He is beginning to become a stereotype by his own doing, as he falls farther and farther from himself. Othello questions Emilia about Desdemona's guilt, or the chance she has had an affair with Cassio. Emilia admits to having seen nothing, though Othello does not believe her. Emilia swears that she has seen and heard all that has gone on between Cassio and Desdemona, and that Desdemona is pure and true.
Othello believes that Emilia is in on the deception; he accuses Desdemona, and her insistence that she is innocent only infuriates him further.
Othello leaves, and Desdemona and Emilia try to figure out what has happened to Othello, and what they can do; Desdemona feels especially helpless, and Emilia is very angry. Emilia thinks that someone has manipulated Othello into accusing Desdemona, and has poisoned his mind; however, Iago is there to dispel this opinion, so that Emilia does not inquire further into her theory.
Upon leaving the women, Iago comes across Roderigo ; he is not pleased with how Iago has handled things, and knows that although Iago is promising him Desdemona's favor, he has done nothing to indicate that he has worked to achieve this. Iago quiets him by making him believe that if he kills Cassio, then he will win Desdemona; Roderigo decides to go along with it, but Iago is coming dangerously close to being revealed. Othello still swears, after speaking with Emilia, that Desdemona is "a subtle whore"; the irony is that Othello takes Desdemona's piety and goodness as proof of the corruption lying beneath the surface, when these traits are as straightforward as possible.
His words still condemn Desdemona, and Emilia too; Emilia is a "bawd," and the mistress of the whorehouse of which Desdemona is a part IV. Othello believes that Desdemona's denial is a sign of her deep-seated betrayal; but it is really a function of her honesty, and she has committed no wrongs. Othello then launches into a scathing condemnation of Desdemona; his tone is bitter and angry, although Desdemona cannot deduce what he is talking about.
This statement shows Othello at his most unfair and vindictive, but it also shows his distrust of Venice, and its very subtle, highly mannered people. Venice is a place of hidden deceits and carefully crafted appearances, somewhere that Othello has never truly been comfortable; and now, Othello is taking his grievances as an outsider out on Desdemona. Othello is finally condemning his outsider status, even though it was a source of his pride and a defining theme of his rise to power. Desdemona's order to Emilia to put her wedding sheets on her bed seems peculiar; but it is meant as a reminder to Othello of her purity, and of their union.
Some critics argue that there is no time in the play for Desdemona and Othello to have consummated their marriage; if so, the wedding sheets are as white as Desdemona, both pure and untouched still, and the handkerchief is also thus a symbol of Desdemona's virginity - an object Othello cannot bear to see in any other man's possession.
Emilia, ever perceptive, knows that someone has behind Othello's sudden change; she believes that "some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, have not devised this slander," which is, of course, the truth IV.
It is ironic that Emilia thinks of this, and condemns the man who must be manipulating Othello, since the one who has devised this whole thing is her own husband.
The resemblances to comedy suggest that the misunderstandings of the play will be recognized and all will live happily ever after. Cyprus, then, becomes a sort of trap, a false escape, in which the societal norms that seem to have disappeared reemerge to capture the transgressors. This mechanism of capture that exerts its force over the characters of Cyprus also occurs within Othello himself.
The play refers on a number of occasions to jealousy as an innate force that cannot be planted, but instead grows from within and consumes itself and its host. Othello falls prey to the illusion of his own strength and power, and the jealousy it hides, just as Cyprus gives the illusion of providing a haven from the workings of the law.
Similarly, when Bianca enters and chides Cassio for giving her a handkerchief she believes to be a love token from some other woman, she talks as though she never had almost the exact same conversation with Cassio in Act III, scene iv. Ace your assignments with our guide to Othello! Jekyll and Mr. SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook.
Why does Iago hate Othello? How does Emilia help Iago? How does Iago use Bianca to trick Othello? Then, by chance, Bianca walks in with the strawberry-spotted handkerchief and berates Cassio for asking her to copy the token of his new love. Othello recognizes the handkerchief, and all other considerations are forgotten.
Othello goes directly to the point: "How shall I murder him, Iago? This is the second time Othello has sworn to kill both Cassio and Desdemona, but his continuity of love beside revenge unnerves Iago, who needs to push Othello to a definite unalloyed commitment to murder.
Therefore, Iago prompts Othello to consider his personal honour: "If you be so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend, for if it touches not you, it comes near nobody" The idea of giving his wife permission to take lovers so enrages Othello that he cries, "I will chop her into messes" , surely the most savage of all his threats, and one he later regrets. Still Othello knows the pull of love and asks for poison so that he might kill her at a distance, but he sees justice in Iago's idea of strangling her in her bed, imagining that she has dishonored that bed.
Again the agreement is made: Iago is to kill Cassio, and Othello is to kill Desdemona. Iago has profited from good luck and good organization to achieve almost complete power over Othello.
Lodovico, Desdemona's cousin, has just arrived from Venice with a letter for Othello. Expecting to see a happy newly married couple, Lodovico finds they can hardly speak to each other.
When Othello strikes his wife, calling her "Devil" , Lodovico is shocked, but whatever he might say would only make things worse. Othello and Desdemona are involved in a personal matter to the exclusion of others, and Othello is fraught by a matter of internal conflict that excludes his wife. From the outside, it all looks like madness. Iago reveals he still intends to take out Cassio. He assures Othello he'll report back before midnight. The conversation is interrupted by Lodovico, kinsman of Brabantio Desdemona's father, remember?
Lodovico brings news from the Duke in Venice: Othello has been called back to the city, and Cassio is to replace him as command in Cyprus. While Othello reads the letter from the Duke, Lodovico talks with Desdemona who showed up in the meantime and asks her how Cassio is doing. Desdemona explains how Cassio and Othello had a falling out, and declares she hopes they can work it out "for the love I bear to Cassio" 4.
Othello, overhearing Desdemona's loving comments toward Cassio, gets enraged and hits Desdemona. Desdemona can't figure out why her husband would strike her—and in public no less—when she's done nothing to deserve it. Lodovico insists Othello make amends with the poor girl, as she's weeping.
Othello says she can cry crocodile tears full of falsehood and he won't care, as she changes faces so easily. Othello then declares he'll head back to Venice, and Cassio shall have his post leaving out that he will be too dead to fill it. Desdemona leaves, shell-shocked, and Othello stalks out, muttering "goats and monkeys!
Lodovico is shocked that Othello would injure his wife and behave so boorishly in public. He wonders whether Othello has been put into a passion by the Duke's letters, but Iago suggests this poor form is Othello's status quo.
Iago demurs on giving details about Othello's failings, saying, with seeming humility, that it's not up to him to reveal the evils he's seen. This leaves Lodovico free to imagine worse evils.
0コメント