ACT 4 SCENE 1

summarise the scene

the fit scene as well as eavesdropping

discuss power imbalances in this scene

iago taunting othello very distrusting → jealousy fermenting

iago taunting othello by hinting at sexual innuendos designed to cause othello distress

“being her, She may, I think, bestow’t on any man”

shakespeare creating a sense of foreboding and death, not a stable concept

“my memory as doth the raven o er the infected house”

iago amping up the antagonist language - increase sexual imagery

“with her, on her”

iago moment of confidence as well as othello brought low by jealousy and loss of hero status

"(falls in a trance)” “my medicine, work”

audience reaction to this scene

scared and also admire how clever iago is feel combination of pity for othello, desdemona and Cassio
iago supremely human

iago clearly manipulating othello as well as using mechanism of tragedy
eavesdropping can be a comic device but instead is used to cause confusion

“now will I question Cassio of Bianca”

Bianca jealousy also comic as Cassio was just praising her to Iago → most realistic of all the woman

“let the devil and his dam haunt you!”

ocular proof being proven to othello, crux → straw that broke the camels back

“by heaven, that should be my handkerchief!”

iago helping othello decide how to kill desdemona

“strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated”

desdemona reaction to othello shamelessly striking her → evoking pity from the audience emphasise her victim status as somewhat childlike

“I have not deserved this”

reaction to Desdemona being hit, shocking to both audience and stage

“this would not be believed in Venice”