At last, Othello assumes the posture of the tragic hero, grossly wrong in his determination, yet steeling himself to do what he must. the cause" (1) - that is, Desdemona's infidelity, and he even hesitates to speak aloud the name of Desdemona's crime before the "chaste stars" (2). His soliloquy is quiet, and he seems to be more an agent of justice than the jealous cuckold. He is no longer the angry, vengeful husband. Cassio will be commander and have the power to sentence Iago, and Lodovico will return to Venice with the sad news.ĭesdemona is asleep in her bed as Othello enters, carrying a candle. Lodovico takes charge, giving Othello's house and property to Gratiano, his next of kin by marriage. Othello, watching his world unravel, asks the men to remember him clearly, his good points and his bad, as "one that lov'd not wisely, but too well." Then he stabs himself, falls onto the bed, and dies. Othello and Cassio demand to know why he did it, but Iago refuses to explain and says he will never speak again. Othello realizes, too late, that he had been tricked and manipulated. As she dies, Emilia tells Othello that Desdemona loved him. She tells how she found the handkerchief, which her husband had asked her to steal, and gave it to him. Iago says that Desdemona was indeed unfaithful with Cassio, but Emilia knows this is untrue. Montano, Gratiano, Iago, and others rush into the bedchamber where Emilia is shouting, and she challenges Iago to defend himself, giving him one last chance to retrieve himself in her estimation. Emilia curses Iago, calls him a liar, and cries murder to waken everyone. She says "my husband" over and over, while Othello pours out his heart on justice and how he loved her and how Iago is honest. Emilia insists that Desdemona was faithful Othello replies that Cassio had been with her, and Iago knew all about it. Emilia sees herself as a witness and will tell what she has seen, and Othello declares that he has killed Desdemona because of her infidelity. Desdemona says that she is innocent, denies that anyone has killed her, and dies.Įmilia and Othello confront each other. Then Desdemona's voice is heard from the bed, saying "falsely murdered" and Emilia calls for help. She says that Cassio has killed Roderigo. What Emilia reports is not what Othello expected. When Emilia knocks on the door, Othello draws the bed-curtain across, hiding the bed, and opens the door to hear the news. Knowing that she cannot convince him of her fidelity, Desdemona weeps and begs him to banish her rather than kill her, or let her live just a little more, but he stifles her, presumably with a pillow. She is afraid, although she knows she is not guilty. Suddenly, Desdemona realizes that Othello intends to kill her. Desdemona wakens and calls him to bed, but he tells her to pray at once, repenting anything she needs to repent, and he will wait while she prays because he does not want to kill her soul. Desdemona lies asleep in bed, and Othello enters, dreadfully calm and sure in what he must do.
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