Othello
Act V, Scene II
Summary
• Othello awakens Desdemona and explains that
he must kill her though he doesn’t want too and
does this so she will hurt no other man.
• She bargains for her life asking for another day,
another hour
• Eventually Othello in a state of agitation brutally
suffocates her
• Emilia enters the room and is shocked to find
her mistress killed at the hands of the Moor. He
explains his actions which Emilia equally
shocked in the falsehood of his accusations.
• Emilia desperately calls for help and then enters
Gratiano Montano and Iago
• All appalled they discuss the events that have
occurred leading to Emilia exposing her
husband’s evils. Who in turn kills her.
• Othello stabs Iago and charges him with being
the root of his evil actions
• Othello wrought with regret over his actions,
takes his own life after a pleading with everyone
to tell the story as it happened
• Cassio is given the responsibility of taking care
of Iago’s punishment
Significance - Plot
• This is the final scene of the play when all of
the pieces of Iago’s scheme are shown to
all.
• Othello in his monologue (5.2.335-353)
comes back to reason which prompts his
suicide
• Emilia finally defies her husband which
results in her death
• Cassio receives a promotion, due to
Othello’s death
Significance - Theme
• Jealousy
• Manipulation
• Redemption
• Loyalty
Significance - Character
• Desdemona- chaste, loyal, naïve,
• Emilia- loyal, opportunistic, strong willed
• Iago- manipulative, intelligent, jealous
• Othello- gullible, violent, psychotic
Significance - Setting
• Because it’s night time it makes it
ominous
• He kills her on her wedding bed
• Emilia, Desdemona, and Othello are
all lying on the bed at the end
The Passage
• “Poor Desdemon, I am glad thy father is
dead: Thy match was mortal to him, and
pure grief shore his old thread in twain.
Did he live now, this sight would make him
do a desperate turn, yea, curse his better
angel from his side and fall to reprobance.”
Gratiano 5.2.203-208
Passage Explained
• Desdemona’s father died because of the
marriage.
• Everyone involved in the marriage is harmed
physically, emotionally or both.
• This is where everything unfolds, and it adds to
Othello’s guilt.
Dramatic Irony
• The marriage that killed Desdemona’s
father eventually killed Desdemona as
well.
Reoccurring Motifs
• Desdemona in this
passage and
throughout the play
is referred to as an
angel. (Shows
contrast between
her and Othello)
Rhetorical Devices
• Exaggeration
• Metaphor
Author’s Purpose
• Exaggeration is used to get across the
significance of how hurt Desdemona’s father
was about the marriage
• The metaphor of comparing Desdemona to an
angel puts emphasis on Desdemona’s
innocence
• Metaphor also highlights differences between
the fair Desdemona and the Moor.
Discussion
• Why do you think the marriage between
Othello and Desdemona literally killed her
father?
• Does the comparison of Desdemona to an
angel hint at the racism in the play and of
the time period?
• Does Cassio deserve Othello’s position?
• Did Iago ever truly love Emilia?
• Was Emilia truly loyal to Iago?