Othello

Othello enters the bedroom with a light and watches the sleeping Desdemona. In a soliloquy, Othello resolves not to mar Desdemona’s beauty when he kills her, and laments that it is almost persuading him not to. He asserts that he must kill her to prevent her from betraying more men and kisses her, then likens himself to heaven/God, because he “strikes where it doth love” (24). Desdemona wakes, and Othello tells her she should pray for forgiveness for any crime since he plans to kill her. She maintains that she is guilty of nothing, but says she still feels his murderous look. When he again tells her to address her sins, she says, “They are loves I bear to you” (49). Othello then for the first time accuses her of cheating on him with Cassio and says he saw Cassio with her handkerchief. She asks Othello to summon Cassio since he will say it isn’t true and Othello, referring to Cassio and Iago’s conversation about Bianca, says he has already admitted to having sex with her. Desdemona insists he will not say so, and Othello agrees, saying (incorrectly) that Cassio is dead. Desdemona realizes she is trapped and begs that Othello banish her instead of killing her. While she protests, tries to leave the bed, and asks to say one last prayer, Othello says it’s too late and smothers her. Emilia begins to call for Othello from offstage. Othello thinks there is still some sign of life from Desdemona and attacks her again, until he’s certain she’s dead.

Othello draws the curtain around the bed and lets Emilia in. She tells him that Cassio is alive and has killed Roderigo. It turns out that Desdemona is not yet dead, and she cries out that she has been “falsely murdered” (144). Emilia urges her to speak again, and Desdemona proclaims her innocence. When Emilia asks her to name her killer, Desdemona protects Othello by saying, “Nobody. I myself. Farewell,” before dying (152). Othello quickly confesses to a horrified Emilia, who insists on Desdemona’s innocence and calls Othello “a devil” (163). Othello reveals that Iago, Emilia’s own husband, told him of Desdemona’s affair, and Emilia repeatedly asks, “My husband?” as Othello explains Iago’s role in the plot (171, 178, 182). Emilia realizes what her husband has done, proclaims that he is lying and she hopes he rots in hell, and that Desdemona was too fond of Othello, “her most filthy bargain” (192), to ever cheat on him. Othello draws his sword and Emilia says his sword can’t hurt her any more than she has already been hurt. She calls him stupid and says she will tell everyone he is a murderer, then she begins calling for help.

Iago, Gratiano, and Montano enter, and Emilia, still not believing that Iago could be so evil, urges him to deny that he told Othello that Desdemona was unfaithful. He at first hedges, saying, “I told him what I thought, and told no more/Than what he found himself was apt and true” (212-13), but when she presses him, he admits that he said Desdemona and Cassio were having an affair. He tells Emilia to stop talking, and she refuses, saying that Othello has murdered Desdemona because of Iago’s lies. She says that she suspected Iago’s villainy, and he orders her to go home. She refuses and says she may never go home again. When Othello explains to Gratiano and Montano that the handkerchief was proof, Emilia exclaims and again insists to Iago that no man will stop her from speaking the truth. He again tells her to go home and draws his sword, shocking Gratiano. Emilia continues to explain how she found the handkerchief and gave it to Iago, who had begged her to steal it. Realizing what Iago has done, Othello rushes at him, but Iago kills Emilia first and flees.

Montano exits to purse Iago, leaving Gratiano to guard a disarmed Othello. Emilia sings “Willow” as she dies next to Desdemona. Othello tells Gratiano he has another sword in the bedroom, but will not use it on him, saying it is only the end of his own life. Cassio, Lodovico, and Montano enter with Iago as prisoner. Othello wounds Iago, saying he would rather have him live since death is a happiness, and asks Cassio to forgive him. Othello wants to know why Iago tortured him, but Iago replies that he will not speak, though Gratiano vows to torture him until he does. With letters from Roderigo’s pocket, Roderigo’s surprise deathbed confession, and Cassio’s explanations, the remaining characters work out Iago’s entire plot. Lodovico says that Othello will be stripped of his command and Iago tortured and brought to justice in Venice. Othello urges them not to exaggerate his tale, but to describe him as someone who loved too much and was manipulated into a frenzy. He likens Desdemona to a precious “pearl” (407) that he threw away without understanding her value, and he asks the men to remember his other valiant deeds in service of the state of Venice. He then stabs himself and kisses Desdemona as he dies. Lodovico blames Iago for the three dead people on the bed. He tells Cassio that he will govern Cyprus and decide how to punish Iago while he, Lodovico, will return to Venice and relate what has happened.