Act 2

Question 1

What does Act 2 reveal?

Answer 1

how one’s insecurities can be exploited, destabilising the precarious balance of love, marriage and social order

Question 2

act 2, scene 1

Answer 2

• shores of Cyprus, M, the island’s governor, watches a storm and turkish fleet of ships did not survive the storm
• new ship arrives carrying I, E, D, and R
• C and D tease E about being a chatterbox, but I quickly takes the opportunity to criticize women in general as deceptive and hypocritical
• C takes D away to speak with her privately about O’s arrival
• I notices that C takes D’s hand as he talks to her, and, in an aside, I plots to use C’s hand-holding
• O arrives safely and greets D and orders I to unload the ship.
• All but R and I head to the castle
• I tells R that D will soon grow tired of being with O
• I convinces R to start a quarrel with C that evening
• left alone onstage, I explains his actions
• he secretly lusts after D and he wants to get even with the Moor.

Question 3

act 2, scene 2

Answer 3

• herald announces that O plans a celebration of Cyprus’s safety from the Turks, and also in celebration of his marriage to D

Question 4

act 2, scene 3
The one with the drunk cassio

Answer 4

• Othello leaves Cassio on guard during the revels, reminding him to practice self-restraint
• Othello and Desdemona leave to consummate their marriage
• Iago enters and joins Cassio, he tells that he suspects Desdemona to be a temptress, but Cassio maintains that she is modest
• Iago persuades Cassio to take a drink
• Iago his plan: he will lead Cassio into committing an action that will disgrace him
• he becomes intoxicated and wanders offstage, assuring his friends that he isn’t drunk
• Cassio chases Roderigo across the stage, threatening to beat him.
• Montano steps in to prevent the fight and is attacked by Cassio
• Cassio stabs Montano
• Othello arrives with armed attendants.
• At first Iago feigns reluctance to incriminate Cassio, but then tells of his anger and violence
• Othello dismisses Cassio from his service
• Cassio laments the permanent damage now done to his reputation
• Iago suggests that Cassio appeal to Desdemona because she commands Othello’s attention and goodwill.
• alone, Iago jokes about the irony of the fact that his so-called villainy involves counseling Cassio
• Roderigo enters, upset that he has been beaten and angry because Iago has taken all his money, he assures Roderigo that everything is going according to plan.