Act 4

Question 1

What happens in Act 4 Scene 1?

Answer 1

• Pretending to be supportive, Iago continues to wind up Othello about Desdemona and Cassio until Othello is so disturbed he collapses in an epileptic fit. Iago comments ‘Thus credulous fools are caught’.
• When he comes round, Iago tells him to hide and listen as he talks to Cassio about Desdemona. Iago confides in the audience ‘Now will I question Cassio of Bianca’ and then jokes with Cassio about his relationship with Bianca.
• Bianca then arrives angrily returning the handkerchief to Cassio, saying, ‘This is some minx’s token’. Othello is convinced that Cassio was laughing about his affair with Desdemona, that she gave him the handkerchief ‘and he hath given it his whore’.
• Othello is determined to kill Desdemona that night, saying ‘I will chop her into messes’ and Iago suggests ‘strangle her in her bed – even the bed she hath contaminated’.
• Just then, Desdemona enters with Lodovico. He brings a letter from Venice telling Othello to travel home and leave Cassio in command of Cyprus.
• As Othello reads, Desdemona and Lodovico talk about the disagreement between Cassio and Othello and Othello becomes so angry at Desdemona for defending Cassio that he hits her, insults her and yells at her ‘Out of my sight!’ He then leaves, after attempting to regain his composure.
• Lodovico is shocked at Othello’s behaviour asking ‘Is this the noble Moor whom our full senate call all in all sufficient?’ Iago suggests that Othello’s behaviour has become increasingly erratic.

Question 2

What happens in Act 4 Scene 2?

Answer 2

• Othello questions Emilia about Desdemona and Emilia defends her saying ‘For if she be not honest, chaste and true there’s no man happy’.
• He then questions Desdemona herself, calling her ‘Impudent strumpet!’ and ‘cunning whore of Venice’, but does not ask her directly about Cassio or the handkerchief.
• She says ‘By heaven you do me wrong’ but he refuses to believe her. Desdemona asks Iago for his help. Emilia says she is convinced ‘The Moor’s abused by some most villainous knave’ but Iago tells her ‘You are a fool, go to’. He sends the women away with the promise that ‘all things shall be well’.
• Roderigo arrives, angry that Iago’s promises to help him win Desdemona have come to nothing, despite all the jewels he has given Iago to give to Desdemona.
• He comments, ‘your words and performances are no kin together’. Iago convinces Roderigo that in order to stop Othello and Desdemona leaving Cyprus, he must ‘remove’ Cassio by ‘knocking out his brains’.

Question 3

What happens in Act 4 Scene 2?

Answer 3

• Emilia helps Desdemona get ready for bed and expresses her concern about Othello’s behaviour.
• Desdemona remains loyal to him but cannot get a song out of her head which she heard sung by her mother’s maid ‘called Barbary’ who was in love with a man who went mad, **‘it expressed her fortune and she died singing it’. **
• Desdemona says she cannot believe that any woman would be unfaithful to her husband, ‘Beshrew me if I would do such a wrong for the whole world’.
• Emilia blames men for not understanding that women have feelings just like they do, saying ‘I do think it is their husbands’ faults if wives do fall’.