Act 5 summary

Question 1

Scene 1

Answer 1

• Iago gives Roderigo a weapon to kill Cassio
• Cassio kills Roderigo, Iago wounds Cassio
• At night, Iago can direct assassination without his participation being known, can direct fight
• Roderigo is an unnecessary complication
• Iago has been successful up until this point, needs to retain honest reputation by telling Roderigo
• Similar to act 2 scene 3 fight, highlights patriarchal world and misogyny is destructive

Question 2

Scene 2

Answer 2

• Des is asleep
• Des pleads, professes love and takes blame for her death
• Emilia realizes her husband is the culprit
• Iago kills Emilia
• Iago refuses to give reasons
• Othello kills himself
• Desdemona’s lack of resistance, doesn’t try to escape
• Othello kills himself
• Passive response, fulfills tragic heroine status, begins as a romantic, naïve, young girl, barely fights back, submits to violence, frustrates audience
• Othello implores the venetians to remember his service to the state

Question 3

Scene 2 significance

Answer 3

• Othello does not hate Desdemona so it adds drama
• Two dead wives, killed by their husbands, patriarchy destroys women
• Bed symbolizes patriarchal control of women
• Othello’s anagnorises