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Othello · Act V · Scene II

The Bedroom, the Crime and the End

LoveHonor and ReputationJealousyEnvyPrejudiceTruth and Lies

Scene summary

Othello enters the bedchamber with a light, says that Desdemona must die or she will betray other men, and kisses her as she sleeps, saying he will love her after killing her. She wakes, and he orders her to pray and accuses her of giving Cassio the handkerchief he had given her; he says Cassio has already confessed and that his mouth is sealed, for Iago carried out orders. Desdemona denies it, asks that Cassio be called, begs for one night of life and half an hour for prayers, and Othello smothers her. He hears Emilia calling at the door, smothers her again, closes the curtains and lets her in. Emilia brings the news that Cassio has killed Roderigo, and Othello is disconcerted to learn that Cassio is alive.

On hearing Desdemona's cry, Emilia opens the curtain. Desdemona says she dies without guilt, that no one killed her, she herself, asks that they commend her to her husband, and dies. Othello admits it was he and, when Emilia calls him a devil, says she was false and that Iago knew it: it was he who first spoke of her to him. Emilia defies Othello's sword and cries out for help, and Montano, Gratiano and Iago enter. Iago says he spoke what he thought; Emilia calls him a liar. Othello says he saw in Cassio's hand the handkerchief that had been his mother's. Emilia says she found the handkerchief by chance and gave it to her husband, who had many times asked her to steal it; Iago stabs her and flees, and Montano disarms Othello. Emilia sings the willow song, affirms that Desdemona was chaste and loved him, and dies at her side.

Othello looks for another sword in the room, Gratiano stops him, and when Lodovico, Montano and officers enter with Iago in custody and Cassio seated in a chair, Othello wounds Iago but does not kill him. He asks to be called an honorable murderer, since he did not act out of hatred, and Iago says he will say nothing more. Lodovico shows letters found in Roderigo's pocket, which reveal the plan to kill Cassio, and Cassio says he found the handkerchief in his room and that Iago confessed to having thrown it there. Lodovico removes Othello's command, announces that Cassio governs Cyprus, orders Othello arrested to answer in Venice, and leaves Iago to be tortured. Othello asks that they speak of him as he is, someone who loved too much but without judgment, and who, like a poor Indian, threw away a pearl. He stabs himself and dies kissing Desdemona.

Analysis

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