Act 4 Scene 3 Flashcards
Scene 3 Summary
- Emilia and Desdemona talk about Othello’s behaviour
- Desdemona reveals the fear that she will die
- Desdemona sings the willow song
- Emilia forms her more progressive stance on life
‘Get you to bed on the instant’
Othello - All kindness he felt for Desdemona has gone; she is no longer the general’s general, but instead is commanded by him
‘If I do die before thee prithee shroud me in one of those same sheets’
Desdemona - Symbolic of her love for Othello as she wants to be wrapped in her wedding sheets, her love will not die with her
‘A very handsome man’
Emilia - On Lodovico; tries to have a light hearted typical conversation between two women about men
‘She had a song of willow and she died singing it, that song tonight will not go from my mind’
Desdemona - Willows are found by rivers and are a symbol of rejected love in literature; foreshadows her upcoming death
‘There be some such, no question’/’No by this heavenly light’
Emilia/Desdemona - On women who cheat on their husbands; despite the fact that it is implied Emilia has, she can still get along with Desdemona who wouldn’t because they are loyal to each other
‘I do not think there is any such woman’
Desdemona - She cannot even fathom the idea that women could be sexually liberal so it increases her victim status as she cannot even conceive the notion, never mind participate
‘I do think it is their husbands’ faults if wives do fall’
Emilia - Progressive take on this for the period; Emilia stands strong and becomes a rising voice as Desdemona’s decreases
‘Let husbands know their wives have sense like them’
Emilia - Alludes to her intelligence that is the catalyst for Iago’s plot being revealed
