4.1.3
Scene Three: Key Ideas
Love, Historical Context and Historicism (Act 3, Scene 3)
Love, Historical Context and Historicism (Act 3, Scene 3)
Othello seems more bothered by shared possession of Desdemona, which damages his public honour, than by the hurt of private betrayal.
Desdemona's excess
Desdemona's excess
- Desdemona aids Iago’s case by being excessive, and therefore arousing suspicion.
- She also criticises Othello for ‘mammering on’, and makes an unfortunate connection between Cassio and wooing by using the ambiguous word ‘suitor’.
- Othello also paves the way for Iago’s assault by saying that without Desdemona’s love ‘Chaos is come again’.
Shared lines
Shared lines
- The word ‘satisfaction’ is used several times in this scene by Iago, who gives it a sexual connotation as well as the meaning of satisfying curiosity with knowledge; he taunts Othello with it in both senses.
- Othello and Iago share lines as well as diction throughout this scene, indicating the bond forming between them.
- They almost ‘re-marry’ each other and form each other’s sentences like lovers.
‘Ocular proof’
‘Ocular proof’
- Much use is made by Iago of words relating to vision, working on Othello’s imagination about his love and a need for ‘ocular proof’.
- Othello sets up his own imprisoning process of thinking and acting when he avows: ‘I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove / And on the proof... Away at once with love or jealousy!’.
- This may seem reasonable, but it excludes the essential stage in the pursuit of truth of speaking to the accused to check if there is another point of view or explanation.
Logistical problems
Logistical problems
- There is also the logistical problem of proving things: one can prove adultery but not fidelity, and there is no one to present the case for the defence.
Personal and private
Personal and private
- Othello seems more bothered by shared possession of Desdemona, which damages his public honour, than by the hurt of private betrayal.
- Therefore he offers a curious response to personal and private love.
- He seems more concerned about his public image.
Tragedy (Act 3, Scene 3)
Tragedy (Act 3, Scene 3)
The relentless pace is kept up here. This is often known as the ‘temptation’ or ‘corruption’ scene.
Temptation
Temptation
- The relentless pace removes opportunity for questions to creep into Othello’s mind or for him to meet Cassio and Desdemona during this onslaught.
- The temptation, as with the apple in Eden, is of forbidden knowledge; Iago knows something which Othello does not, which drives him mad, first with curiosity and then with doubt.
- Othello cannot bear to ‘know’t a little’ and becomes obsessed with the need to know more, which was Eve’s original ‘tragic’ sin.
Tragic division
Tragic division
- Iago finds himself alone with Othello at this key moment, which may be attributed to Desdemona having gone too far in her insistent demands on Cassio’s behalf and his needing a bit of peace.
- Again, this suggests the tragic division between them.
Battle of the orators
Battle of the orators
- Iago dominates the dialogue by controlling its content, having more lines, and imposing his animalistic diction.
- He has won the battle between the orators: Othello’s speeches have not only become short but repetitive, grammatically incomplete and highly exclamatory—even inarticulate.
- This change in Othello’s formerly poetic language to him being only able to make sounds and brief utterances perfectly demonstrates the shift he is experiencing and linguistically represents his tragic fall.
The ‘compulsive course’
The ‘compulsive course’
- Once evil spirits are conjured, the process of doubt can no more reversed than the ‘compulsive course’ of the sea with which Othello again identifies himself.
- This sense of compulsion is important to note as the tragedy now seems fixed and inevitable.
- There is therefore a compulsion to kill Desdemona for betraying him.
Transformation
Transformation
- During this scene an extraordinary transformation takes place, and Othello and Iago have become conspirators in a double murder plot.
- Othello is no longer noble.
- The spiral extends downwards and it will be hard for him to climb back up again.
- At his point Othello is almost like a ventriloquist’s dummy with Iago as the ventriloquist.
1Context
1.1Introduction
1.3Othello
2Act One: Summaries & Themes
2.1Act and Scene Summaries
2.2Scene One
2.3Scene Two
3Act Two: Summaries & Themes
3.1Scene One & Two
3.2Scene Three
4Act Three: Summaries & Themes
5Act Four
5.1Scene One
5.2Scene Two
5.3Scene Three
6Act Five
6.1Scene One
6.2Scene Two
7Character Profiles
7.1Major Characters
7.2Minor Characters
8Key Themes
8.1Love & Tragedy
8.2Other Key Themes
9Writing Techniques
9.1Writing Techniques
10Critical Debates
10.1Criticism & Performance
11Approaching AQA English Literature
11.1Specification A
11.2Specification B
12Issues of Assessment
12.1The Exams
Jump to other topics
1Context
1.1Introduction
1.3Othello
2Act One: Summaries & Themes
2.1Act and Scene Summaries
2.2Scene One
2.3Scene Two
3Act Two: Summaries & Themes
3.1Scene One & Two
3.2Scene Three
4Act Three: Summaries & Themes
5Act Four
5.1Scene One
5.2Scene Two
5.3Scene Three
6Act Five
6.1Scene One
6.2Scene Two
7Character Profiles
7.1Major Characters
7.2Minor Characters
8Key Themes
8.1Love & Tragedy
8.2Other Key Themes
9Writing Techniques
9.1Writing Techniques
10Critical Debates
10.1Criticism & Performance
11Approaching AQA English Literature
11.1Specification A
11.2Specification B
12Issues of Assessment
12.1The Exams
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered