Othello by William Shakespeare (Act 5 Scene 1-2, pg. 223-265)

Othello by William Shakespeare (Act 5 Scene 1-2, pg. 223-265)

Summary: Following Iago’s advice, Roderigo proceeds to attack Cassio. However, in a duel, Cassio ends up stabbing Roderigo. To make Othello think that Iago has killed Cassio, Iago then wounds Cassio in the leg. Othello, hearing Cassio’s cry, proceeds to Desdemona’s bedroom to murder her. Iago also puts an end to a wounded Roderigo. Italian officials then join Iago and tend to Cassio’s wounds. When Bianca arrives, Iago accuses her of plotting against Cassio in order to try to keep people from suspecting him, feeding off the fact that Bianca was previously angered by Cassio’s treatment of her. In Scene 2, Othello again accuses Desdemona of cheating, and dramatically smothers her to death. Emilia arrives to tell Othello the news about Cassio and Roderigo, and upon discovering a dead Desdemona, she flees the site and shouts cries of murder. When everyone arrives, Emilia uncovers the truth about the handkerchief, and Othello attempts to kill Iago. However, he fails in his attempts, and Iago then kills Emilia. Othello, realizing his mistake and recognizing himself as a murderer, commits suicide. Iago is then taken by the officials and sentenced to death.

Unfamiliar Vocabulary:
Restitution: the restoration of something lost or stolen to its proper owner
Iterance: repetition
Pernicious: having a harmful effect (in a gradual or subtle way)
Anon: soon; shortly
Alabaster: a typically whitish form of gypsum often carved into ornaments
Relume: relight
Forfend: avert, keep away (ward off)
Reprobance: reprobation, damnation
Coxcomb: fool

Quote Analysis
Iago (aside): “I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense, and he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio, or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo, he calls me to a restitution large of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him as gifts to Desdemona. It must not be. If Cassio do remain, he hath a daily beauty in his life that makes me ugly. And besides, the Moor may unfold me to him. There stand I in much peril. No, he must die” (lines 12-23, Act 5 Scene 1).

Throughout Othello, Iago has had the most asides of all the main characters. In these monologues, he has proven to be uncharacteristically truthful, and has admitted the deepest of his feelings in order to clue the audience in to his thoughts. In this quote said right before Roderigo throws himself at Cassio, Iago tells the audience that the death of either of the two would only be to his benefit, as the death of Roderigo would absolve Iago’s debts to him for all of the gifts Roderigo had asked Iago to give to Desdemona, and the death of Cassio would eliminate the risk of uncovering Iago’s deception. Furthermore, Iago recognizes himself as a “bad” person, as he says that Cassio “has a daily beauty in his life that makes [him] ugly.” In other words, Cassio’s uprightness makes Iago look crude.

“My husband?” –Emilia

In Act 5 Scene 2, Emilia arrives at Othello’s bedroom to discover Desdemona dead on her bed. Othello explains to her why he has guiltlessly murdered her, and he tells her that Desdemona was unfaithful according to Iago, Emilia’s husband. In response to all of his statements, Emilia simply repeats the phrase “My husband,” as if she were laughing at the thought of trusting Iago over Desdemona.

“I peace? No, I will speak as liberal as the north. Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, all, all cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak! O thou dull Moor, that handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune, and did give my husband – for often, with a solemn earnestness (more than indeed belonged to such a trifle), He begged of me to steal ‘it… she give it Cassio? No, alas, I found it, and I did give ‘it my husband… O murd’rous coxcomb, what should such a fool do with so good a wife?”

In the final confrontation with all the main characters, Emilia gives her final speech, and unleashes the silent disapproval that had been suppressed and bottled inside of her for so long. In this speech, as if motivated by Desdemona’s unjust murder, she unrestrainedly shouts the truth for all to hear, and is punished by death at the hand of Iago. Nonetheless, she finally is able to speak the truth, and is relieved by it. This shows us that keeping to ourselves for too long is terminally unhealthy, and that outspokenness is an important trait to have.