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Othello ​Act III-V Study Guide
Act III
Scene iii
1
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“My husband is so upset about Cassio’s problem you’d think it was his own
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Why does Cassio urge Desdemona to act quickly?
2
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1
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That he would steal away so guilty-like seeing you coming”?
2
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1
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What is her response? Why is she wrong?
2
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1
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How does Iago manage this?
2
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1
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” What does this mean? Why is
this ironic?
2
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1
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What four
reasons does he give for not answering?
2
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He cannot ask him to reveal his deepest thoughts;
3
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He might be wrong;
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It would destroy his peace of mind;
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He would be stealing his reputation
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Explain: “I’ll see before I doubt, when I doubt prove, and on the proof, there is no more
than this – away at once with love or jealousy
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Othello wants to see real evidence before he suspects Desdemona of infidelity
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1
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What does he say about
1) their conscience 2) their ability to deceive?
2
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They do
things that are wrong, and they do not want to get caught
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1
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Long live she so and long live you to think so!”
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He hopes that
Iago will think so, too
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Othello fears Iago understands human nature better than he, and lists three reasons why
Desdemona may be untrue
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1
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2
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3
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How does Desdemona lose her handkerchief? What is special about it? What does Iago
plan to do with it?
2
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1
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”
2
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If a man’s robber
and wouldn’t miss it, then he’s not robbed at all
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When Othello demands “ocular proof,” how does Iago answer?
2
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Iago is defensive; he says he only wanted to
“help” a friend, but he’s not appreciated for being honest
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2
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4
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1
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Cassio has Desdemona’s handkerchief

1
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To kill Cassio and then Iago will be Othello’s lieutenant
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Why might Iago ask Othello to let Desdemona live?
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Scene iv
1
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It was the first thing Othello gave Desdemona
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1
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She fears Othello; All men get angry at their wives about everything
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How does Desdemona rationalize Othello’s anger?
2
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1
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Explain: “Tis a monster begot upon itself,
born on itself
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Men are not jealous for any particular reason – the jealousy just grows out of nothing
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What does Cassio do with the handkerchief?
2
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Act IV,
Scene 1
1) What are Othello and Iago discussing at the beginning of the scene? What physical
reaction does Othello have to Iago’s information?
That Cassio and Desdemona kissed in private and that they lied naked together in bed
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3) Who enters at the end of Iago’s and Cassio’s conversation? What does she say to
Cassio and what does she give him?
Bianca; she finds out the handkerchief belonged to someone else and gives it back to
Cassio
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5) Who is Lodovico? How does Othello treat Desdemona in Lodovico’s presence, and
what does Lodovico say about Othello’s behavior? What does Iago tell Lodovico about
Othello’s behavior?
Lodovico was sent by the Duke; Othello treats Desdemona poorly in front of Lodovico
because of her praise of Cassio; Lodovico says that Othello must be angry because of
the letter that says Cassio should have been general; Iago says that Othello’s behavior
has recently become like this
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2) What does Othello say to Desdemona and how does Desdemona respond? Is
Othello treating Desdemona fairly?
Othello asks her to tell the truth or she will damn herself and Desdemona reassures that
she has been faithful; Othello is not treating her fairly because he is only trusting what
Iago has to say
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4) Why is Roderigo angry and how does he threaten Iago? In response, what does Iago
say Roderigo must do and why? According to Iago, what will be Roderigo’s reward if he
follows Iago’s advice?
Roderigo is angry because he has found out that Iago isn’t doing anything to help him
Scene 3

1) What does Othello command Desdemona to do, and how does Desdemona
respond?
Go to bed and send Emilia home; Desdemona obeys
2) According to Desdemona, who was the maid Barbary and what happened to her?
Desdemona’s mother’s maid; She died singing a song called “Willow” about a husband
who killed his wife
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Act V
Scene 1
1)​ ​Why do you think Roderigo is so willing to murder Cassio? What do you think Iago told him
to convince him it was imperative?
Iago has given him good reason to do so; He told him that Cassio was a main reason that
Roderigo and Desdemona are not together
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Scene 2
3)​ ​What evidence proves that Othello still loves Desdemona?
He asks her to pray before he kills her so her sins will be forgiven and she won’t go to hell; He
kisses her after she dies; He kills himself from the guilt of murdering her
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What do you think the
predominant reasons for this might be? Consider the fact that he no longer seems heated and
rash in this last scene
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5)​ ​Why does Desdemona respond, “Nobody; I myself,” to Emilia’s question of who did this to
her? How is this ironic?
She is still unwilling to blame Othello because she loves him too much; It is ironic because he is
the only one who did not actually contribute to her death
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When Othello tells her that it was Iago who told him about the affair
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8)​ ​Cite the ending couplet from the play
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”

Overall – ​Consider each of the following
questions
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Be ready to discuss them all
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11)What ultimately caused Othello’s downfall? What might his “tragic flaw” be?
He is too trusting
12)Chronologically, who was the first to die in the play?
Roderigo
13)What is Iago’s true motivation for his destruction of Othello?
Hate
14)​Look for examples of the extended metaphor comparing words to magic and/or potential
poison
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I
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She is abused, stol'n from me, and corrupted
By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks
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17)Is Othello truly a tragic hero?
Open to interpretation
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19)Defend or refute the idea that Othello “loved only too well
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20)Why doesn’t Othello confront Desdemona directly about her possible affair with Cassio as
soon as he has doubts? Why might that have been out of character for him?
He is a trusting man and has already trusted Iago’s word; to go against Iago’s word to ask
Desdemona about the affair would be unlike him
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*Other
possible answers*

22)Many Shakespearean tragedies include supernatural agents or occurrences
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23)Iago is considered to be one of Shakespeare’s darkest villains
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Open to interpretation
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​
Sneaky, look out for themselves, liars
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*Other possible answers*
26)How might this play relate to multiculturalism?
Othello is a man from a different country and the effects of cultural attitudes and prejudice are
shown

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