Act 5 Quotes

• "He hath a daily beauty in his life that makes me ugly" Act 5 Scene 1 - Iago

  • Shows that everybody is disposable to him, even his companion Roderigo
  • There is no clear reason on why Iago would want to kill him
  • He is a smart Florentine - we see Iago showing traits of jealous as well here, ironic.
  • Othello could reveal him to Roderigo
• "Now, whether he kill Cassio, or Cassio him, or each do kill each other, every wan makes my gain" Act 5 Scene 1 - Iago

  • he is reckless and destructive to people's lives yet he doesn't seem to care
• "[Iago from behind strikes at Cassio's legs, and hurries off] I am maimed for ever. Help, ho! Murder! Murder" Act 5 Scene 1 - Cassio

  • no idea who stabbed him in the leg
  • Iago has to get involved - he hurts Cassio, this is the first time that he is physically towards him
  • Threat to his plan.
  • He acts on an instinct
• "O brave Iago, honest and just, That hast such noble sense of thy friend's wrong" Act 5 Scene 1 - Othello

  • He thinks Iago has killed Cassio, yet this is a misunderstanding
  • Theme of honest Iago is carried throughout the play.
• "Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust's blood be spotted" Act 5 Scene 1 - Othello

  • He is still going to kill Desdemona
  • The death of Cassio is not enough for him, Iago's lies have pushed him to his limit
• "O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!" Act 5 Scene 1 - Roderigo

  • Iago pushes the blame to Roderigo
  • He turns up and yet again takes control of the situation
• "I am no strumpet, but of life as honest as you that thus abuse me" Act 5 Scene 1 - Bianca

  • Even Emilia is against Bianca because of Iago
  • to a contemporary audience this is acceptable
  • Irony as she is the only honest one right now.
• "unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace, solicit for it straight" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello

  • he wants her to admit her sins
  • he is so offended she has not told him
• "I never did offend you in my life; never loved Cassio... I never gave him token" Act 5 Scene 2 - Desdemona

  • she will forever defend her loyalty
  • confirms she never gave him the handkerchief
• "I saw the handkerchief" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello

  • this however is also true, shows the power of Iago's manipulation, that Othello doesn't even believe his own wife
  • She never gave it yet that's how Othello reads it
  • Continues to lie to her things what he had heard from Iago, when Cassio was actually talking about Bianca.
• "Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to my face" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello

  • Desdemona's emotions are a trigger for Othello
  • Her innocent expression of grief is a trigger for Othello
• "A guiltless death I die" Act 5 Scene 2 - Desdemona

  • Her last words
  • Loyal and truthful right until the end, stands by her words
  • Jacobean false death stage device - we think Desdemona is dead up until this point, brings Emilia's attention
• "Nobody; I myself. Farewell; commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell! [she dies." Act 5 Scene 2 - Desdemona

  • She is a perfect wife
  • Virtuous right until the end
  • Contemporary view also suggests she is perfect.
• "My husband?" Act 5 Scene 2 - Emilia

  • Shocked that 'honest' Iago has fed Othello such lies
  • repetition, she questions, she is trying to tell him the truth by repeating her husband
  • Othello is angered by this as he does not understand the need for the iterance
• "I will not charm my tongue I am bound to speak" Act 5 Scene 2 - Emilia

  • she stands up against Iago in front of everybody
  • Throughout the play, Emilia has been viewed as to conforming towards stereotypes of Venetian women, however here she defies this
  • Iago still tries to assert his control over Emilia but it is too late.
  • This is the result of the anger of Desdemona's death causes Emilia to be like this. Emilia reveals all Iago's lies.
• "If he say so, may his pernicious soul rot half a grain a day! He lies to th'heart" Act 5 Scene 2 - Emilia

  • Vexed by her husbands lies and poison
  • She cannot stand to lie for him and exposes him
• "O, lay me by my mistress' side" Act 5 Scene 2 - Emilia

  • Iago stabs her and runs off, cowardly behaviour
  • She wants to be laid next to Desdemona, who she has stuck up for.
• "If thou that be'st a devil" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello

  • Anagnorisis - the point where the key character realises another key character's key identity
• "Demand me nothing: what you know, you know: from this time forth I will never speak word" Act 5 Scene 2 - Iago

  • stubborn
  • He won't give Othello any justice, irony
• "Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello

  • Reminds his of his military achievement
  • Poetic language yet in blank verse form
  • Desdemona doesn't get a say, patriarchy
• "Of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought, perplexed in the extreme" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello

  • Admits his jealously. reference to the green-eyed monster
• "threw a pearl away, richer than all his tribe" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello

  • Lost Desdemona to Iago, worth more
• "Killing myself, to die upon a kiss" Act 5 Scene 2 - Othello