In society at the time, women’s ‘power’ over men would be most likely to be of a sexual nature. Well, women would not have any ‘power’ over how men think and behave, but the idea that Desdemona asks whether she has ‘any’ grace or power to ‘move’ him, indicates that she could use another technique to sway his judgement. For if he be not one that truly loves you, / That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning, / I have no judgement in an honest face.’ (3:3:46-50).ĬONTEXTUAL LINK: The ‘grace or power’ that Desdemona speaks of would not be a usual trait for women to have in the Elizabethan era. ‘If I have any grace or power to move you, / His present reconciliation take. In fact, she begs of Othello to reinstate Cassio. Desdemona, of course, does not lie on Cassio’s behalf. But, because of the tight grip that Iago has of Othello, Othello says that he does not believe it, but goes on to question Desdemona about the events. Iago’s subsequent declarative sentence almost has a sarcastic and satirical tone to it, as though Othello should know that he was insincere, although masking himself as sincere. And, he must have specific paranoia about Cassio now, due to his alleged distrust in him. The interrogative sentences that Shakespeare has used in Othello and Iago’s conversation mimics the ongoing questioning and paranoia that Othello now has in his head about everything. ‘Cassio, my lord? No, sure I cannot think it / That he would steal away so guilty-like, / Seeing you coming.’ (3:3:38-40). ‘Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?’ (3:3:37). Othello sees this conversation between Cassio and Desdemona, and Othello asks Iago: Desdemona pleads Cassio to stay to ‘hear speak’, but Cassio claims that he is ‘ill at ease’, and departs. Cassio, even in front of Othello, continues to call Desdemona ‘Madam’ when he says he should leave. And, ‘if the case were his’, he would be seeking revenge for Othello, and he is seeking revenge for Othello for a different ‘case’.Īs their conversation comes to a close, Othello and Iago enter the scene. The idea of ‘grief’ that Emilia brings up is absurd when considering Iago – the audience must know that Iago would not ‘grieve’ something that was happening to himself, let alone someone else. This represents dramatic irony, because these characters all believe Iago to be sincere about how he is acting with Cassio, even though Iago actually despises him.

‘I warrant it grieves my husband / As if the case were his.’ (3:3:3-4). Desdemona is represented here as being genuinely kind and generous to other people. Desdemona is telling Cassio how she will ‘do all / All abilities in thy behalf.’ (3:3:1-2). Desdemona, Cassio and Emilia enter the scene first during a conversation. To make up for the first two scenes being so short, this scene is a lot longer. Meanwhile, Othello will look at the ‘fortification’ with the Gentlemen. Othello asks Iago to take some letters ‘to the pilot’, and then return straight back to him. And this makes Cassio ‘bound’ to Emilia: he is indebted to her.Īnother very short scene here that includes a brief conversation between Othello and Iago, and the Gentlemen. And, can we argue that ‘good lieutenant’ is no longer an epithet, because he is no longer ‘lieutenant’? Despite this, Emilia grants Cassio with time to ‘speak bosom freely’ to Desdemona. It is as though she does not understand what ‘displeasure’ means. The fact that she knows of Cassio’s ‘displeasure’, but still calls him ‘lieutenant’ shows an ignorant behaviour that Emilia has. ‘I am sorry / For your displeasure ’ (3:1:39-40). Emilia calls Cassio the epithet ‘good lieutenant’, but paradoxically says after this: Iago leaves again to find Emilia himself, but Emilia enters before Iago can find her. The Clown leaves, and Iago enters, and Cassio informs Iago that the Clown is looking for Emilia, Iago’s wife, to get in touch with Desdemona. The way that Cassio is using Othello’s servants for his own errands, despite not being his lieutenant anymore, implies that Cassio is unaware of the social rules that come with the act of being dismissed. Cassio asks the Clown to send for Emilia as he wants to ask her whether Desdemona will meet him.

Cassio had sent the musicians to play for Othello in attempt to be accepted by Othello again, but Othello sent the Clown to tell the musicians to stop playing at once. If you haven’t read the previous scenes, do that now: Act 1 Scene 1 2-3 Act 2 Scene 1 2-3.Ĭassio enters the scene with the Clown and musicians.

Othello act 3 scene 3