tragic aspects act 5 Flashcards
tragic villainy
- Iago manipulates Roderigo’s jealousy and sense of honor to get him to attach Cassio. Iago now shows the depths of his depravity. He doesn’t just want to ruin Othello, he’s willing to trick people into attacking each other and dying as long as it serves his own ends.
- Iago identifies Roderigo as one of the ‘villains’ that attacked Cassio and then stabs him. This reveals Iago’s treachery, killing the character he plotted with from act 1.1 and the man who consoled in him in order to cover his tracks. Yet, Iago basically has no honor to lose in the end as he betrays everyone around him.
- Iago has Bianca arrested and says [aside] ‘This is the night/That either makes me or fordoes me quite’ (5.1)
Iago’s reference to the night as a dramatic climax once again
underscores his self-consciously chosen role as “director”
-
tragic cowardice
Iago’ actions are cowardly in 5.1, sending Roderigo ahead of him and attacking Cassio from behind.
prejudice/misjudgement
Othello once again misinterprets what has happened through Iago’s manipulation. Othello’s professed admiration for Iago and his newly misogynistic and violent plans for Desdemona, largely contrast the ‘valiant Othello’ in act 1.3.
Senecan tragedy
Cassio enters. Roderigo attacks, but Cassio’s armor turns away
the thrust. Cassio counterattacks, wounding Roderigo. From
behind, Iago darts in and stabs Cassio in the leg, then runs
away. From a distance, Othello hears Cassio’s shouts of pain
and believes that Iago has killed Cassio. Moved
by Iago’s loyalty
to him, Othello steels himself to go and kill Desdemona in her bed
- Othello enters Desdemona’s quarters holding a candle. Standing over her as she sleeps, he admires her beauty and kisses her, he is almost moved to let her live. Noting that, like a flower, once plucked she cannot be given ‘vital growth’ (5.2). He finally resolves to kill her: In comparison to his frantic, epileptic state in the prior scenes,
Othello now seems dignified. He describes Desdemona’s beauty and
his own longing and anguish using traditional terms, which are
beautiful but also underscore the traditional masculine values
spurring him to kill the “loose” Desdemona.
By refusing to even listen to Desdemona’s denials of her suspected
infidelity, Othello reveals how fully he has lost his independent
perspective and succumbed to Iago’s web of illusions. In fact, he
refuses even to let her live a bit longer so she can prove her
innocence. He is not interested in her innocence, in her pleas to be
given a chance to explain the truth behind appearances, because he
is so consumed by the “monster” of jealousy that he is certain that
she is guilty
‘my great revenge/Had stomach for them all’
tragic manipulation
Iago makes a show of recognising Cassio’s attacker he also implicates that Bianca was involved. ‘I do suspect this trash’ (5.1)
Although other characters dismiss Bianca as a promiscuous character. Iago persists her as a culprit of the attack. He uses misogynistic stereotypes to implicate Bianca as guilty. ‘Nay, guiltiness will speak ,/
Though tongues were out of use’
Othello: ‘I saw my handkerchief in’s hand!’ (5.2)
Oth: ‘the act of shame, a thousand times committed’ (5.2)
treatment of women
Although other characters dismiss Bianca as a promiscuous character. Iago persists her as a culprit of the attack. He uses misogynistic stereotypes to implicate Bianca as guilty. ‘Nay, guiltiness will speak ,/
Though tongues were out of use’
Emilia curses Bianca despite Bianca stating that she is as honest as her. ‘fie upon thee, strumpet!’ - prejudice between women
Oth: ‘O perjured woman, thou dost stone my heart’
tragic irrationality
Desdemona wakes and calls out to Othello and he tells her to pray. She begs to know why he is going to kill her. He tells her that he has seen Cassio with her handkerchief, Desdemona denies giving it to him. Othello claims that Cassio has admitted sleeping with her and has been killed because of this. She cries and he misinterprets this as the mourn of Cassio. Smothering her with a pillow he kills her. [he stifles her]
Othello can’t analyze reality—he can’t even differentiate between
Emilia’s and Desdemona’s voices. ‘what noise is this?’
fate
Cassio: ‘I am maimed forever!’
Roderigo; ‘O damned Iago!’
tragic innocence
Othello: ‘Think on thy sins’
Des: ‘They are loves I bear to you’ (5.2)
Des: ‘Lord have mercy on me!’ (5.2)
