OTHELLO ACT 4 SCENE 2 Flashcards
(18 cards)
Summary
- Othello questions Emilia + refuses to believe her
- Othello confronts Desdemona who turns to Iago for reassurance
- Roderigo gets angry at Iago
Themes
- Gender
- Anger
- Deception
Importance
- Moving towards the falling action
Why is the conversation between Othello and Emilia significant
- Emilia: pleading that Desdemona is honest
- Othello: not listening- he’s almost willing it to be true
“If any wretch have put this in your head/Let heaven requite it with the serpent’s curse.”
Ironic because its her husband
What is significant about the way Othello speaks about Emilia
- “Simple bawd.” “subtle whore.”
- Derogatory, sexist language
- He isnt willing to listen to her- downfall approaching
What is relevant about the way Othello replies to Desdemona?
- Desdemona: “Heaven doth truly know it.”
- Othello: “Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell.”
- Mocking her, juxta of heaven and hell- he has chosen what he shall believe
Othello using foul animal imagery
- “A cistern for foul toads/To knot and gender in!”
- Infected with hatred, suggests pain in love
- Displays extent of Iago’s manipulation
Othello oxymoronic statement
“O thou weed, who art so lovely and fair, and smell’st so sweet.”
Desdemona being naive
“Alas what ignorant sin have I committed?” - assumes it must be her fault
Role of submissive wife
Othello’s response of Desdemona’s naivity
- “What ‘committed’? Committed! O thou public commoner”
- His speech is less eloquent (repetition and exclamative)- losing himself and his status
Desdemona innocent and pure
- “I shall be saved… heaven forgive me.”
- Keeps religion at the centre of her life, begs for salvation
KEY OTHELLO SLUT SHAMING QUOTE
- “I took you for that cunning whore of Venice/That married with Othello.”
- Demeaning her reputation
- Third person- detaching himself from who he was
Juxtaposition of heaven and hell in Othello’s speech
“You, mistress/That have the office opposite to Saint Peter/And keeps the gate of hell.”
2 quotes that show Dramatic Irony
- Iago: “What is the matter, lady?” - Desdemona asking wrong person for help
- “some eternal villain … some insinuating rogue…most villainous knave” - it’s her hubby who’s responsible
“And made you to suspect me with the Moor.”
- IRONY: highlights Iago’s machiavellian nature- its not even true
What is the significance of Desdemona’s positioning on stage
- “Here I kneel.”
- Architect of her own destruction
- Mirrors how Othello also knelt with Iago- submitting themselves to his plan
What is so frustrating about Roderigo’s character here?
- “Your words and your performances are no kin together.”
- Almost realises the truth but then is manipulated back into his submissive state
