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Spurred on by the apparent knowledge that Iago has killed Cassio, Othello goes into Desdemona's bed
chamber and smothers her with a pillow. He is convinced that he is doing the right thing: sacrificing her
so as to protect other men from her evil ways.
Emilia finds him just after he has done the deed. She calls for help and Othello is arrested. Then, of
course, the truth comes out: Othello had been duped by Iago. He stabs himself, taking his own life in
remorse.
WHY WAS OTHELLO SO EASILY CONVINCED?
Othello himself provides THREE reasons why Desdemona might have proved to be unfaithful to him, and
these reasons point to psychological weaknesses within his own character:
OTHELLO'S BLACKNESS
Othello was a Moor and therefore dark of skin although by no means black. Indeed, Shakespeare
obviously confused the appearances of Moors and Black Africans, indicating that his audience too was
ignorant of the difference.
Moors would have had a difficult time in the Elizabethan mind-set and were treated with suspicion. They
were always regarded as "the other".
They were, in fact, culturally different from the other Europeans because they came from a Moslem
background and therefore had Moslem traditions, even though they had converted to Christianity.
Indeed, Moors tended to keep to themselves, maintaining their own identity and customs. There was even
suspicion that their conversion from Islam many centuries earlier had been one of convenience (to prevent
being killed) but that they remained at heart Moslem.
Second, blackness in itself was suspicious. Western society right up until the 18th century was imbued
with the idea that white was pure while black was the colour of evil.
Brides wore white. The devil was black. The black sheep of the family was the outcast. Black people
were the biblical "sons of Ham" and therefore outcasts and slaves.
A Black person was therefore not equal to a White person in Western society.
UNSOPHISTICATION
The entire basis for the plot of this play was that Othello lacked sophistication. He was not naturally
imbued with the traditions and manners of Venice but relied on others to guide him into how to act.
Once he had been removed to Cyprus, therefore, he was out of his depth. He could handle warfare and
command soldiers. Once the war with the Turks was over, however, he was expected to act as Governor
to the island but he knew not how.
He had promoted Michael Cassio to the rank of lieutenant because he could rely on the man in battle.
On the other hand, he naturally trusted Iago in matters of etiquette. The moment he landed on Cyprus,
therefore, he turned to Iago for support, and accepted his advice without question.
OLD AGE
It is clear that Othello is advanced in years. He said so himself but, in any case, young people did not get
to command armies.
His wife, however, is young and he is afraid that her eye will be captured by the advances of any
handsome and refined young man.
In this, of course, he does not understand women but judges them as if they were men. This is
comprehensible given that Othello exists in a world of soldiers.
Men mostly look to women who are younger than themselves. It is not often that one will find men
marrying a woman who is significantly older than they.
Othello somehow believes this of Desdemona. He expects her head to be turned by men of youth,
especially by a man who enacts all the customs of Venetian society, a man such as Michael Cassio.
Cassio is not only young but he reveals all the Venetian manners and etiquette, such as his repeatedly
kissing his fingers.
In conclusion, Othello feels insecure in his marriage and will readily believe any suggestion that
Desdemona could be unfaithful. He therefore does not need much proof -- just enough to cement the
suspicions which he already harbours.
Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:
"If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace,
Solicit for it straight."
- Why does Othello say this to Desdemona? (4)
[Need help?]
Religion is hell-bent on a person confessing any sins before dying because dying in a state of sin means
danger of an eternity of hell.
This is particularly so for a truly serious sin like adultery. Since Othello believes that Desdemona has
indeed committed adultery, it is important therefore that she should confess before she dies.
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"Sweet soul, take heed,
Take heed of perjury; thou art on thy deathbed."
- Why does Othello tell Desdemona to "take heed of perjury"? (4)
[Need help?]
"Perjury" means lying while under oath. In this case, when Desdemona denies having committed
any sin, Othello believes she is lying in the presence of God.
Perjury was believed to be a mortal sin. If someone died while in a state of mortal sin, that person's soul
would go straight to hell without passing Go.
Othello warns Desdemona, therefore, that she mustn't deny committing adultery because he knows she
has committed that sin. By denying it, therefore, she will be perjuring her soul and bringing eternal
damnation to herself for doing so.
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"By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in's hand.
O perjured woman! thou dost stone my heart,
And makest me call what I intend to do
A murder, which I thought a sacrifice:
I saw the handkerchief."
- Explain Othello's distinction between "murder" and "a sacrifice". (4)
[Need help?]
Othello believes that he is sacrificing Desdemona, i.e. killing her so that all men may be saved from the
evil of her seducing them.
If, however, she is actually innocent -- which she is -- then it is not a sacrifice but just plain murder.
He thereupon tries to prove his case by arguing that he has personally seen the handkerchief which he
believes she had given to her lover, Cassio.
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"He hath confess'd.
That he hath used thee."
- Othello believes this to be true. What, however, did Cassio really say he had done? (4)
[Need help?]
Cassio had been in a discussion with Iago which Othello had overheard. During this conversation, Iago
was talking to Cassio about his relationship with Bianca, the courtesan, pointing out that Bianca had said
she wished to marry him.
Othello believes, however, that they are talking about Desdemona and believes therefore that Cassio has
admitted he has had sex with her -- he had certainly had sex with Bianca -- but that he regarded her
simply as a prostitute and had no wish to marry her.
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"No, his mouth is stopp'd;
Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't."
- How, according to Othello, has Cassio's mouth been stopped? (2)
[Need help?]
According to Othello, Iago has killed Cassio upon his personal instructions.
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"If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife:
My wife! my wife! what wife? I have no wife.
O insupportable! O heavy hour!
Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration."
- What is Othello's problem with Emilia being at the door? (2)
[Need help?]
It would seem that Othello did not wish to be caught but, with Emilia at the door, there was no way in which
he could hide the deed from her.
There was in fact no regard for privacy in those days. Because Emilia was Desdemona's maid-in-waiting,
she could come and go as she liked. She would therefore enter Desdemona's bed-chamber at any time,
and go to speak to her mistress even if Othello were to be in bed with her.
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- What does Othello mean when he says, "What wife? I have no wife." (2)
[Need help?]
Othello is admitting that his wife is dead and that he therefore no longer has a wife.
Could he also be saying that, since Desdemona had been unfaithful to him, she had forsaken the title of
being his wife?
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- Explain Othello's surprised statement, "Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse of sun and
moon". (2)
[Need help?]
It was commonly believed in the ancient world that the death of important people, like kings, would have
an impact on the universe itself. Eclipses of sun and moon, they thought, were brought about by some
tragic human event.
If one reads the New Testament, one sees that the death of Jesus Christ was said to be accompanied
by an eclipse of the sun which caused the world to be plunged into darkness for about three hours.
Othello is surprised, therefore, to find no such cosmological event at the death of Desdemona, indicating
therefore how important she had been in his world.
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