“Cassio, I love thee; but never more be officer of mine.”
This foreshadows that Othello will not think twice about hurting Desdemona. Othello trusts Iago and that is his downfall as he is used as a puppet of Iago.
Act3 scene3 of Othello is a pivotal scene; it shows how Iago turns Othello around by the lies that he says. He does this very well as Othello changes in this scene. In the beginning of the scene Othello loves Desdemona and would do anything for her as he says,
“Sweet Desdemona”
This means that he loves her and he thinks that she is sweet. In the end of this scene Othello has a completely changed view of Desdemona, he hates her and even wants her dead.
Iago controls Othello, he changes Othello’s view of Desdemona by saying,
“Who steals my purse steals trash.”
This means that Othello’s good name will be gone because Othello has a good reputation. Othello has a good reputation, which he cares about and he does not want to get a bad reputation. Iago also warns Othello of the green-eyed monster.
“O beware, my lord of jealousy”
“It is the green-eyed monster”
Shakespeare uses different colours to represent different situations for example green is the colour of jealousy, this is one of Shakespeare’s skills as a dramatist.
Othello is regretting that he married Desdemona as he says,
“Why did I marry”
This means that Othello is starting to believe Iago because he thinks Iago is honest,
“This fellows of exceeding honesty”
Othello thinks that if Iago is honest then he must be telling the truth. Othello is starting to show signs of weakness. In this scene everybody in the play think Iago is honest and we, the audience know that this is not true. This makes it more exiting for the audience to watch.
Othello starts to think it is because he is black, that’s why Desdemona is having an affair.
“Haply for I am black”
When this play was written, racism was not a big thing as it is today. There was not that many black people at the time this was written. Othello says it because he is worried, he will think up of any reason why she would have an affair with Cassio. This proves that Iago’s manipulative scheme is working and Othello is beginning to see a different view towards Desdemona.
Iago will even lie to see Othello break down to pieces. Iago says Cassio was talking in his sleep and saying,
“Sweet Desdemona let us wary, let us hide our loves”
Othello believes what Iago reveals because he thinks he is honest and he says,
“I’ll tear her all to pieces”
This is the pivoting point and Othello has a completely different view of Desdemona.
Iago additionally uses Othello’s handkerchief against him. The handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona as her first gift then she lost it. Iago finally convinces Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, by saying that Desdemona gave the handkerchief to Cassio.
“Did I today see Cassio wipe his beard with”
Othello doesn’t think about this he believes everything that Iago says. From loving Desdemona he now hates her and wants to kill her.
Iago is an intelligent and manipulative character. He is an evil scheming villain. He is bitter and twisted, he is a man who will do anything wicked just to get his revenge. Everyone in the play thinks he is honest.
Othello is a passionate and a very emotional man. Although he is brave, he has many weaknesses as well. He is quick to judge, he believes every word Iago says and thinks that his wife Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio and that is his downfall.
Shakespeare uses many skills as a dramatist; one of his skills is dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when an audience knows something that other characters in the play do not. In the play we, the audience know that Iago is an evil character but the rest of the characters in the play do not know this. They think he is good honest and a trustworthy man. Dramatic irony makes the play a lot more exiting; it almost makes you want to shout out what Iago is doing to the other characters. Without dramatic irony the play would not have been as good. Another skill Shakespeare has a dramatist is imagery.
As can be seen from my essay act 3 scene 3 is a pivotal scene. This is because of Iago using his skills to persuade Othello to thinking that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona. At the beginning of the scene he loves Desdemona but at the end of the scene he hate her and wants to kill her.
