3.2.1

Key Events

Test yourself on Key Events

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Iago's Plot

While Othello and Desdemona retire to bed, Cassio is put in charge of the watch. Iago then puts his plan into action.

Iago's trick

Iago's trick

  • While Othello and Desdemona retire to bed, Cassio is put in charge of the watch.
  • Iago then tricks Cassio into drinking to the point of drunkenness and Roderigo provokes him according to plan, immediately confirming Iago’s slanderous prediction of Cassio’s uncontrolled behaviour to the governor, Montano.
Cassio's disgrace

Cassio's disgrace

  • Cassio strikes Roderigo and wounds Montano, who has intervened to stop the fight.
  • Othello is roused from bed and to anger.
  • He dismisses Cassio from his service after hearing Iago’s cunning account of the incident.
Advice

Advice

  • Cassio appeals for advice from Iago, regarding the loss of his reputation and denouncing the demon drink.
  • The latter plays the good friend and tells him to use Desdemona to try to get his place back since the ‘General’s wife’ is now ‘the General’.
Desdemona

Desdemona

  • Iago’s description of Desdemona is low and coarse, contrasting with the flattering and courteous comments that Cassio makes about her.
  • Iago has set up revellers to trap Cassio into having to be sociable and to toast to the health of ‘black Othello’ or prove himself ill-mannered.
Iago

Iago

  • Thus Iago uses virtues as well as faults against their owners to unmake what has been made: the lieutenancy, the marital union, and the respect of Cypriots for Venetians.

Iago's Plot 2

Iago manages the action, entrances and exits, and timing of this scene in a masterly fashion, and comes out of it well himself.

Drunkenness

Drunkenness

  • In Iago’s view, real men can hold their drink, and be the life and soul of the party, as he can.
  • Drunkenness was seen as a state akin to bestiality, since it involves loss of clear vision and reason, and is an ‘enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains’.
Iago's cunning

Iago's cunning

  • Iago manages the action, entrances and exits, and timing of this scene in a masterly fashion, and comes out of it well himself: he diminishes people’s reputations, both in their eyes and in the view of others, and raises himself in everyone’s esteem.
Sex

Sex

  • Whenever Iago can get in a reference to sex, he does so, as in the ‘bride and groom / Divesting them for bed’, and his speech equates love with ‘opposition bloody’ and the battle imagery of ‘swords’, ‘tilting’, ‘odds’ and ‘action’.
Speech

Speech

  • Speech and the disadvantages of those who cannot speak (Cassio and Montano), are made clear in this scene.
  • Double-talking Iago can speak in a way that both condemns Cassio and yet appears to be pleading on his behalf, as a loyal friend would.
Wrath

Wrath

  • It is of crucial significance that Othello says, ‘My blood begins my safer guides to rule, / And passion, having my best judgement collied, / Always to lead the way’.
  • This is tantamount to having fallen: letting passion overrule the safer guide of judgement, as in Adam’s original sin.
  • To reinforce a recurring image, ‘collied’ means ‘blackened’.
  • Othello never recovers from his giving way to the deadly sin of wrath at this moment.
Jump to other topics
1

Context

1.1

Introduction

1.1.1Specifications
1.2

Background

1.2.1Shakespeare1.2.2Love1.2.3Tragedy1.2.4Historical Context
1.3

Othello

1.3.1Setting1.3.2Social Issues
2

Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1

Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure2.1.2The Exam
2.2

Scene One

2.2.1Key Events2.2.2Key Themes2.2.3Key Ideas
2.3

Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events2.3.2Key Themes2.3.3Key Ideas
2.4

Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events2.4.2Key Events 22.4.3Key Themes2.4.4Key Ideas
3

Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1

Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events3.1.2Key Events 23.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy3.1.4Scene Two: Events
3.2

Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events3.2.2Key Ideas
4

Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1

Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two4.1.2Scene Three4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas4.1.4Scene Four
5

Act Four

5.1

Scene One

5.1.1Key Events5.1.2Key Ideas
5.2

Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events5.2.2Key Ideas
5.3

Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events5.3.2Key Ideas
6

Act Five

6.1

Scene One

6.1.1Key Events6.1.2Key Ideas
6.2

Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events6.2.2Key Ideas
7

Character Profiles

7.1

Major Characters

7.1.1Othello7.1.2Iago7.1.3Desdemona7.1.4Emilia7.1.5Cassio
7.2

Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio7.2.2Other Characters
8

Key Themes

8.1

Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love8.1.2Love 28.1.3Tragedy8.1.4Tragedy 2
8.2

Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private8.2.2Appearance & Reality
9

Writing Techniques

9.1

Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure9.1.2Genre9.1.3Form & Language9.1.4Language & Imagery
10

Critical Debates

10.1

Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy10.1.2Traditional10.1.3Modern & Contemporary
10.2

Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach10.2.3Marxist Approach
11

Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1

Specification A

11.1.1Specification A11.1.2Love Through the Ages
11.2

Specification B

11.2.1Specification B11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy
12

Issues of Assessment

12.1

The Exams

12.1.1AOs12.1.2Mark Scheme

Practice questions on Key Events

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Events of Act Two Scene ThreePut in order
  2. 2
    Events of Act Two Scene Three cont.Put in order
  3. 3
    Things Iago's meddling affects:Fill in the list
  4. 4
    Events of Act Two Scene Three (1):Fill in the list
  5. 5
    Events of Act Two Scene Three (2):Fill in the list
Answer all questions on Key Events

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Scene Two: Events

Key Ideas