Act 3 Scene 1 Scene Summary


Cassio hires musicians to play for Othello. The clown sends them away. Iago sends Emilia to speak with Cassio. She promises to arrange a meeting between Cassio and Desdemona.


Before the castle.


Enter CASSIO with Musicians CASSIO


Masters, play here; I will content your pains.1 Something that’s brief – and bid ‘Good morrow, general.’ [Music] [Enter CLOWN2


] CLOWN


Why masters, have your instruments been in Naples,3 they speak i’ the nose4


thus?


FIRST MUSICIAN How, sir, how!


CLOWN Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?


FIRST MUSICIAN Ay, marry, are they, sir. CLOWN


O, thereby hangs a tail.5 FIRST MUSICIAN


Whereby hangs a tail, sir? 10


CLOWN Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument6


with it. that I know. But,


masters, here’s money for you, and the general so likes your music, that he desires you, for love’s sake, to make no more noise7


68 6


wind instrument: 1. muscial instruments (e.g. flutes) 2. anus


7


noise: the clown is making a crude joke about flatulence


5 tail: 1. story 2. penis that 1


I will…pains: I will reward you for your trouble


2


Clown: a comic servant. Shakespeare often gave his comic characters names but not in Othello


3 Naples: a city known for venereal


disease 4


speak i’ the nose: 1. speak with a nasal voice associated with Naples 2. suffer from venereal disease


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