Act 5 Scene 2 Quote Analysis

Rachel Igoe

English Honors

G-Period

23 November 2010

Act 5 Scene 2 Quote Analysis

“Nobody. I myself. Farewell. / Commend me to my kind lord. O, Farewell” (V.ii.152-153)

            Desdemona is conversing with Emilia in this scene before Desdemona is killed. Emilia asks Desdemona who has done this to her and she innocently says that she did it to herself and to give her love to husband. Desdemona is aware that Othello is the one who has attempted to kill her, but she shows how faithful she is by blaming it on herself. Desdemona is a martyr for Othello’s love. She is willing to take the blame and not fight back, although she knows that Othello is wrong about the whole situation.  Throughout the play Desdemona repeatedly says that she would die for Othello’s love and if he wished to kill her she would let him. Desdemona is truly a loyal character because she even saves her husband from getting in trouble by telling Emilia that no one tried to kill her and that she did it to herself. Before she dies she also says that she is dying an innocent women, which makes the reader feel bad for her because she does not deserve to be killed for something she did not pursue. 

Act 5 Scene 1 Quote Analysis

Rachel Igoe

English Honors

G- Period

17 November 2010

Quote Analysis Act 5 Scene 1

            “ ‘Tis he! O brave Iago, honest and just, / That hast such noble sense of thy friend’s wrong! / Thou teachest me.-Minion, your dear lies dead, / And your unblest fate hies. Strumpet, I come” (V.i.34-37)

            During this scene Othello finds Cassio screaming for help because Iago stabbed him in the leg; however Cassio is unaware that Iago was the one to stab him. Othello comments on how honest and trustworthy Iago is, but he is mistaken because Iago is the one that has caused his feelings of jealousy. He says that Iago is so reliable that he even went as far to help him murder Cassio. Iago was not trying to Cassio to help Othello, he was doing it for himself because he desires for Cassio’s position. Othello does not realize how evil Iago truly his because Iago always brings himself up as a trustful person and every time he appears to be helping the situation, but he only makes it worse. Othello also says that Iago teaches how he should act, but it is ironic because if Othello knew what Iago was doing he would never want to act like him. He says that his lover is dead, referring to Desdemona, and Cassio will soon be too.

Act 4 Scene 2 Quote Analysis

Rachel Igoe

English Honors

G-Period

17 November 2010

Quote Analysis Act 4 Scene 2

            “ If any wretch have put this in your head, / Let heaven requite it with the serpent’s curse, / For if she be not honest, chaste, and true, / There’s no man happy” (IV.ii.16-18).

            Emilia is conversing with Othello because he questions her if she ever witnessed anything happen between Cassio and Desdemona. Othello asks Emilia if she has ever heard Desdemona tell Cassio anything or if she has whispered to him. He specifically asks Emilia because she has been there every time that Cassio and Desdemona have talked. Emilia says that if anyone has tried to convince Othello that Desdemona has done wrong then that person should be cursed. It is ironic because Iago, Emilia’s husband, has been convincing Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Emilia is unaware of the fact that her own husband is creating problems between Othello and Desdemona. The reader might wonder what Emilia would do if she found out that Iago was the person that was influencing Othello. The reader also has sympathy for Desdemona because she is kind hearted and loyal, but she is mistreated for acts she did not take part of.

Act 4 Scene 1 Quote Analysis

Rachel Igoe

English Honors

G-Period

15 November 2010

Quote Analysis Act 4 Scene 1

            “A likely piece of work, that you / should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there! This is some minx’s token, and I must / take out the work? There, give it your hobbyhorse” (IV.i.170-172).

            Bianca is conversing with Cassio while he is standing with Othello and Iago. She is very aggravated by the fact the Cassio has told her to make a copy of the embroidery pattern of the handkerchief. She assumes that another girl that he has been sleeping with gave the handkerchief to him. Bianca tells Cassio to give it back to the girl and that she wants nothing to do with this. Othello realizes that the handkerchief is the one that he gave Desdemona and he is irritated because he now believes that Desdemona and Cassio truly have been sleeping together. Othello is also furious because Bianca is known as a prostitute and to see his handkerchief in the ownership of her makes he feel as if his prize possession is really worthless. This also represents how significant the handkerchief is because it symbolizes the love between Desdemona and Othello and now that Cassio has possession of the handkerchief their love will eventually come to an end.

Act 3 Scene 4 Quote Analysis

Rachel Igoe

English Honors

G-Period

14 November 2010

Quote Analysis Act 3 Scene 4

            “ ‘Twould make her amiable and subdue my father / Entirely to her love. But if she lost it, / Or made a gift of it, my father’s eye / Should hold her loathed, and his spirits should hunt / After new fancies” (III.iv.70-74)

            Othello tells Desdemona the story about how he got his handkerchief and the meaning behind it. He says that an Egyptian witch gave it to his mother and if his mother were to ever lose the handkerchief or give it away, her husband would start hating her and look for another woman. When Othello’s mother was dying she gave him the handkerchief and told him to give it to his wife when he got married. This is foreshadowing what will happen to Desdemona and Othello because Othello received the handkerchief from his mother and gave it to Desdemona. Since Desdemona lost the handkerchief Othello gave to her he will ultimately end up detesting her. At the end of his speech to her he tells Desdemona that she should treat the handkerchief as something precious because if she were to lose it or give it away it would be a loss like no other. The handkerchief is an important symbol because it represents Othello’s heritage and what will happen to the relationship if she were to lose the handkerchief. Since Cassio has the handkerchief in his possession it represents Desdemona’s unfaithfulness.

Act 3 Scene 3 Quote Analysis

Rachel Igoe

English Honors

G-Period

11 November 2010

Quote Analysis

            “ I had been happy if the general camp, /Pioners and all, had tasted her sweet body, / so I had nothing known.” (III.iii.397-399

            Othello says that he would rather that the whole army and the lowest ranking people would have slept with Desdemona. As of now Othello believes that Desdemona is cheating on him with one of his close companions, Cassio. It is ironic that Othello would rather that Desdemona cheated on him with someone he does not know, because regardless cheating is cheating. Since Othello believes that Cassio has been loyal to him he feels a sense of mistrust in everyone. He says that he wish he never knew that Cassio and Desdemona were seeing each other because it puts unwanted thoughts into his mind and makes him go crazy. Othello wish she had been cheating on him with the rest of his army because he says that he would never find out. It is ironic how Othello would rather not know that Desdemona is cheating on him because the reader may believe that since he is so honorable he would do something to prevent it from happening.

Act 2 Scene 3

Rachel Igoe

Mr. George

English Honors

8 November 2010

Quote Analysis Act 2 Scene 3

            Our general’s wife is now the general: I may say so in this respect, / for that he hath devoted and given up / himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confess yourself / freely to her. Importune her help to put you in your place again. (II.iii.334-338)

            Iago is putting his plan into action by telling Cassio to talk to Desdemona about his position as a commander. Cassio believes that if he talks to Othello he will not get his job back because Othello has lost his respect for him. Since Desdemona has control over Othello now that they are married, Iago convinces him to talk to her instead. Every time that Iago mentions Desdemona to Cassio he always has to say how beautiful and generous she is because what he really wants is Cassio to steal Desdemona away from Othello. When Cassio goes to see Desdemona to talk about his position as a lieutenant, it could potentially end the friendship between Othello and Cassio. Iago is setting Cassio up because he wants Othello to be raging with jealousy.  

Act 2 Scene 3 Quote Analysis

Rachel Igoe

English Honors

G-Period

1 November 2010

Quote Analysis Act 2 Scene 3

“Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep. / He’ll watch the horologe a double set/ If drink rock not his cradle” (II.iii.90-93)

           

            Iago is telling Montano that Cassio drinks heavily every night before he goes to sleep. He purposely does this because he is jealous of Cassio’s position in the army, as the general’s lieutenant and he want Cassio to look bad. Montano now believes that Cassio has a drinking problem and he thinks that it is best to tell Othello that one of his most trusted is not responsible. Iago is putting his plan in action by making Cassio seem like he is an untrustworthy person. Although the reader is aware that Cassio refuses to drink while he is on duty and Iago is the one that pressured Cassio into drinking so that he could easily persuade Cassio and get any information from him. The reader can see how deceiving Iago is because he wants Cassio to appear as negligent when he is truly responsible and deserving of his postion.