Othello (Act 4)

Othello – Act 4

Throughout Act 4, we see Othello and Desdemona grow farther apart as Iago once again deceives Othello. We see this deception happen in the first scene of Act 4 where Iago convinces Othello further that Desdemona has indeed slept with Cassio, and to prove this Iago has Othello stand at a distance as Iago speaks to Cassio about his lover. However, what Othello doesn’t know is that Iago is really speaking to Cassio about the prostitute Bianca, who Cassio has been sleeping with; Iago merely makes it seem that Cassio is talking about Desdemona in order to fool Othello and push him further away from his wife. As expected, Othello falls for this trickery and becomes infuriated at the thought of Desdemona cheating on him, which pushes him to violence. At one point, Desdemona, Othello, and Lodovico are talking together when Lodovico announces that Othello is being called home, and Desdemona being happy for Othello says, “By my troth, I am glad on’t.” (4.1.230) Being enraged, Othello says to Desdemona, “I am glad to see you mad”, referring to thinking that Desdemona has just rejoiced in Cassio’s promotion and therefore is openly admitting the affair between the two, which would be “mad” to do in public, and strikes her afterwards. (4.1.233)

In Scene 2 of Act 4, we see Othello push Desdemona even farther away as he openly humiliates her and puts her down by calling her a whore: “I took you for that cunning whore of Venice / That married with Othello.” (4.2.93-94) In response to this, Desdemona is shocked, but remains strong in her love for Othello which we see as she says, “Unkindness may do much, / And his unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love.” (4.2.163-165) Further on in Act 4, we see Desdemona admit to Emilia in scene 3 that she believes it possible that Othello might kill her that night, to which she merely tells Emilia that if this is to happen, for Emilia to wrap her in her bed sheets from her marriage. Although Othello is moving further and further away from Desdemona and into Iago’s trap, it is clear that Desdemona still holds love and hope that Othello will come back to her.