Act 4 Scene 1

Question 1

‘[he] falls into a trance’
‘My medicine. Work!’

Answer 1

Themes: madness, instability, manipulation
The peak of Othello’s deterioration and his overpowering jealousy
Metaphor - emphasises Iago’s evil nature

Question 2

‘She plucked him to my chamber’

Answer 2

Themes: female sexuality
The verb ‘plucked’ feels intentional but rather delicate, showing Desdemona as someone who can pick and choose her men at her discretion just like they are some sort of flowers

Question 3

‘Let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she/ shall not live. No my heart is turned to stone’

Answer 3

Themes: loss of love, male attitudes to female sexuality
Metaphor - the violent bodily imagery instigates fear for the audience as Othello seems removed from any previous emotion or morality he had

Question 4

Get me some poison, Iago’/ ‘Do it not with poison, strangle her’

Answer 4

Themes: conflict
Poison is ironic considering this has become symbolic of Iago’s manipulation yet Iago uses a more violent approach this time perhaps drawing a line between his poison that leads to pyschological harm and strangulation that leads to physical

Question 5

‘Devil! [he strikes her]’ / ‘I have not deserved this’

Answer 5

Themes: conlict, female passivity
Othello becomes physcially violent to her and yet Desdemona passively resists it as she can do no more