ACT FOUR Flashcards
“The….. their virtue tempts, and they ….. heaven” - Act4, Scene 1
Othello to Iago.
“The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven” - Act4, Scene 1
Othello to Iago.
Iago tries to ‘reassure’ Othello that although Desdemona and Cassio were in bed together, they may not have done anything. Othello claims that by doing this, they would be letting the devil tempt them, and tempting God to condemn them.
[he falls in a trance] - Act 4, Scene 1
Othello after a speech about how angry he is.
[he falls in a trance] - Act 4, Scene 1
Othello after a speech about how angry he is.
Theme of Jealousy.
Jealousy has been related to illness and madness. This shows the degradation of Othello’s mental state and the extent of Iago’s manipulation.
“Work on//My …….., work!” - Act 4, Scene 1
Iago to Othello.
“Work on//My medicine, work!” - Act 4, Scene 1
Iago to Othello.
Theme of Jealousy.
Another mention of jealousy in relation to illness. Medicine is usually something to make you better, Iago is relating medicine to almost the poison that he has injected into Othello.
“I ….. her? What, a ……;!” - Act 4, Scene 1
Cassio to Iago
“I marry her? What, a customer!” - Act 4, Scene 1
Cassio to Iago
Theme of Womanhood and Sexuality.
Cassio engages in rude and disrespectful conversation about Bianca. This shows that Cassio is not the man he is made out to be, or perhaps he changes himself around Iago to please him. This is further evidence of the views of women, and the greed of men. Men are able to take advantage of these vulnerable women, but for them to expect any love in return is laughable.
“Ay, let her … , and ……, and be damned tonight;”
“The world hath not a ……. creature” - Act 4, Scene 1
Othello to Iago.
“Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned tonight;”
“The world hath not a sweeter creature” - Act 4, Scene 1
Othello to Iago.
Theme of Love and Relationships.
Two statements made by Othello about Desdemona in the same speech. This shows the duplicity of Iago and the state of his mentality, as he claims he wants her to rot in hell and then says that the world had never known a sweeter creature. This makes his eventual anagnorisis even more tragic, as deep down he knew his wife was innocent.
[he ……. her]
Devil! - Act 4, Scene 1
Othello to Desdemona.
[he strikes her]
Devil! - Act 4, Scene 1
Othello to Desdemona.
Theme of Love and Relationships.
Othello commits his first act of violence. Although in the Elizabethan Era domestic violence was not uncommon, the way Othello was characterised in the beginning of the play does not imply that he would be a typical dominant male. To see Othello turn into this man heightens the tragedy.
“Is this the ……. //whom …….. could not shake” - Act 4, Scene 1
Lodovico to Othello.
“Is this the nature//whom passion could not shake” - Act 4, Scene 1
Lodovico to Othello.
Theme of Manhood and Honour.
Lodovico claims that Othello is no longer himself as he was a man who did not allow anything to make him emotional like this. Manhood involved repressing emotions and a man that did not was not considered a man.
“If I do … before thee, prithee …… me//In one of those same ……” - Act 4, Scene 3
Desdemona to Emilia.
“If I do die before thee, prithee shroud me//In one of those same sheets” - Act 4, Scene 3
Desdemona to Emilia.
Theme of Love and Relationships.
Desdemona tells Emilia to do this- she feels something is wrong and foreshadows her own death, but in her death she wishes to be associated with her husband and her loyalty to him.
“But I do think it is their …….. faults//If …… do fall” - Act 4, Scene 3
Emilia to Desdemona
“But I do think it is their husbands’ faults//If wives do fall” - Act 4, Scene 3
Emilia to Desdemona
Theme of Womanhood and Sexuality.
Emilia is much more aware of corruption in relationships and the abuse that husbands often impose upon their wives. Clearly Emilia is unhappy in her own marriage, and is almost feminist in the way that she doesn’t blame a woman’s sexuality is she is led astray, rather sees the patriarchal society for what it is.
