act 3 scene 1

Question 1

clown:

‘why, masters, have your instruments been in naples, that they speak i’ the nose thus?’

Answer 1

in italy, naples had a coarse accent - sound of their music

originates from the reputation of naples as a hotbed of syphilis. the sharp, nasal tone of the instruments sounds similar to that of a man whose nose is affected by syphilis.

shakespeare’s plays are a blend of high and low sensibilities.

in each of his plays, one can find both serious meditations and dirty jokes.

Question 2

cassio:

‘i never knew a florentine more kind and honest’

Answer 2

cassio compares iago to his fellow florentines, finding the man just as kind and honest.

this reiterates one of the play’s central sources of irony: despite his intentions, iago is consistently praised for his upright moral character

devilish