Yingning, Michela, Savannah, & Lauren

transcript

Othello Act 3 Scene 4Yingning, Michela, Savannah, & Lauren

Summary• Desdemona wonders where her handkerchief is• Othello indirectly accuses Desdemona of adultery• Othello tells history of the handkerchief • Desdemona cannot produce the handkerchief• Cassio further asks for Desdemona’s help• Bianca is introduced at the end

Plot Development and SignificanceI. Iago’s plan is working and Othello has

become distrustful of his own wife• Othello tells the history of the handkerchief • discovered that Desdemona does not have

it• Desdemona advocates for Cassio ,further

contributes to Iago’s accusations• Transformation of Othello’s character

Plot Development and SignificanceII. Foundation set for the final conflict• Othello is enraged at Desdemona, his pride

is hurt and wants to take revenge• Othello storming off gives Iago opportunity

to further his manipulation • Cassio will be at Bianca’s later that night

Themes

I. Deception • Emilia lied to her best friend / mistress • Emilia did not confess where the

handkerchief was even though it is causing huge problems

• Iago acted as if he did not know Othello was angry

• Iago acts as though he is genuinely helping Cassio and Desdemona

Themes

II. Innocence • Desdemona would do anything for Othello • she does not want to make her lord angry • she does not know what is making him mad • Iago manipulates the other characters

without concrete justification

Themes

III. Prejudice • Othello judges Desdemona solely based

on Iago’s accusations• Does not let or ask Desdemona explain

herself • Iago hates Othello without just

Themes

IV. Jealousy • Othello thinks that Desdemona is cheating• Emilia thinks Othello’s anger and

irrationality is a result of jealousy• Bianca accuses Cassio of having another

mistress

Character Development

Desdemona• Upset that she cannot find handkerchief • Desdemona tries calm her husband • innocence causes her to say certain, taboo,

things without noticing its alternate meaning

• innocence also prevents her from seeing Othello’s jealousy

Emilia• Emilia has many opportunities to tell

Desdemona, but instead keeps it to herself• Emilia is loyal to Desdemona, but seeks the

approval of Iago • wants Iago to love her

Iago• pleased in this scene because his plan is

coming together • deceives Desdemona and Cassio even

though they are desperate to win back Othello

• use the anger and vulnerability of Othello

Othello• mind seems to be already made up• jumps to conclusions • immediately assumes that Desdemona is

sleeping with Cassio and immediately becomes jealous

• lashes out and screams demands at Desdemona

• Irrational, does not find concrete evidence

Cassio• desperately wants the forgiveness of

Othello • continues to follow the advice of Iago;

gullible • unclear if he is just sleeping with Bianca or

actually loves her

Bianca• confrontational• a prostitute, but she doesn’t see Cassio as

another “client” • has a developed relationship with Cassio;

classification is unclear

Setting

• people would not normally have private disputes outside in this era

• assumes Desdemona has committed adultery, which is frowned upon by society

• women are not to be trusted• women are expected to obey husbands • men can release anger on women

Tone & Mood

• Irritation and Confusion• whimsical with the clown’s use of puns • juxtaposed with intense exchange that follows • indirect speeches build on conflict and confusion• Desdemona’s innocence caused Othello to

become annoyed • Othello’s jealousy causes him to be irrational

Sequence of Events

I. Iago began to brainwash Othello earlier in the Act; Othello’s mind is filled with jealousy and hatred

II. Othello’s becomes more irrational and inclined to believe Iago’s accusations when Desdemona cannot produce the handkerchief

III. Cassio gives the handkerchief to Bianca to mimic it, Bianca now has handkerchief possession

Dramatic Techniques

I. Comic relief – Clown • Last several scenes had an abundance of

high intensity events • Clown gives the audience a brief, comical

break before going back to the intensity of the central plot

Dramatic Techniques

II. Dramatic Irony • we know Iago is deceiving Othello,

Desdemona, and Cassio• we know Emilia knows where handkerchief

is• we know Desdemona is innocent• a soldier does not lie, but Iago is a soldier,

and he deceives all the time

Symbolism & Motifs

I. Handkerchief is a symbol of love• Desdemona’s faithfulness to Othello• Othello’s trust of Desdemona

II. Jealousy is a symbol of monster• Othello’s jealousy causes him to become

irrational• Iago’s jealousy causes him to deceive with such

immoral, monstrous acts

Literary Devices & PurposeI. Imagery

i. OTHELLO: “Give me your hand. This hand is moist, my lady.” (80)• vivid image of characters’ exchange • picturing Desdemona’s hand as red, hot,

and shaking• to illustrate how nervous Desdemona

was about her current situation

Literary Devices & Purpose

II. Personification i. DESDEMONA: “…I think the sun where he was born Drew all such humours from him.” (80)• demonstrate how trusting Desdemona is of

Othello and how she believes that he trusts herii.EMILIA: “Nor no jealous toy concerning you.” (86)• Emilia can see that Othello is jealous and she

believes that Desdemona cannot

Literary Devices & PurposeIII. Alliteration

i. OTHELLO: “A liberal hand. The hearts of old gave hands, But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.” (81)• to emphasize that Othello thinks that

Desdemona’s heart is not truly in their marriage

Literary Devices & PurposeIII. Alliteration

ii. CASSIO: “…That nor my service past, nor present sorrows, Nor purposed merit in futurity…” (85)• to demonstrate Cassio’s loyalty to Othello

iii. EMILIA: “They are not ever jealous for the cause, But jealous for they’re jealous." (86)• to emphasize that jealous people are never

jealous for a specific reason, rather create their own reasons

Literary Devices & PurposeIV. Metaphor

i. EMILIA: “'Tis not a year or two shows us a man. They are all but stomachs, and we all but food. They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us..” (84)i. compare men to beast ii. the idea that women were treated unfairly

expresses how Emilia loathes at the way men treat women, denotes her anger at Iago mistreating her

Literary Devices & PurposeV. Hyperbole

i. CASSIO: “Whom I, with all the office of my heart. Entirely honor.” (84)• show how dedicated Cassio is to serving

Othelloii. BIANCA: “…Eight score eight hours?

And lovers' absent hours More tedious than the dial eight score times!..” (87)i. illustrate the yearning that Bianca has for

Cassio

Literary Devices & PurposeVI. Anaphora

i. OTHELLO: “Is ’t lost? Is ’t gone? Speak, is ’t out o' th' way? (82)• anger when Desdemona lost the handkerchief• confirms his suspicions of Cassio’s and

Desdemona’s relationshipii. OTHELLO: “Fetch me the handkerchief—

… … … “The handkerchief!” (84)• Repetitive to confirm his suspicions

Literary Devices & PurposeVII. Flashback

i. OTHELLO: “ That’s a fault. That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give, … As nothing else could match.” (81)• to demonstrate how precious the

handkerchief is to Othello.

Literary Devices & PurposeVIII. Foreshadowi.DESDEMONA: “I ne’er saw this before.Sure there’s some wonder in this handkerchief;I am most unhappy in the loss of it.” (84)

i. express the idea that no one may clue into Iago’s scheme

ii. Illustrate how the loss of the handkerchief is key to an event to occur later on

iii. Negative connotation with loss

Issues & Questions

1. Would Desdemona considers Othello the same way that Emilia considers Iago?

2. If Desdemona hadn’t lost the handkerchief, do you think that the story would’ve come to the same conclusion?

3. Does Cassio love Bianca?

Issues & Questions

4. Why do you think Desdemona was bringing up Cassio if she could see that Othello was only getting angrier?5. Do you think Emilia is more loyal to Iago or to Desdemona?

Yingning, Michela, Savannah, & Lauren

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