Othello Weebly奥赛罗 Weebly.pptVIP

OTHELLO Act Four ACT FOUR SCENE I: KEY POINTS Iago torments Othello with mental images of Cassio and Desdemona together until the Moor is struck by some kind of seizure. When Othello recovers Iago has him conceal himself nearby and has some disrespectful banter with Cassio about Bianca. Othello assumes Cassio is talking about Desdemona. He also sees Bianca throwing his handkerchief on the ground, returning it to Cassio. He emerges committed to killing Cassio and after a little persuasion from Iago he decides to kill Desdemonda as well. Lodovico arrives with news from Venice. Othello becomes so enraged with the increasingly confused Desdemona that he hits her and Lodovico is left wondering if Othello has gone mad. A BRILLIANT ACTOR: Iago juggles two performances – he hates Cassio but acts in a friendly way bantering with him about Bianca. At the same time he plays a very different performance with Othello – that of the faithful servant who has nothing but his commander’s best interests at heart. Iago MANIPULATIVE AND PERSUASIVE: Expert at using reverse psychology – dangles horrible imagery and hints at the affair, then talks down the importance of these hints. Uses reverse psychology on Lodovico also – refusing to give straight answers makes Lodovico more certain something is wrong with Othello. Throughout the play he raises suspicions to Othello, dismisses their importance and then returns to them when he knows the seed of doubt has been planted. Iago not only persuades Othello to kill Desdemona but also tells him where and how he should do it. EXPERT SCHEMER: Improvises brilliantly, taking advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. He concocts a story about Bianca wanting to marry Cassio and manages to get from him exactly the sort of reaction he needs to further provoke Othello, who believes Cassio is talking about Desdemona. He engineers to be alone with Othello so he can continue to poison his mind. He turns Lodovico’s arrival to his advantage, s