Othello Act 3 siii

• Engels
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• GCSE

Lesson objectives 

Act 3 s iii

Jealousy and Othello 

Othello's soliloquy 

Jealousy how would you define it?

Write, in your exercise book, your definition of the noun jealousy 

From Cambridge online dictionary 

From Google 

Are these all the same kind of jealousy? Discuss 

Making Othello jealous and angry is Iago’s ultimate aim

quizlet.com

Where Othello’s madness starts

• This is the longest scene in the play, and arguably the most significant
  
• After setting up the previous events carefully, Iago now begins to “practice” on Othello “even to madness”
  
• Iago skilfully constructs the taunting of Othello by using throwaway remarks, and dropping in seemingly unimportant details
  
• This is the last scene where Othello feels happiness and contentment
  

“Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, that he would steal away so guilty-like seeing you coming”

Cuckold = a husband who is cheated on 

Derives from the cuckoo bird, who lay their eggs in the nests of other birds then leave. The chick is then raised by the host parent, unaware that the egg was never theirs.

Similarly, a cuckolded husband is unaware of his wife’ infidelity, or only becomes aware when a child arrives that is clearly not his.

A wife’s chastity was part of her husband’s honour so it was particularly humiliating for men if their wives had affairs.

"I will deny thee nothing"

Desdemona champions Cassio, as she promised. Othello’s use of endearing names, such as “sweet Desdemon,” “sweet,” and “my Desdemon,” shows us that he’s still her affectionate husband.

But Desdemona fails to stop when she has won the battle. She presses on and, in so doing, helps Iago create uncertainty over her chastity.

Does the fact that she continues to press for Cassio's cases show that she does not understand her husband or recognise his irritation? 

"I will deny thee nothing"

"Perdition catch my soul but I do love thee! And when I love thee not, Chaos is come again"

These words that will haunt the rest of the play as Othello moves closer and closer to madness.

By Act V, chaos really has come, and the law and order that holds the world together has come undone, fulfilling Othello’s prophecy.

Lesson objectives 

Act 3 s iii

Othello's soliloquy 

Why does Othello believe Iago so quickly? 

Some key quotes and insight into Othello's jealousy 

Othello's soliloquy

Annotate your copy of the speech, 

looking for the following:

Self deprecating language

Othello’s views on

marriage

love

trust

race

Language features for example ...

Hyperbole

Why do you think that Othello is so quick to believe Desdemona is false?

Discuss

Many critics and theatregoers have found it implausible or ridiculous that Othello is so quick to think that Desdemona is unfaithful without trusting his love, or even asking her himself

But historical and social reasons might help to explain this. 

Women as liars and tricksters

There was (and is) a widespread historical and cultural belief that women, by nature, are  deceitful and cunning. 

Aristotle believed that women were “more mischievous, less simple ... more void of shame or self-respect, more false of speech, more deceptive” than men

The trope of a clever or scheming woman is used time and again in literature and culture. 

"I have use for it. Go, leave me. 

I will in Cassio's lodgings lose this napkin 

And let him find it. Trifles light as air 

Are to the jealous confirmations strong 

As proofs of holy writ. This may be something.

The Moor already changes with my poison: 

Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons, 

Which at the first are scarce found to distaste

But, with a little act upon the blood, 

Burn like the mines of sulphur. I did say so. 

Enter Othello 

Look where he comes! Not poppy nor mandragora, 

Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world, 

Shall ever medicine thee to the at sweet sleep 

Which thou owed'st yesterday. 

3.3.321-334

3.3.360-363

"Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore; 

Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof, 

Or by the worth of mine eternal soul,

Thou hadst been better have been born a dog 

Than answer my waked wrath!

Iago's achievements in this scene 

• Ruining Othello’s peace of mind and sleep 
  
• Destroying Cassio’s reputation
  
• Framing Desdemona as a “cunning whore”
  
• Getting Cassio sacked
  
• Being promoted to the rank of lieutenant
  

Complete this table with arguments. Try to find three ideas for each statement 

We pity Othello because ...

We judge Othello because ...

We pity Othello because ...	We judge Othello because ...
We pity him, knowing that he is sinking further into despair, all because of a series of lies and carefully orchestrated tricks.	He has taken a mere suggestion and has reorganised his world view around it as if it were truth.
We pity him for falling victim to the scheming of his brother in arms, who should be loyal and faithful	He assumes the worst without waiting to ask Desdemona herself whether the allegations were true.
He is an outsider whose status is precarious. He knows his marriage is a delicate subject and he is touchy about it. “She did deceive her father marrying thee”	Othello, the great military strategist, is swayed very easily, calling into question his judgement.

We are here 

Freytag's pyramid - the structure of a tragedy