Act IV - Scene II
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[A room in the castle.] |
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Enter Othello and Emilia. |
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Enter Desdemona and Emilia. |
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[To Emilia.] |
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Exit Emilia. |
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Exit. |
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Exit. |
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Enter Iago with Emilia. |
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Exeunt. |
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Iago responds to Rodrigo’s doubts by pulling him deeper into his plans. Iago’s next step is to have Othello killed. Iago hopes to manipulate Rodrigo into committing the murder for him.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Having handed his money over to Iago in exchange for the promise of Desdemona’s affections, Rodrigo understands that Iago has lied to him. With the exception of Emilia, Rodrigo is the only character who suspects that Iago is not as “honest” as his reputation suggests.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
In this passage, Desdemona frames her repentance to Othello as a prayer to God. In fact, Shakespeare draws some of the language of her repentance from the Catholic Eucharist, specifically the section devoted to the confession of sin. There is an irony to this moment, because Desdemona confesses to a sin she did not commit.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
In a clever twist of language, Emilia turns “heaven” to “halter,” a synonym for “noose.” Emilia bolsters her role as a truth-teller here. She strengthens her conviction that there is a “villainous knave” responsible for the slander and foreshadows Iago’s fate.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Emilia’s accusation of a hypothetical rogue, followed by Iago’s dismissal of her claim, is one of the play’s most pointed moments of dramatic irony. Emilia’s description of Iago as a “cogging cozening slave” is humorous; “cozening” means deceiving and comes from the Italian “cozzone,” which means “horse trader.” Emilia even accurately guesses the purpose of Iago’s plans—“to get some office”—which heightens the irony.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Emilia gets to the heart of Desdemona’s suffering. Desdemona sacrificed a great deal in order to marry Othello. She abandoned her family and her status for her husband, only to be abandoned by him now as well.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
It was a tradition in Elizabethan times for a newlywed couple to display their bedsheets in public. The bloodstains on the sheets would serve as proof of the bride’s preserved virginity. Desdemona wishes to show Othello their bedsheets to remind him of her chastity.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
When he says “there’s money for your pains,” Othello once again uses the metaphor of Desdemona as whore and Emilia as mistress. Othello thus frames his conversation with Desdemona as an exchange between a mistress and a client.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Desdemona’s characterization of herself as a “vessel” serves as a response to Othello’s description of her as “The fountain from the which my current runs.” Shakespeare chooses the word “vessel” for both of its meanings: a container and a ship. Desdemona’s vessel is her womb, and thus, a container. It is also a ship upon Othello’s “current,” carrying his seed to the next generation.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
In beautiful imagery, Othello reiterates the theme of Nature as a means of judging human action. To illustrate how unnatural Desdemona’s actions are, Othello paints a personified picture of heaven, with the moon and the wind scorning her.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
This is a fascinating and, in some ways, accurate metaphor. Othello compares Desdemona to a book upon whose pages “whore” has been written. We can indeed think of Desdemona’s reputation as a book that Iago has soiled with stories of adultery. Othello does not recognize that the word “whore” is a lie in Desdemona’s book.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Othello claims that any other hardship would be preferable to Desdemona’s adultery. He could accept disease, shame, poverty, and scorn. The thought of Desdemona’s faithlessness leaves Othello with a feeling of desolation. He refers to her as “the fountain from the which my current runs.” Much of his pain comes from the idea that her womb—the “fountain” her refers to—has been violated.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
This is a tragic and powerful line. Desdemona defines herself in terms of her faithfulness to Othello, but he does not trust her. Shakespeare chose to construct Desdemona’s statement as a line of perfect iambic pentameter in order to heighten its impact.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Othello has undergone a significant shift since the play’s beginning. In the opening act, the general is calm, collected, and eloquent. After hearing and believing the lies about Desdemona, Othello can no longer express himself coherently. His communication here is defined by his snarling tone since his words do not explain his anger.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
Not only does Othello discard Emilia’s words of reason, he calls her a “bawd”—a brothel mistress—responsible to the “subtle whore” that is Desdemona. Othello believes that the two women are colluding and concealing the truth. Othello’s reaction reveals his inability to consider reason and his broader disrespect for women.
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— Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor
This passage represents a note of clarity and truth amidst the sea of confusion. Indeed, Emilia has never seen any signs of infidelity because there are none. Emilia is bold enough to challenge Othello on his assumptions despite his position of authority. Emilia goes on to make a broader statement about the nature of relationships between men and women. She deconstructs the widely accepted double standard that expects women to be entirely chaste and pure. To Emilia, such an expectation is unrealistic, for “there’s no man happy” regardless of a woman’s supposed virtue. Emilia’s comments reveal a great deal about Elizabethan society and remain relevant to this day.