Act 5

Question 1

What happens in Act 5 Scene 1?

Answer 1

• On a very dark night, Iago leads a reluctant Roderigo to where he can find Cassio. Iago confesses to the audience ‘Now, whether he kill Cassio or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, every way makes my gain’.
• Roderigo attacks Cassio but Cassio stabs him. Iago stabs Cassio in the leg from behind then runs away.
• Othello hears Cassio’s yells and says ‘Iago keeps his word’. Thinking that Iago has killed Cassio, he continues on to kill Desdemona.
• Lodovico and Gratiano hear the yelling and decide to fetch help. They meet Iago who pretends to be horrified at Cassio’s injury ‘What villains have done this?’
• Iago secretly finds the injured Roderigo and kills him. His last words are ‘O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!’ Bianca enters and is distraught at Cassio’s injuries. Iago insinuates that she was to blame for the attack.
• Emilia enters and Iago sends her to tell Othello and Desdemona what has happened. He tells the audience ‘This is the night that either makes me or fordoes me quite’.

Question 2

What happens in Act 5 Scene 2?

Answer 2

• Desdemona is asleep on her bed. Othello says he will not ‘shed her blood’ but ‘she must die, else she’ll betray more men’. He kisses her and she wakes up.
• He tells her to pray because ‘I would not kill thy unprepared spirit’ and urges her to confess that she gave the handkerchief to Cassio. She replies ‘No, by my life and soul’ but he refuses to believe her.
• She pleads for her life but he suffocates her. He hears Emilia calling him and lets her in. She tells him that Cassio killed Roderigo and that Cassio lives.
• Emilia hears Desdemona calling out and finds her just as she dies. Othello confesses ‘Twas I that killed her’, adding ‘She was false as water’ and ‘Thy husband knew it all’.
• Emilia is shocked at her husband’s involvement ‘May his pernicious soul rot half a grain a day! He lies to th’heart’.
• She yells for help and Montano, Gratiano and Iago rush in. Emilia confronts Iago, who admits he told Othello that Desdemona was unfaithful with Cassio and tries to stop her talking. She says, ‘I am bound to speak: My mistress here lies murdered in her bed’.
• Othello defends himself saying, ‘’Tis pitiful, but yet Iago knows that she with Cassio hath the act of shame a thousand times committed’ and says he saw his handkerchief in Cassio’s hand.
• Emilia says ‘O thou dull Moor, that handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune and did give my husband’. Finally, Othello realises the truth. Iago stabs Emilia and runs away. Montano runs after him.
• Lodovico, Montano and Cassio come in with Iago as a prisoner. Othello asks ‘Will you, I pray, demand that demi-devil why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body?’
• Iago says, ‘From this time forth I never will speak a word’ but they piece together what has happened from letters found in Roderigo’s possession.
• Othello is arrested. Lodovico tells Othello ‘Your power and your command is taken off and Cassio rules in Cyprus’, but before they can take him away, Othello asks that they ‘speak of one that loved not wisely but too well’ and ‘threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe’. Then he stabs himself, kisses Desdemona and dies.