My HE2 Othello Lit Blog

Othello Lit Blog
Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 4
8-13-12

Act 3 Scene 1 and 2.

Summary: In Scene 1, Cassio asks the musicians to play under Othello's window to amuse him, and the clown runs in and he tells them Othello wants them to stop playing.  Cassio sends the clown to ask Emilia to let him see Desdemona. Iago rushes in and tells Cassio he will send Emilia straight away, when Emilia arrives she and Cassio go off to a private area to talk. In Scene 2,  Othello gives Iago letters to give to the pilot and then send to the Senate. Then he and some Gentlemen go and walk around the fortification.

Key Quotation: "I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest."

Quotation Significance:  Cassio says this after Iago leaves to tell  Emilia to talk to him about speaking to Desdemmona. This is significant because Cassio is totally fooled by Iago and doesn't realize how two-faced Iago is.

Reflection: After reading this chapter, I have a good feeling on how the story to turn from here. I think that Othello will catch Desdemona and Cassio and he will kill her in his rage, and when he finds out she was innocent he will kill himself. I believe Iago wants revenge on Othello on a mere rumor of Othello sleeping with Emilia, and that he wasn't promoted to lieutenant. Instead Cassio was. I believe this is why Cassio is used as the man committing the "affair" with Desdemona, Iago wants revenge on him too.  I feel what on what Cassio and Roderigo are going through right now. They are blinded by Iago and his actions and are confused. Roderigo's money was stolen by Iago and Cassio's job was stolen as well. All in all, Iago is winning this race and someone has to figure out his plot and stop him.
Discussion Question: Do you think anyone will figure out what Iago is doing before it is too late?

Act 3 Scene 3

Summary: Othello and Iago catch Desdemona and Cassio together and Desdemona pleads to Othello to take Cassio back, afterwards, Iago hints that Cassio and Desdemona are in an affair.  When Iago states that Cassio has Desdemona's hankerchief he is convinced that they are in an affair and is determined to kill Desdemona.

Key Quotation: "Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on."

Quotation Significance: Iago is telling Othello to beware of jealously, because it is a monster that devours people.  This quote was significant because it is ironic in the sense that Iago wants Othello to be jealous and let the feeling devour him so Iago has his revenge.

Reflection: After reading this scene, I am even more certain that Iago is going to win. Obviously, Othello kills Desdemona and upon finding her innocence he kills himself to be with her. At the end of the chapter Iago also gets something else he wants- a promotion. Othello decides to promote Iago to his lieutenant. Roderigo is angry and upset and so is Cassio, they have been tricked by Iago and given false promises. All Roderigo's money is gone and Cassio just wants his job back. And obviously that will not happen. I feel Othello's pain and it scares me that he wants to kill his wife due to adultery when there is no real proof only rumors. Othello needs to talk to Desdemona and Cassio and find out the truth.
Discussion Question: Do you think Othello has it in him to kill Desdemona?

Act 3 Scene 4

Summary: Desdemona sends the Clown to go and find Cassio to tell him that he is mostly likely going t be able to get his job back. Othello walks in and he and Desdemona have a fight about the location of the hankerchief, Desdemona tells Cassio she can't solve his problem right now becaus Othello is angry. Cassio meets with his lover, Bianca and asks her to make a copy of Desdemona's hankerchief.

Quotation:" They are all but stomachs and we all be but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full they belch us."

Quotation Significance: Emilia says this after Othello storms out in a rage abut the hankerchief. This means that men use women and throw them away when they are finished with them. I believe this is what Othello is doing to Desdemona.

Reflection: Iago is a genius. He has decieved a man into thinking his wife is a cheater on merely rumors. He believes Iago wholeheartedly and will pay the price. I hope that sooner or later Othello fins out Iago's devious plot. I also feel bad for Cassio, becausehe is being used and will probably be killed by Iago. It is especially sad that Desdemona's kindness is what will kill her in the end. Emilia is helping to spell Desemona's end and doesn't know it. She thinks that Iago is a good man. I feel sad about how this story is going and I hope that at least Iago will be exposed for what he is.

Discussion Question:  Do you think Iago will go through with his plan?

Act 4 Scene 1

 Summary: Othello and Iago talk and Iago says Cassio said they were together in bed, and Othello goes into a trance. Cassio talks Iago and Othello eavesdrops hearing Cassio and Iago talk about Bianca, but Othello thinks they are talking about Desdemona. Bianca comes in an gives Cassio the hankerchief back, and Othello decides to strangle Desdemona tonight and Iago will kill Cassio, Othello hits Desdemona in front of important people.
Quotation: "So, so, so, so: they laugh that win."
Quotation Significance: This means that people win can laugh. This then means that Othello has given up and has acknowledged that Cassio has won.
Reflection: In this chapter I can feel the anger and suspense building in Othello. Othello feels like he wants to kill Desdemona and Iago is feeding him false information. I feel that in Act 5 Othello will kill Desdemona and expose Iago. I feel Iago's deception and he is a genius because he hinted many things to Othello but not too much so that why Othello can't say- "Iago told me". Iago would hint and then deny it. Iago has played his cards well and it looks like he is going to win.
Discussion Question: If you were Othello, would what you do?

Act 5 Scene 2

Summary: Othello debates over whether to kill Desdemona and when she wakes up at night he strangles her. Emilia rushes in stating that Rodrigo was dead. Everyone finds out Iago did this and Othello realizes Desdemona is innocent. Othello stabs himself and Iago is to be punished, tortured, killed,  or imprisoned for his crimes.

Quotation: "I kissed thee here I killed thee: no way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss." (91).

Quotation Significance: Othello states this right before he dies after killing himself when he finds out Desdemona is innocent. This is significant because it shows how much Othello cares about Desdemona  and he wants to kill himself to die with her kiss on his lips.

Reflection: In the last scene of the book, it really surprises me. I didn't think Roderigo would be killed by Iago, and it isn't really clear why Cassio wasn't killed.  Lodovico has the last line of the book, and in Romeo and Juliet a side character also has the last line. I always thought it was interesting a main character doesn't have the last line of the play. Othello says he will go to hell for what he has done to Desdemona, and I like that he accepted what he has done and is ready to suffer the consequences. Overall, this was a good book with lots of unexpected turns.

Discussion Question: What do you think will be Iago's fate?