litblog 4

8/26                            Othello                                   Act IV s3 and Act V s1

Summary: In act 4 scene 3 Emilia and Desdemona are talking about adultery and their marriages, also Emilia makes a statement by saying how women want the same things men want: intimacy. In the begining of act 5, Cassio, and Roderigo are both injured by none other than Iago. However it was in the dark, so the “villain” could have been anybody.

Quote: “ Good night, good night. Heaven me such uses send, not to pick from bad, but by bad mend”

Significance of Quote: This is Desdemona praying, and saying how she doesn't “mend” bad with bad, but tries to fix it all around; in which her case, she  failed to fix it , even though she had done nothing wrong. She knows that since her husband is accusing her of adultery, he will come to kill her that night, so now she prays for a good arrival in heaven.

Reflection: Everything is coming to a climax: Othello and Desdemona, Cassio and Iago, and mainly the whole story. Iago actually murdered somebody who trusted him, who only wanted to love a beautiful girl, instead he got murdered. Cassio is like a dog toy, being pulled as the blame, back and forth, and now almost being ripped to shreds by Iago. Finally, innocent Desdemona is about to come to the ending of her life because of Iago's poisonous words. Above all, Othello is about to kill the love of his life because of Iago's tricks, and horrid words.  Iago is finally getting what he wanted.

Question: If Roderigo had lived, how would he affect Iago’s plans?