Cassio (and bianca) Flashcards
2:1 Cassio talking about the storm: foreshadowing conflict between him and O
“they were parted with foul and violent tempest”
“I have lost him on a dangerous sea”
later: “the great contention of the sea and skies parted our fellowship”
2:1 D’s beauty protects her from storm
“tempest themselves, high seas, and howling winds”
“letting go safely by The divine Desdemona”
2:1 how does he describe Desdemona upon her arrival
“grace of heaven”
- suggests the grace of God surrounds her
2:1 what does he do that might anger Iago
“he kisses emelia”
2:1 ironic comment C makes about Iago - reference to Iago saying “mere prattle without practice”
“You may relish him
more in the soldier than in the scholar.”
- i resents this in C
2:3 Cassio drunk
“Do not think, gentlemen, I am drunk”
“I am not drunk now” x 3
- repeated
- In trying to prove he’s not drunk, he sounds more drunk.
2:3 cassio drunk fight
“knock you o’er the mazzard” - to Montano
“they fight”
“he lunges at cassio” - in front of O
2:3 Cassio upset about reputation
are you hurt? - “Ay, past all surgery”
“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have
lost my reputation, I have lost the immortal part of
myself — and what remains is bestial. My reputation,
Iago, my reputation!”
- more significant than physical injury/animalistic
2:3 What does Cassio call the wine/ repeated qs
“Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble? swagger? swear?”
“let us call thee devil!”
- blamed himself
2:3 calls iago:
“honest iago”
3:1 frequently used to describe desdemona/ Iago asks if he’s been to bed
“Why, no” - losing sleep over it; easily manipulated by iago to get D’s help
“virtuous Desdemona”
I: “I’ll send her to you presently”: potentially improper married man and women to be alone; messenger - reminds of comedia
3:1 Cassio about Iago being honest
“I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest”
- Machiavelli was a Florentine and hence they were reknowned for their cunning, not honesty.
- Again, Cassio appears foolish in his statement and misunderstands Iago
AO3: Common trope - to do with cheating
AO3 a convention of medieval courtly love that a noblewoman might have a secret emotional liason with a nobleman eg Lancelot and Guinevere
- 3:1 ends with cassio requesting E to speak to D
3:3 Scene begins with D telling cassio she will help him:
his responce?
“Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio, He’s never anything but your true servant.” - charming responce
3:4 Cassio again asks D to help with O
“I do beseech you
That by your virtuous means I may again Exist, and be a member of his love”
“all the office of my heart Entirely honor” - followed by D’s scary statement “more I will than for myself I dare”
3:4 Bianca and Cassio
Cassio charming to Bianca
“What make you from home?
…
Indeed, sweet love, I was coming to your house.”
- charming, Cassio the lover - perhaps proving he already has a lover - not in love with D
- finds it odd she is out of house
3:4 Sense Bianca has strong feelings for Cassio - talks about being apart from him
“What, keep a week away? Seven days and nights?
- repeated time references
- to be absent this long is not treating her well.
Also note the timescale - he hasn’t seen her for a week. This is an example of what is often called the double timescale of the play as from what we have witnesses, this is only Othello’s second day on Cyprus
3:4 Cassio politely apologises for not seeing her; gives her handkerchief
“But I shall, …
Strike off this score of absence. Sweet Bianca,
(giving her DESDEMONA’s handkerchief)
Take me this work out.”
- polite, apologises, tries to make amends. They seem genuinely fond of each other?
- asks her to copy needlework; rather than give as love token
3:4 Bianca accuses Cassio - his responce
“This is some token from a newer friend!
To the felt absence now I feel a cause. Is’t come to this? Well, Well”
- again ‘cause’ being a reason for jealousy - here the woman is jealous and despite her being a courtesan/prostitute, she is not accused of anything by Cassio - the reverse of the situation between Othello and Desdemona, where a state-sanctioned wife is accused of sleeping around by an unjustifiably jealous man
3:4 Cassio’s aggresive responce to B’s accusations
“Go to, woman,
Throw your vile guesses in the devil’s teeth
From whence you have them. You are jealous”
- Compare how he refutes the jealousy easily, unlike Desdemona - is there a double standard?
3:4 ashamed of Bianca?
“I do attend here on the general”
“nor my wish, To have him see me womaned.”
“not that I love you not”
“But that you do not love me”
- ashamed; see’s here as lower status; or can he not as a soldier; male pride; rep
- these parallel phrases are a good natured verbal jousting. They seem evenly balanced
“‘tis very good” - acceptive
4:1 Iago talking to Cassio (Othello hiding in the shadows) - cassio laughing talking about bianca - what does he call her
“Alas, poor caitiff!”
“Alas, poor rogue, I think indeed she loves me”
- from O’s line suggesting he is laughing
- pities her
- implies he doesn’t feel the same
- poor girl
4:1 Iago talking to Cassio (Othello hiding in the shadows) - he laughs at her
“Ha, ha, ha!”
“I marry her! What? A customer?”
“Do not think it so unwholesome.”
- he makes it clear that he can’t marry a prostitute - their relationship is explicitly transactional
- idea of unnatural marriage “‘own clime, complexion and degree’”
4:1 compares her to a toy
“the bauble” - silly girl, child’s toy, therefore childish/foolish - object? his word ‘haunts’ suggests exaggeration to mock her
“leave her company” - then she enters
