OTHELLO: ACT III COMMENTARY

Scene 1



To relieve some of the tension already established and perhaps to distract us a little, Shakespeare brings in musicians and a clown to begin this scene. The more practical purpose is to get the Clown to relay a message from Cassio to Emilia, Iago's wife. As Cassio waits for Desdemona, Iago himself comes by to check on the humiliated lieutenant. Cassio is touched to the point where he exclaims: "I never knew / A Florentine more kind and honest" (III.i.40-41). Emilia comes to tell Cassio that Othello and Desdemona are discussing the situation and that Desdemona is on Cassio's side. Cassio asks Emilia to arrange a private meeting between Cassio and Desdemona. She agrees.






Once again the word "honest" is used to describe Iago, but Cassio does so in the context of identifying Iago as a fellow as good as any Florentine. Italian city-states were fiercely separatist and patriotic. For Cassio, a Florentine, to praise an outsider like Iago as kind and honest' "as a Florentine is a high compliment indeed, and, as such, underlines the dramatic irony of the statement. Iago is obviously far from kind, definitely not honest, nor eager to be classified as a Florentine. Furthermore, Iago draws his innocent wife into his web of intrigue.






Scene 2


This six-line scene between Othello, Iago, and some gentlemen allows us to see Othello dispatching his duties as a general. It is also apparent that Iago has replaced Cassio. In addition, we learn that Othello will be on official public business, which becomes important in the following scenes.






Scene 3: Desdemona assures Cassio that she will do her best to get him reinstated with Othello. Emilia adds that her husband is worried too. Desdemona pledges before Emilia that she will persist in Cassio's cause. Cassio leaves hurriedly when Othello and Iago approach.






Iago comments to Othello that he does not like the young man's leaving at the sight of Othello. Desdemona begins her suit on behalf of Cassio. Having completed some official business and having more to do, Othello tells Desdemona that now is not the time to discuss Cassio. Desdemona, however, continues, unwilling to stop talking even when Othello concedes. Finally Desdemona leaves.






Iago questions Othello about Cassio's role as a go-between between Othello and Desdemona when they were courting. Othello is furious at Iago's insinuation that Cassio courted Desdemona for himself. Yet he is unsure. Othello presses Iago to tell him what he is thinking. Iago finally plants the seed: "O beware, my lord, of jealousy!" (III.iii.167). Othello begins to fight the identity of the emotion he has been feeling. Iago seizes the opportunity to remain free of suspicion. When Othello demands proof of Desdemona's deception, Iago tells Othello to use his eyes. He reminds the general that Desdemona deceived Brabantio to marry him, an echo of what Desdemona's father had told him in the Senate chamber.






Although Othello says, "I do not think but Desdemona's honest" (III.iii.229), it is obvious that he has serious doubts by saying that the girl had rejected all other suitors of her own social standing and race to marry Othello—an act way out of character for her.






Iago has struck at the heart of Othello's insecurities, but he has done so in Othello's native environment, a war zone. Desdemona's interference in this area is not only unwise, but presents a challenge to her husband's decisions regarding his army. It is very ironic that Othello would be most vulnerable where he is most secure. Iago knows this full well and presses onward.






Iago advises Othello to hold off on Cassio's reinstatement and observe Cassio and Desdemona together, not giving what Iago has just said a second thought. After Iago laves, Othello verbalizes his inadequacies in assessing human behavior and in knowing about love. Othello suddenly and firmly arrives at the conclusion that he has been wronged by Desdemona and that he can only hate her now. Just as quickly he says:






Look where she comes.


If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself,


I'll not believe it.


(III.iii.281-283)






Critically, Desdemona and Emilia come to call Othello to the state banquet he has arranged. Othello tells his wife he has a headache, and she tries to soothe it with her handkerchief. Almost imperceptibly, she drops it, and she and Othello go to the banquet. Emilia picks up the handkerchief, and because Iago had pressured her for it, Emilia decides to give it to him instead of Desdemona. Iago determines to plant the handkerchief on Cassio, observing that it is the little things that aggravate jealousy.






Othello has left the banquet, tortured by his thoughts, alleging that as long as he did not know of Desdemona's falsity, he was better off. Iago sympathizes with him. Othello again demands proof of Desdemona's sin. Iago is evasive again, but asks if catching Desdemona in bed with Cassio would be proof. Othello angrily responds that that would be impossible, but Iago says "imputation and strong circumstances" (III.iii.409) should be enough. Othello demands "a living reason" (III.iii.412). Iago insists on telling his lies. He says that while he slept with Cassio (as soldiers shared sleeping arrangements), Cassio thought Iago was Desdemona, but then says it must have been a dream. Othello is enraged.






Having worked Othello to a fever pitch, Iago tells him that Cassio has Desdemona's handkerchief. As Othello continues to curse and rage against Desdemona, Iago takes a vow of service to Othello, who orders him to kill Cassio "within these three days" (III.iii.475). He then promotes Iago to lieutenant.






It would seem that Iago has achieved all he set out to do. Yet this is only the middle of the play. The forces Iago has unleashed are beyond his control, and we are uncertain at the end of this very long scene where the play is going. This uncertainty is akin to that felt by Othello. He does not want to believe that his wife is an adulteress, but his experience with women is small when compared to his experience with men on whom he relies and with whom he has shared the majority of his life.






In addition, Othello's tendency to make judgements by appearances, an essential skill for a soldier, will prove to be his downfall in the area of marital relations. It is a dangerous game that Iago is playing and his instinct for self-preservation demands the sacrifice of many innocent lives.






Scene 4


Desdemona and Emilia have been looking for the handkerchief, and Emilia has lied about its whereabouts. Desdemona, unaware of what has transpired between Othello and Iago, comments that Othello is incapable of jealousy. Simultaneously, it is a silly and tragic statement that reveals Desdemona's lack of perception and understanding of her husband.






When she sees him, Desdemona immediately tells Othello that she has sent for Cassio so that Othello may speak with him about reinstatement. Suddenly, Othello says he feels a chill and asks Desdemona for her handkerchief. When she offers it, he asks for the one that he had given her, the one that had belonged to his mother, the one Emilia has given to Iago. He tells Desdemona that the cloth is magic. They begin to squabble about where it could be, and Desdemona tells Othello that his demand for the handkerchief is a trick to distract her from pleading for Cassio. Othello leaves in a fury.






Iago has convinced Cassio that only Desdemona can plead his cause, and when Cassio asks her how things are going, Desdemona responds that Othello is not himself and that she has done her best. Iago cannot believe that Othello is angry and goes off to investigate, ostensibly. Desdemona tried to analyze why Othello should be so irritated, and ascribes it to matters of state. Emilia hopes that this is indeed the reason and jealousy. Desdemona and Emilia leave Cassio to find Othello, and Bianca approaches the dishonored officer.






Bianca, a local prostitute, asks Cassio where he has been. He tells her he has serious problems to consider, and then asks her if she would remove some embroidery from a handkerchief he had found in his chamber. He tells Bianca he is waiting for Othello, but he will walk with her a little, promising to see her soon.






With this scene's beginning with a word play game between Desdemona and the Clown, it would be easy to dismiss it as a light scene that only tells us about the handkerchief, which is such a little thing. But there is a clever structure here. In a comedy, the accidental passing of a small item such as a handkerchief would be a running joke and probably would be very funny. However, at this point in the play, negative passions are abundant. The handkerchief is critical to Desdemona's "defense." By starting the scene with a comic convention and twisting it to fit tragic circumstances, Shakespeare emphasises the intensity of Othello's jealousy and its tragic results. There is nothing funny about this little item, not even the facts that it was given to Othello by his mother and that it has magic powers. These ascriptions underline the effects that irrational jealousy has on Othello's psyche, and quite possibly, on us too.






Emilia's lack of honesty to Desdemona is minor in comparison to Iago's lies to Othello, but it is no less deadly. Both women seriously misjudge their mates and their moods. Such misjudgements counter the males' distorted views of women. Neither is correct, but both are absolute and ingrained on either side of the male-female equation.