Unable to control his jealousy, he goes to Desdemona while she sleeps and smothers her. “And to his honour and valiant parts did I my soul and fortunes consecrate” Act 1 scene 3 – Desdemona saying how she loves Othello “A moth of peace … the rites for which I love him are bereft me.” Act 1 scene 3 – Desdemona begging that she goes with Othello … The story of a Moorish general (Othello) and the soldier (Iago) who plots to usurp him, the play features a small cast of characters who are manipulated and pitted against each other as part of Iago's deceitful plan. Iago wants Cassio dead. Othello’s agitation at what he hears brings on an epileptic fit. 1 decade ago. Othello declares his love for Desdemona when he proclaims, “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them” (Shakespeare 1017). dead!”. Othello (The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603.It is based on the story Un Capitano Moro ("A Moorish Captain") by Cinthio (a disciple of Boccaccio's), first published in 1565. He is is hovering over the sleeping Desdemona trying to prepare himself to kill her. Summary. This scene also shows her loyalty to Othello because even when she is dying on her bed, she claims Othello did not kill her. Othello believes that Desdemona cheated on him with another man, Cassio, thus plans and stabs his wife to death. This was because of Iago’s plot to ruin Othello’s life, because Othello had snubbed him for a job position. 2 Answers. D S. Lv 7. Farewell. In a fit of madness fueled by rage and jealousy, Othello kills his wife in private, as he cannot stand the thought that Desdemona cheated on him. Why did Othello kill his wife, Desdemona, and himself? His resolve is to kill Desdemona but emotionally, he still loves her. Desdemona! Othello, rather than abandon his suspicions, believes Desdemona is so cunning that she has managed to deceive even her maid. While Othello killing Desdemona was an unlawful act, it was not done out of a malignant desire to kill her as the definition suggests. He uses the love Othello and Roderigo have for her to advance his plot. My heart's subdued Even to the very quality of my lord. Relevance. (4.1.265). In the play Othello there are many people who play a role in the death of Desdemona. Desdemona is at the center of Iago's plan. In the final scene, Othello murders his wife Desdemona by smothering her, and then he goes on to kill himself. In this quote, Othello is speaking to himself. It was an act of love as described by his dying words “One who loved not wisely, but too well.” (Act 5, Scene 2, 343). O Desdemona! DESDEMONA That I did love the Moor to live with him My downright violence and storm of fortunes May trumpet to the world. Desdemona leaves, shell-shocked, and Othello stalks out, muttering "goats and monkeys!" "Othello does not kill Desdemona in jealousy, but in a conviction forced upon him by the almost superhuman art of Iago, such as any man must and would have entertained who had believed lago's honesty as Othello did. Othello argues that their love is rooted in compassion, Othello loves Desdemona because she genuinely admired and felt sorry for him. Act 1 scene 3 – Desdemona to the duke to get him to listen to her. How did othello kill desdemona because desdemona was dieing soflty and said some word before she die. Lodovico is shocked that Othello would injure his wife and behave so boorishly in public. The story revolves around its two central characters: Othello, a … Iago however can not be blamed for everything; he did not murder Desdemona nor kill Othello. Reason #11: Jealousy The handkerchief was also a significant part of why Othello killed himself and Iago was the character that planted the handkerchief of death. Othello even strikes her in the presence of her relative, Lodovico, who has arrived as an ambassador from Venice. Othello takes Desdemona's cries for mercy, and her remorse at Cassio's misfortune, as proof of her indiscretion; although his rage is tempered, he is still set on having her dead. But the Bradshaw explains why Iago was hesitant as he was, since Iago had to test if Othello "took" Desdemona the first night of Cyprus, because if Othello did then he would've knew if Desdemona was a virgin or not, and if Othello did Iago wouldn't have insinuated that Desdemona and Cassio had prior carnal relations in … She is afraid, although she knows she is not guilty. He sets up Roderigo in a plan to get Roderigo to kill Cassio. His credulity is incredible. Thanks to his reputation, he manipulates Othello’s feelings and reasoning, destroys Cassio’s reputation, and also manages to get Othello to kill Desdemona. Knowing that she cannot convince him of her fidelity, Desdemona weeps and begs him to banish her rather than kill her, or let her live just a little more, but he stifles her, presumably with a pillow. The characters Iago and Othello reflect this attitude toward their respective wives, giving them reason to feel just… Favorite Answer. Although literal poison did not kill Othello and Desdemona, they were killed by Iago’s poisonous tongue, so here poison did kill the couple. Othello then declares he'll head back to Venice, and Cassio shall have his post (leaving out that he will be too dead to fill it). Othello's best friend, Iago, misled Othello to believe that Desdemona had been carrying on an affair and laughing at her husband behind his back. So that, dear lords, if I be left behind, In the first murder, Othello kills his wife Desdemona. Act V, scene i: Cyprus. Othello was overcome with emotions and ended up killing himself due to guilt. One may also ask, who is alive at the end of Othello? Othello believed that his wife, Desdemona, was … I myself. Our final assessment of Othello’s character is largely coloured by the final scene: We despise him for killing Desdemona, and for glorifying his vigilante behaviour as some kind of divine justice YET we admire his efforts to save her eternal soul & the anguish he feels whilst … Emilia comes in, and Othello leaves. A street. Later, Othello is adamant the murder of Desdemona amounts to an honour killing: "An honourable murderer, if you will; For nought I did in hate, but all in honour." On stage Othello normally smothers her with a pillow. Iago was jealous of Othello and knew of his friend's jealous nature, so it was easy for him to plant seeds of doubt about Desdemona's faithfulness in Othello's head. Here the two parts of othello collide. And Othello was basically a fair-minded man as the play shows before Iago began to spin his web of deceit. But how little Othello does to investigate Iago's charges! Othello's main flaw is his jealousy. ). This shows Othello trusts Iago and believes he is honest, thus Iago’s lying is working, and he begins to pull the wool over Othello’s eyes.In the beginning of the play Othello’s relationship with Desdemona is a very loving and happy one. He says that he is going to kill Desdemona because of "the cause", the crime that she has committed, a crime so horrible that he can't say what it is; "let me not name it to you". Very important for your homework: Othello is a play, a tragedy to be exact, not a novel. Desdemona is murdered by Othello her husband. Two of the key characters are Cassio, Othello's loyal captain, and Roderigo, a man who is love with Othello's wife, Desdemona. He ends up strangling her in her bed out of claims that she has been cheating on him this whole time. 3 Educator answers. 1 0. hydroplane. "— S. T. Coleridge. Iago says it himself when he is talking to the audience “when devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows “. Othello kills Desdemona because he believes she has been unfaithful. Desdemona was a loving and true wife and would not have given Othello any reason to kill her. (3.4.25-29) Through Iago’s manipulation, Othello turns on Desdemona. Othello’s suicide serves as a kind of trial in which he decides on and enacts a punishment for his crime of killing Desdemona. 1 decade ago. It can be justified that the murder of Desdemona was her own fault, but there were also some other aspects like circumstances, vengeful malice of Iago, fate, free nature of Desdemona, lack of intermingling love between couple, Desdemona’s ambivalence tongue in depicting the character of Cassio, and Othello’s limited … Jealousy consumes the mind of Othello, and is it is emphasised in the play, it is a catalyst for the killing of Desdemona. Othello is saying he has to kill Desdemona or she'll keep doing this top other men (cheat) "nobody. ?How does Iago Convince Othello to Kill Cassio and Desdemona by the End of Act Three? Specifically, we learned that by the end of Othello, there are four dead bodies: Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo, and Othello himself. The main male characters in Shakespeare’s play Othello kill their wives in order to defend their own honor. Answer Save. To make a long story short, Othello killed Desdemona because he believed that she had become unfaithful. Farwell" when Emilia asks Desdemona who killed her, Desdemona is saying nobody, she did this to herself "O the more angel she, and you the blacker devil" Latest answer posted March 11, 2020 at 12:00:23 PM In his final speech, he explains how he hopes to be remembered, saying “When you shall these unlucky deed relate / Speak of me as I am” (5.2. Desdemona cannot understand Othello's change of attitude towards her. Othello believes his wife Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. I myself. After recovering, he orders Iago to kill Cassio. I saw Othello's visage in his mind, And to his honor and his valiant parts Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate. Iago has Roderigo poised and ready to pounce on Cassio, and kill him; if either of them is killed, it is to Iago's benefit, although he would like to have both of them disposed of, so that his devices might not be discovered.Roderigo and Cassio fight, and both are injured; Othello hears the scuffle, is pleased, and then leaves to finish off Desdemona. Othello speaks with Desdemona in private, threatening to banish her and calling her "whore" and "strumpet" — charges that she immediately denies. In the period setting of the play, to show honor, women are expected to be subservient to their husbands. Suddenly, Desdemona realizes that Othello intends to kill her. The characters must have a motive of their own and therefore is there not a basis for Othello to be pushed into murdering his wife? Othello's other flaws are pride and gullibility. Secondly, how does Othello kill himself? 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