Act 2 Scene 3


Othello


In this scene Othello acts authoritatively but rashly. Othello stops the brawl and quickly restores order. However, he reveals himself to be impatient. He asks three times who began the brawl; when he fails to get an answer he becomes enraged. It is clear that Othello cannot tolerate uncertainty. Othello’s need for certainty leads him to dismiss Cassio with little investigation. Iago’s observation, ‘How poor are they that have not patience!’ can be easily applied to Othello. Othello himself recognises he is led by his emotions rather than rationality in this scene:


‘Now, by heaven,


My blood begins my safer guides to rule, And passion, having my best judgement collied, Assays to lead the way.’


This excitable nature and failure to apply reason eventually will contribute to Othello’s downfall.


Othello is becoming increasingly dependant on Iago’s advice. Othello calls first on ‘Honest Iago’ to report what happened and trusts him to be an innately good person: ‘I know, Iago, / Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, / Making it light to Cassio.’ Cassio’s concern for his reputation makes him an easy target for Iago’s manipulative strategies. After he loses his position as Othello’s lieutenant, Cassio despairs for his damaged reputation, seeing it as representative of his civilised, refined nature: ‘Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.’ Iago preys on this. Driven by his pride in his reputation, Cassio approaches Desdemona in the hope that she can convince Othello to reinstate him. Desdemona’s goodness is continually stressed. Cassio calls her a ‘a most exquisite lady’ and a ‘fresh and delicate creature’. Othello addresses her as ‘my gentle love’. Iago, however, is contemptuous of her goodness and sees it as a vulnerability that he can exploit: ‘I turn her virtue into pitch, / And out of her own goodness make the net / That shall enmesh them all.’


Questions


1. At the start of this scene Iago and Cassio discuss Desdemona. (a) What does Iago suggest about her personality? (b) How does Cassio respond to Iago’s suggestive comments?


2. Why is Iago so keen to get Cassio drunk? 3. (a) How does Iago depict English, Danish, German and Dutch drinkers? (b) How do you think Shakespeare’s audience would have responded to this?


4. How does Iago escalate the brawl so that it affects the whole island? 5. What evidence shows that Othello reacts angrily to the brawl? 6. How does Iago manipulate Othello in this scene? 7. Do you agree that Othello shows himself to be reliant on Iago’s advice in this scene? Explain your answer.


8. (a) Cassio feels that he has tarnished his reputation. What advice does Iago give him to restore it?


(b) Why does Iago give Cassio this advice?


9. ‘Iago uses other people’s good qualities against them.’ Do you agree with this statement? Refer to this scene in your answer.


10. Imagine you are a journalist for a tabloid newspaper. Write an article about the brawl. Quote key characters as witnesses.


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