Cassio enters Act three with musicians to serenade Othello and Desdemona, trying to get in Othello's good graces again.
Iago convinces Cassio he must speak with Desdemona apart from Othello and beg for his job back and get her to help. Then Desdemona will constantly bother Othello about Cassio, busying him. The meetings apart from Othello will also look suspicious, and Iago can sow the seeds of discontent. Othello says Chaos will come again when he does not love Desdemona. By using uncertain words that give no definitives, Iago is making himself sound unsure, and projecting that unsure-ness onto Othello. By using words like 'think' instead of 'know', he is leaving a large amount of room for suspicion. Iago speaks about Cassio as if he were a sneaky guy of some sort to begin with, and upon learning that Cassio has known Desdemona previous and had not just met her, begins using uncertain words. He shies away from Othello and refuses to give him a straight answer about his 'suspicions', making Othello drag the 'truth' form him. Othello fears he is not good enough for Desdemona, that he somehow does not deserve her and he doesn't understand why she chose someone made by war and so different from herself. Iago jumps on this and preys on that fear, using Cassio as an example of a perfect sort of person for Desdemona. |
The handkerchief, which Emilia brings to Iago after Desdemona accidentally drops it, is instrumental in destroying Othello. The handkerchief is the first gift Othello ever gave to Desdemona, and holds a special importance to him as well as her. Iago can plant it on Cassio and implicate him in this fiasco.
Iago claims that suspecting is the worst part of jealousy. Knowing is more satisfying than just thinking, and not knowing at all is best. Suspecting gnaws away at a person's mind, imagining things, only wanting to know but not knowing.
Iago claims that suspecting is the worst part of jealousy. Knowing is more satisfying than just thinking, and not knowing at all is best. Suspecting gnaws away at a person's mind, imagining things, only wanting to know but not knowing.
"Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do
All my abilities in thy behalf."-Desdemona. She agrees to help him in his suit to get his job back, saying she will help him whatever it takes. This means she will do as Iago needs and ply Othello mercilessly for Cassio's job, making herself seem suspicious.
"For Michael Cassio,
I dare be sworn I think that he is honest."-Iago. This is not the first time he speaks ill of Cassio, but it is the first in which he says uncertain terms like think. He is beginning to sow the seeds of discontent in Othello, starting here with this, and will continue on for the rest of the play.
"I' faith, I fear it has.
I hope you will consider what is spoke
Comes from my love. But I do see you're moved:
I am to pray you not to strain my speech
To grosser issues nor to larger reach
Than to suspicion."-Iago. Iago beseeches Othello not to listen to him though Othello has already pulled the information he wanted from him. He is making himself seem more human, likable, and honest, establish a sort of repot that seems to mean that he himself means well. He will be less easily suspected by Othello as the play progresses.
"Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless
Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds."-Othello. Othello begins to doubt himself at these lines, bemoaning his marrying, saying that Iago likely knows more he does not tell him. The first claws of doubt are beginning to scratch at Othello's mind, and will keep him thinking on this until he is driven mad.
"Not poppy, nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owedst yesterday."-Iago. Iago intends for Othello never to sleep again. He knows that the monster Othello conjures will haunt his days and nights, and predicts here what will occur because he knows he already has Othello in his clutches.
All my abilities in thy behalf."-Desdemona. She agrees to help him in his suit to get his job back, saying she will help him whatever it takes. This means she will do as Iago needs and ply Othello mercilessly for Cassio's job, making herself seem suspicious.
"For Michael Cassio,
I dare be sworn I think that he is honest."-Iago. This is not the first time he speaks ill of Cassio, but it is the first in which he says uncertain terms like think. He is beginning to sow the seeds of discontent in Othello, starting here with this, and will continue on for the rest of the play.
"I' faith, I fear it has.
I hope you will consider what is spoke
Comes from my love. But I do see you're moved:
I am to pray you not to strain my speech
To grosser issues nor to larger reach
Than to suspicion."-Iago. Iago beseeches Othello not to listen to him though Othello has already pulled the information he wanted from him. He is making himself seem more human, likable, and honest, establish a sort of repot that seems to mean that he himself means well. He will be less easily suspected by Othello as the play progresses.
"Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless
Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds."-Othello. Othello begins to doubt himself at these lines, bemoaning his marrying, saying that Iago likely knows more he does not tell him. The first claws of doubt are beginning to scratch at Othello's mind, and will keep him thinking on this until he is driven mad.
"Not poppy, nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owedst yesterday."-Iago. Iago intends for Othello never to sleep again. He knows that the monster Othello conjures will haunt his days and nights, and predicts here what will occur because he knows he already has Othello in his clutches.
Iago plants the handkerchief in Cassio's room to implicate that he and Desdemona have slept together and that Desdemona has given away the handkerchief Othello prizes to a mere lover.
Othello begins to doubt and doubt, and he worries himself, but Desdemona is so wonderful and pur he almost cannot help but change his mind. Desdemona knows Othello as a very non-jealous person, and is startled by his erratic and slightly violent behaviors towards the end of act three. He is being eaten away by the green eyed monster, and he is slowly spiraling down. He has never been so demanding and abrupt with her before, and she is unsure what is going on that she should be treated so, because she has been nothing but a great wife to her husband. |