a loving atmosphere around him. The compassionate atmosphere is shown through Desdemona when she continues to say "Thee heavens forbid But that over our loves and comforts should increase Even as our days do grow!" At face the characters build a positive atmosphere on stage. However the line from Desdemona holds dramatic irony within the core and it is something that the audience are aware of due to Shakespeare dramatic technique of Iago's a side. The audience knows that as the days continue Desdemona's and Othello's love only decreased with Iago's poison dripping in Othello's ear, which leads to the untimely tragic ending. 

Act 3 Scene 3, An even bigger question!

A. C. Bradley Shakespearean Tragedy (Palgrave Macmillan)-


‘Othello’s nature is all of one piece. His trust where he trusts is absolute. Hesitation is almost impossible to him. He is extremely self-reliant and decides and acts instantaneously. If stirred to indignation … he answers with one lightning stroke. Love, if he loves, must be to him the heaven where either he must live or bear no life. If such a passion as jealousy seizes him, it will swell into a well-nigh incontrollable flood.’


Having read Act III how far do you agree with A.C. Bradley’s view of Othello?

I almost fully agree with A.C. Bradley's view on Othello as shown and fully displayed from act three, scene three. However there are certain points that Bradley makes which differs to my own opinion when reading Othello. Othello's nature takes the centre stage in this scene as his attitude, personality and phycological condition plays a big part on how other characters view him throughout Othello and how both Elizabethan and modern audiences view him.  A.C. Bradley states that Othello’s trust when he trusts people is absolute. This means that once people have gained his trust he does not fall back on it. However it can be argued at the start of the play that Othello fully trusted Desdemona and had no suspicion or hesitation to marry her and spend his life with her. As the play unfolds though, Othello's trust for Desdemona starts to deteriorate faster and faster. This is evident in Act three, scene 3 where Othello says "I think my wife be honest, and think she not". Othello is unsure the key word 'think' represents Othello's uncertainty and suspicion surrounding Desdemona reinforcing the fact that his trust is not absolute and open to manipulation. Concluding Othello's love is relative and subjective. Hesitation is an aspect of A.C. Bradley's opinion that I fully agree with. Othello reacts quickly without thinking and is sum what emotionally unstable this shown when Othello grabs Iago by the neck with anger rushing through his veins and continues to say "ha, ha, false to me?". Othello does not hesitate to act, which reinforces the fact that he is an outsider and is considered contextually weaker, processes animalistic qualities linking to being uncivilised because he is a "moor" in 16th century Venice. A.C. Bradley continues to say that Othello is extremely self-reliant. However this contradicts my point before about Othello being an outsider. Othello does not know how to act within society and strongly relies on Iago for guidance and answers. Meaning Othello in my opinion is not self-reliant. Othello relies on Iago for answers; Othello constantly questions Iago about various subjects including Cassio regarding his wife’s loyalty where Othello says "'Indeed'? Ay, indeed. Discern'st thou aught on that? Is he not honest?". Othello's 'love, if he loves' to him' is 'heaven where either he must love or bear no life. If such passion as jealousy seizes him, it will swell into a well- nigh incontrollable flood.' The last point made by A.C. Bradley on Othello the Shakespeare tragedy, I fully agree with. When Othello's love to Desdemona turns sour with jealously and hate it comes apparent that Othello becomes consumed by it due to Iago's Machiavellian qualities that have penetrated Othello's thoughts and his ability to see the truth. Othello has started to doubt Desdemona uncontrollable. It only takes Iago to plant a single seed within Othello's head to have devastating consequences. Othello's hamartia is his ignorance and his obsession with emotion and passion that consumes him. Thus causes him to lose rational qualities and by the end is only interested in killing Cassio and Desdemona. This is Othello's hubris reinforced by "O, blood, blood, blood!" in act 3, scene 3 foreshadowing three deaths. 

Act 3 Scene 3 big questions

Act 3 Scene 3 Study Questions

1.     Desdemona agrees to plead Cassios case due Cassio and Othello being close friends and due to Cassios love for Othello and being a true servant.

2.     Iago says “Ha I like not that” then purposely stops his sentence to make Othello paranoid and start to overthink Cassios and Desdemona’s relationship.

3.     After Othello repeatedly urges Iago to tell him what’s on his mind, Iago says "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;/It is the green eyed monster, which doth mock / The meat it feeds on." Othello then responds “O misery” shows that he has fallen out of love with Desdemona and that he agrees with Iago that it is better to live in ignorance then to know the truth about his cheating wife. Othello wants Iago to feel his pain and join together as one. Throughout the following pages they are slowly getting closer and closer to thinking the same and agreeing more with one another.

4.     Iago says, “In Venice they do let God see the pranks They dare not to show their husbands; their best conscience Is not to leave’t undone, but keep’t unknown”. By this Iago is saying that the women in Venice do not have affairs but they just hide it and only God truly knows what these women have done,

5.     We have contextual evidence to support this viewpoint of women in Venice from Thomas Coryat, Coryat’s Crudities (1611) as he says “The name of a Courtezan of Venice is famoused over all Christendome”. Meaning the women in Venice are profound prostitutes and sexually promiscuous.

6.     Othello may choose to believe this contextual evidence or not dismiss it immediately as Desdemona went behind her fathers back and deceived him and he is worried that the same things is happening to him but with Cassio.

7.     Iago echoes Brabantio's earlier warning to Othello when he says, “She did deceive her father, marrying you”. Iago is planting more metaphorical poison in Othello’s head to make him doubt Desdemona even more.

8.     Iagos duplicitous fashion makes a bold statement about Desdemona and Othello, saying “Long live she so, and long live you to think so!” This is significant as Iago specifically uses the word ‘think’ to make him think about everything and to put more doubt in his head. It makes Othello believe that Desdemona is hiding something from him.

9.     Desdemona's handkerchief becomes an important piece of stage business. Desdemona produced the handkerchief, as it is an iconic symbol of Othello’s and her love. Othello’s mum gave it to him then he gave it to Desdemona. As long as Desdemona has Othello’s handkerchief their love for one another will never die. Shortly following Desdemona producing the handkerchief “He pushes the handkerchief away, and it falls”. This symbolizes the end of their love between one another. From this point things will only get worst. Shortly after Emilia finds the handkerchief on the floor and plans to give it to Iago.

. .     Emilia is motivated to give the handkerchief to Iago as she is desperate for his love and willing to do anything to get it. She knows the handkerchief will please Iago as he has asked her to steal it for her before. However she has found it and has not stolen it but feels no guilt. She is naïve to what Iago plans to do with it.

1.     Iago intends to use it as a device to get Othello to believe his deceiving stories about Desdemona and Michael Cassios new found love for one another and the fact that she has been sleeping around with him. The audience knows this to not be true, but Othello is ignorant. 

1.    When Othello returns to the scene upset and angry he holds Iago by the throat and says “Ha, ha, false to me?” meaning ‘you dare lie to me?’

1.     What 'proof' of Desdemona's disloyalty does Iago give Othello? Iago gives proof of Desdemona’s disloyalty through an unconvincing lie, however it manages to convince Othello, which raises questions about how great this tragic hero truly is. Iago says “I lay with Cassio lately, And, being troubled with a ranging tooth, I could not sleep. There are a kind of men so loose of soul, That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs: One of this kind is Cassio .In sleep I heard him say ‘Sweet Desdemona, Let us be wary, let us hide our loves’; And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand, Cry out ‘Sweet creature!’, and then kiss me hard, As if he plucked up kisses by the roots, That grew upon my lips; then laid his leg Over my thigh, and sighed, and kissed, and then Cried ‘Cursed fate, that gave thee to the Moor!’”

1.    Iagos final proof is the handkerchief his wife Emilia found and gave to him. When Othello approaches Desdemona about the handkerchief and wishes her to present it she will not be able to find it meaning Othello will believe what Iago just says- “I know not that; but such handkerchief (I am sure it was your wife’s) did I today See Cassio wipe his beard with.”

1.    Othello’s language is noticeable different in this scene as it become increasing monosyllabic and more like Iagos as they start to become closer and closer together. This scene is arguable homoerotic as there is a scene where Iago and Othello exchange wedding vows and become as one, reflecting their shared language type dialect.

Classical Tragedy