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.