Othello Act 3 Scene 3

Starts in media res with a conversation between Desdemona, Cassio and Emelia at D and O’s home whilst O is not there. We as the audience are not privy to what goes on beforehand, so therefore may be suspicious of the circumstances under which C is at their house whilst O is away

Structural significance of the opening of this scene

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio, He’s never anything but your true servant

Cassio professing his loyalty to D. Use of third person/full name - could connote a wholehearted, entire devotion?

“Before Emelia here I give thee warrant of my place”, “vow”

Desdemona vowing to continue to defend Cassio

I’ll watch him tame… His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift

Infamous Desdemona quote about the methods she will use to persuade her husband. “tame” = hawk reference, to “tame” hawks, people used to keep them awake (“watch”). Perhaps reflects D’s own use of racial stereotypes as these animalistic comparisons are creeping into her language.

D and C have lots of shared lines. Suggests a closeness between the two and perhaps even a level of informality

Structural point about the nature of D and C’s speech in this scene

Whereas C and D’s shared lines in this scene connote closness, O and D’s shared lines suggest conflict and tension (“O: No, not tonight. D tomorrow dinner then? O I shall not dine at home)

Structural point about differences in connotations of shared lines in this scene

Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul But I do love thee; and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again

After D leaves, O almost denouncing her and expressing his frustration. Oxymoron, foreshadowign

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy: It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock The meat it feeds on

Iago’s green-eyed monster quote. Metaphor transforms the emotion into something much more threatening. Verb choice “mock” illustrates how O has been rendered a shell of his former self by his jealousy

In Venice [women] do let God see the pranks They dare not show their husbands

Iago stereotyping Venetian women and subtly hinting they’re promiscuous, good quote to use for wider context about Venice

O curse of marriage, That we can call these delicate creatures ours, And not their appetites!

O almost denouncing marriage, expressing a wish to be able to control his wife more

Your napkin is too little. [He pushes the handkerchief away and it falls]

O commenting on the handkerchief when D was trying to use it to tend to his sore head. Subsequent stage directions. Belittling D’s attempts at affection and discarding their marriage

Poor lady, she’ll run mad When she shall lack it.

Emelia when she gives the handkerchief to Iago. Proves she knows what she’s doing is wrong but is prioritising her duty to her husband over her duty to her mistress

Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore; Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof

O commanding I to find evidence that D is not faithful, sentence structure = long, shows rant-like tone

I’ll tear her all to pieces!

O saying what he’s going to do to D, isolated line surrounded by Iago’s speech

In the due reverence of a sacred vow I here engage my words

O vowing to destroy D essentially

[he kneels]

Stage directions for both O and I

I will withdraw To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil. Now thou art my lieutenant.

O’s final lines of the scene. Planning his murder of D (contains oxymoron that potentially has links to race) and also making I his lieutenant