Act 3 scene 3 (the marriage scene)
Othello's journey in the scene
Summary
- Desdemona pleads with Othello to reinstate Cassio
- Iago poisons Othello's mind against Cassio, hinting that he has committed adultery with Desdemona, Othello then begins to doubt Des' love and becomes jealous.
- Desdemona drops her handkerchief, Emilia picks it up and gives it to Iago
- Othello demands proof of Desdemona's infidelity
- Iago describes how Cassio was calling out for Des in his sleep and he saw him wipe his beard with a handkerchief
- Othello asks Iago to kill Cassio and he promites Iago
- Othello intends to kill Desdemona
Perception
Iago is able to manipulate every ones' perception of certain events - this is how he succeeds in his manipulation.
He first rouses Othello's suspicion when he says implies Cassio's guilt at "ha, I like not that" and that Cassio would "Steal away so guilty like" in parting from Desdemona. This builds up frustration and anger, "Show me thy thought" - "By heaven, I'll know thy thoughts!" Iago refuses, because his thoughts are "vile and false" causing Othello to think the worst of Iago's assumptions.
We know that Othello’s thoughts have been successfully infected when he asks Iago to ‘set on thy wife to observe’ Desdemona. Othello is no longer ‘well tuned’ with his wife, but with Iago. Iago even instructs Othello to spy on Desdemona, suggesting the villain’s increasing power over his victim.
At the beginning he says "She had eyes and chose me" but in continued conversation with Iago he concludes he's right "what thoughts had I of stolen hours of lust? I saw't not, thought it not"
Desdemona's good will
She promises to Cassio "My lord shall never rest; / I'll watch him tame and talk him out of patience; / His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift"
She keeps this promise, immediately saying that Cassio is one that "errs in ignorance and not in cunning" Othello agrees but tries to put her off politely "not now sweet Desdemona" - She begins to pester "why then, tomorrow night; or tuesday morn..."
This continues until Othello says "Prithee, no more; let him come when he will; / I will deny thee nothing" she isn't satisfied "This is not a boon" - unknowingly she's fallen straight into Iago's trap
watching her leave at the start of the scene he exclaims "Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, / But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, / Chaos is come again"
The two negative abstract nouns that foreshadow tragedy: ‘perdition’ and ‘Chaos’. It is ironic that Othello should use these words at this point in the play. By the end of this scene, Othello will be consumed by dark and chaotic thoughts, and he will be planning a murder which he fears will damn his soul.
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Othello demands for the "ocular proof," yet takes Iago's word as such
Iago's continued ambiguous/non answers to Othello's desperate questions make him frustrated and desperate, thus vulnerable to his manipulation.
After Iago admits his thoughts are "vile and false" Othello astutely says "Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago" - ironic as this is exactly what he is doing, yet Iago proceeds and succeeds in his manipulating Othello
"By heaven, i'll know thy thoughts." - "You cannot"
She did deceive her father, marrying you - and so she did
"O beware my lord of jealousy"
O misery!
"She had eyes and chose me" his speech becomes fast paced, as if he's worried and trying to fast convince himself
Set on thy wife to observe: leave me Iago
This fellow's of exceeding honesty
Othello leaves with Des, physically ailed, then he comes back alone obviously bothered demanding proof "Be sure thou prove my love a whore" on horror's head horrors accumulate
In sleep I heard him say "Sweet Desdemona, Let us be wary, let us hide our loves";
He then tellshim he saw the handkerchief in Cassio's hand "did I today see cassio wipe his beard with it"
"It speaks against her with the other proofs"
He believes the shambolic "proof" iago gives, and is completely degraded
"Arise black vengeance" "yield up, o love, thy crown and hearted throne to tyrannous hate!" - Othello begins to abandon his christian morals
Othello kneels to Iago, showing proxemically his now subservient position to Iago, iago kneels later on to feign equal footing. [They rise] together - "Within these 3 days let me hear thee say that Cassio's not alive." - "My friend is dead... but let her live"
Iago says "I am your own forever"
I will withdraw to furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant