Major Events
In this act, Roderigo intends to hurt Cassio but instead, Cassio’s leg is hurt by Iago. Othello hears the cries and the first impression is that Iago has wounded Cassio. He declares to resolve avenging on his wife while exiting. Gratiano and Lodovico also hear Cassio’s cries but Iago pretends not to do know what is going on. Iago stabs Roderigo when Gratiano and Lodovico are looking away but Roderigo does not die immediately but ends up incriminating Iago through the letters present in his pocket. Iago tries to frame Bianca which is an indication that he is less skillful with his acts. In scene two, Othello opens the stage psyched up to kill D. Othello lies of confessions from Cassio to having an affair. When D calls for evidence from Cassio, Othello tells says that he is dead which lead D to crying. However, Emilia brings in news that Cassio is hurt while Roderigo is dead. Desdemona’s infidelity is the idea that Iago attributes O’s wife killing. A series of death delivery messages are given and the individuals committing the crimes. Iago is chased over allegations of killing while Emilia dies in the process. Othello is part of the team that tries killing Iago. Meanwhile, Roderigo’s letters presented which leads to learning of the Iago’s intended plot. Through this, it is learnt that Roderigo was stubbed by Iago. Othello’s command is withdrawn and Cassio given the governor’s title. Othello delivers his final speech then kills himself (Shakespeare 20-57).
Characters
The characters include Othello who is a hero and a protagonist. He is a Christian Moor, physically powerful figure and eloquent as evidenced that he is respected by the individuals around him. However, in this act he is an easy security prey as he is accused and deprived of power at the end of the act. Desdemona is privately married to Othello, she is stereotypical, meek, and self possessed and determined as portrayed in the circumstance that she defends her marriage. Cassio is Othello’s lieutenant, inexperienced, young soldier. He is injured by Iago due to his inexperience nature of handling issues. Emilia is Lago’s wife in this act. She is worldly cynical. She does not trust the husband and eventually ends up dying due to the conflicts that emerge in this act. Roderigo is a rich, foolish and young man and would do anything in order to win Desdemona’s hand in marriage. He is desperate as insists on Desdemona marrying him even though she does not like him. Lodovico is a kinsman and a messenger to Cyprus from Venice (Potter 24).
Exterior conflicts
There exists a conflict between Roderigo and Lago over whereby Lago believes that if Roderigo stays alive he is likely to demand for the gifts and the jewels that Desdemona had been given and thus the conflict over his killing with that of Cassio. This is because, if Cassio was to remain alive, since he is widely known for his goodness, this will only be a chance of proving Lago’s evil nature. For Lago, it is conflicting issue to ensure that all the two men are dead so that he can clear his name. Lago is seen to be manipulative in nature and ready to start conflicts so that other characters are hurt. This is evidenced when he says, “I am not what I am.” He is the main reason as to why the conflict between Desdemona and Othello exist. He lies to Othello that the wife has been sleeping with Cassio such that, Othello ends up believing that he is the wife has been cheating with Cassio (Sadowski 332).
Interior conflicts
Othello still has strong feelings towards Desdemona and tries so much to overcome the fears he has in order to be able to kill her. He is regretful of the action that he is almost committing on killing Desdemona. He is not sure if this is the right measure to take and thus this remains an internal conflicting issue under his disposal. He is not sure whether to agree to the accusations that have been made against his wife Desdemona of sleeping with Lieutenant Cassio. And thus he is not sure of her guilt or innocence and this is the reason why he contemplates on killing her. Desdemona is also a victim of internal conflict. This is evident whereby she is not sure of the reason as to why Othello is linking her behavior to that of a whore. She is in conflict with the reason as to why Othello is jealous and the reason as to why Othello suddenly is not treating her well as initially. only for her to realize that Othello thinks she has been sleeping with Cassio, this is evident when he says "It is the cause, it is the cause" (5, 2, and 1). She ends up being killed by Othello. Her thoughts are in conflict as she is not sure of what exactly Othello is thinking about her and this gives her a reason to worry over the husband (Shakespeare 47).
Themes
Manipulation as a theme is evident in this act as Lago corrupts all the stories in order to ensure that Roderigo, Desdemona and Othello are all aggrieved at the end. He manipulates Desdemona’s cheating on Othello and even Roderigo due to his insecure idea on the army. He manipulates Roderigo which is evident when he tries killing Cassio. Betrayal is also evident in the case of Emilia deceiving Lago through admitting the stolen handkerchief to be her intention. This is because through this handkerchief most of the secrets of Lago are exposed. Jealousy is also a theme evident especially from the case of Othello and Desdemona. Othello is Jealous over the allegations that the wife has been sleeping with Cassio which even lead him to killing her finally at the end of the scene. The theme of love is evident as Roderigo is fighting for Desdemona’s love which Othello has already secured. Both of the two characters love Desdemona and would do anything for her to grow in love (Shakespeare 46).
Symbols
The handkerchief has been used in this act to give meanings to certain events. Desdemona receives the handkerchief as her gift from Othello and keeps it which is sign of love. Lago uses the handkerchief to ensure Othello believes that it is sign of chastity and faith from Desdemona. Lago takes the handkerchief to give a proof of Desdemona’s infidelity case. Othello also says that the mother could use the handkerchief to keep the father faithful. The pattern of strawberry on the handkerchief symbolizes blood which is a sign bloodstain that is left on sheet on wedding night from a virgin (Sadowski 319). The song, ‘willow’ is also a used to suggest that women and men especially from Desdemona’s views, that there exists infidelity. For her, this song represents the alienation of affections from Othello. Through singing this song, Emilia’s nature on practice of infidelity can be seen (Sadowski 320).
Works cited
Potter, Nick. Othello: Character Studies. London: Continuum, 2008. Print.
Shakespeare, William, and Julie Hankey. Othello. Cambridge [u.a.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2005. Print.
Sadowski, Piotr. Dynamism of Character in Shakespeare's Mature Tragedies. Newark: University of Delaware Press, 2003. Print.
