Key Events

Iago's Mind Games

Here Othello and Iago are seen again, and as the scene unfolds we observe Iago playing mind games with Othello once more.

Iago

Iago tries to get Othello to imagine Desdemona and Cassio in bed together and then brings up the tragic symbol of the handkerchief.
Iago continues where he left off, forcing Othello to discuss the handkerchief and Desdemona’s honesty.
Iago manipulatively claims that Cassio has admitted the affair to him, provoking Othello to fall into a fit.

Cassio

Cassio appears during Othello’s fit but Iago gets rid of him quickly.
When Cassio returns, it is to be an unwitting performer in a piece of drama engineered by Iago, with Othello as witness, whereby Bianca becomes a substitute Desdemona as the topic of conversation.

Bianca

Suddenly Bianca appears in person at this point, and throws back the handkerchief in the sight of Othello.
Cassio runs after her, which gives Iago the opportunity to move Othello onto the point of agreeing that Desdemona and Cassio will die together that same evening.

Domestic violence

Relatives of Desdemona, who are acting as officials from Venice, arrive with a letter for Othello.
In front of them Othello strikes her and they are shocked by his behaviour.
Lodovico is told by Iago that this is typical of Othello’s current behaviour.

Sadistic malice

Iago is lucky in that Bianca turns up to reject the handkerchief at the appropriate moment, and she unwittingly confirms Desdemona’s death sentence.
He even knows that Cassio can be counted upon to laugh excessively.
His addressing of Cassio as ‘Lieutenant’ is sadistic malice.

Reputation

The arrival of the Venetians to relieve Othello and to promote Cassio - although logical, since the Turkish threat has been temporarily removed - seems to be an indictment of Othello and a confirmation of Cassio as his replacement in love and war.
Striking a woman was regarded as a cowardly and dishonourable at the time, especially in public, and this action damages both their reputations.

1Context

1.1Introduction

1.1.1Specifications

1.2Background

1.2.1Shakespeare

1.2.2Love

1.2.3Tragedy

1.2.4Historical Context

1.3Othello

1.3.1Setting

1.3.2Social Issues

2Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure

2.1.2The Exam

2.2Scene One

2.2.1Key Events

2.2.2Key Themes

2.2.3Key Ideas

2.3Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events

2.3.2Key Themes

2.3.3Key Ideas

2.4Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events

2.4.2Key Events 2

2.4.3Key Themes

2.4.4Key Ideas

3Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events

3.1.2Key Events 2

3.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy

3.1.4Scene Two: Events

3.2Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events

3.2.2Key Ideas

4Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two

4.1.2Scene Three

4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas

4.1.4Scene Four

5Act Four

5.1Scene One

5.1.1Key Events

5.1.2Key Ideas

5.2Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events

5.2.2Key Ideas

5.3Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events

5.3.2Key Ideas

6Act Five

6.1Scene One

6.1.1Key Events

6.1.2Key Ideas

6.2Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events

6.2.2Key Ideas

7Character Profiles

7.1Major Characters

7.1.1Othello

7.1.2Iago

7.1.3Desdemona

7.1.4Emilia

7.1.5Cassio

7.2Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio

7.2.2Other Characters

8Key Themes

8.1Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love

8.1.2Love 2

8.1.3Tragedy

8.1.4Tragedy 2

8.2Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private

8.2.2Appearance & Reality

9Writing Techniques

9.1Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure

9.1.2Genre

9.1.3Form & Language

9.1.4Language & Imagery

10Critical Debates

10.1Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy

10.1.2Traditional

10.1.3Modern & Contemporary

10.2Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach

10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach

10.2.3Marxist Approach

11Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1Specification A

11.1.1Specification A

11.1.2Love Through the Ages

11.2Specification B

11.2.1Specification B

11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy

12Issues of Assessment

12.1The Exams

12.1.1AOs

12.1.2Mark Scheme

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