Scene Four

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Act Three, Scene Four

Desdemona admits that Othello is not himself, which she blames on state matters, though Emilia is unconvinced.

Desdemona and Othello

In this scene Desdemona sends the Clown to fetch Cassio.
She laments to Emilia the loss of her handkerchief.
Othello arrives and asks to see it, telling her it is magic handkerchief.
Desdemona lies about its whereabouts, and counters his demands for her to produce it with her own insistence that he reinstate Cassio.

Iago and Cassio

Othello walks out in a rage as Iago and Cassio enter.
Cassio wants to know without further delay whether he will be readmitted into Othello’s service.
Desdemona admits that Othello is not himself, which she blames on state matters, though Emilia is unconvinced.

Bianca

A courtesan, Bianca, complains to Cassio about his neglect of her, and he asks her to copy the handkerchief which he has found in his bedroom.

Love, Historical Context and Historicism (Act 4, Scene 4)

While the previous scene focused on Othello, this scene is more about Desdemona. It emphasises how virtuous she is and how she is still very much in love with Othello, even though it is apparent he is not himself.

Emilia

Here, Emilia comments on the fickle nature of men’s love towards women but also realises that Othello is jealous.

Bianca

The sub-plot of Bianca’s love for Cassio in introduced here and it is clear to the audience that she is jealous.
This is an echo of the main plot but presented from a female perspective.

Bianca and Cassio

The precise nature of the relationship between Bianca and Cassio is unclear.
We are not certain if it is casual or committed.
However Bianca becomes worried that Cassio has a new woman who has given him this handkerchief as a token of affection, but Cassio explains that he found the handkerchief in his bedroom (thanks to Iago, and unknown to Cassio).

The morality of love

Love and marriage are also considered by Othello here.
He laments that in previous ages, when people got married, they gave up their heart fully to the other person.
This again, is a highly romanticised view of love.
The discussion of this is quite a lengthy interlude but it gives Shakespeare the opportunity to consider the morality of love and the commitment of marriage.

Tragedy (Act 3, Scene 4)

Part of the tragic journey of Desdemona and Emilia is their repression by men.

Gender politics

The way in which the two main male characters treat their wives in this scene is strong evidence of the status of women in society at this time.
It is perhaps even harder for them to resist the tragic processes happening around them because of this.

Emilia

At this stage in the play, in answer to Desdemona’s questioning, Emilia does show some of her husband’s duplicity and therefore she does contribute to the tragic process.
When she later realises what is going on, she regrets this decision.

Tragic fate

Desdemona brings up the topic of Cassio in good faith, but in doing so she plays exactly into the hands of Iago, for this is precisely what he wishes her to do.
By this, her tragic fate is set in motion.

Jealousy

Despite Emilia’s duplicity at this point, she does understand that Othello’s anger has arisen through jealousy, though she does not work to change the course of events.