Othello 501 Rakhi L Lalwani Assistant Professor of

Othello 501 Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene I • Cassio is visiting Bianca and Iago and Roderigo lie in wait for him, outside. • Iago gives Roderigo a sword and asks him to kill Cassio with it. He moves away. • Roderigo asks him to stay close by in case he needs any help. • Cassio steps outside and is ambushed by Roderigo, but Roderigo’s sword fails to kill him. • Cassio stabs Roderigo and Iago enters in the commotion, stabs Cassio in the leg and escapes. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene I • Othello hears Cassio screaming and thinks that Iago has kept is promise of killing Cassio and leaves to kill Desdemona. • Lodovico and Gratiano (Brabantio’s brother) enter and hesitate to help anyone in the darkness, thinking it might be a trap. • Iago enters with a light and Cassio asks him to help him. • Iago, without hesitation, kills Roderigo. • Gratiano and Lodovico still cannot see what has happened and question Cassio. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene I • Bianca enters and cries on seeing Cassio wounded. • Everyone asks Cassio the reason for the attack and Iago blames Roderigo. • Servants enter and take away Cassio and Roderigo’s bodies. • Emilia enters and asks Iago what has happened and Iago replies that this is the punishment for ‘whoring’. • Bianca is also blamed and put under arrest. • Emilia is asked by Iago to tell Othello and Desdemona what has happened. • Iago ends by saying that this night would either see his victory or death. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act v – scene II • Othello enters Desdemona’s chambers holding a candle and stands above her, preparing to kill her. • He bends to kiss her before he kills her and Desdemona wakes. • He tells her that he is going to kill her and that she should be ready to die. • Scared, Desdemona asks him why he wants to kill her, to which Othello replies because she had an affair with Cassio – the proof of which is the handkerchief. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene II • Desdemona denies it, but Othello refuses to listen to her and tells her that Cassio has confessed. • He also tells her that Cassio has been killed by Iago as punishment. • Desdemona cries for Cassio which angers Othello more. Desdemona begs him to leave her alive for some more time. • Othello finally smothers her with the pillow. • Emilia arrives and calls from outside. Othello thinks that Desdemona is still alive and smothers her again. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene II • He draws the curtains and allows Emilia to enter. • Emilia tells him that Cassio has killed Roderigo and Othello wants to know if Cassio is dead. • She tells him that Cassio is still alive. • Othello realises that his plan has failed. • Desdemona wakes for a moment and screams that she has been murdered. She wakes again to say that she killed herself and dies. • Othello boasts that he killed Desdemona. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene II • Emilia asks him why he would do such a thing to which he replies that Iago opened his eyes about Desdemona’s character. • He warns Emilia to remain silent, but she screams and Monatano, Gratiano and Iago enter. • Slowly Iago’s plans are revealed by Emilia and Othello realises his mistake. • He cries, falling on Desdemona’s bed. • Gratiano says that it is a good thing that Brabantio is not alive to see this scene. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene II • Othello still keeps saying that Desdemona was guilty and asks about the handkerchief and Cassio’s confession. • At this, Emilia realises what has happened and Iago feels that he cannot escape and tries to kill Emilia. • Gratiano stops him and Emilia tells Othello that she found the handkerchief and gave it to Iago. • Othello tries to attack Iago, but is stopped by Montano. • In the confusion, Iago manages to stab Emilia and escapes. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene II • Montano and Gratiano run behind Iago. • Othello is left alone with Emilia and Desdemona’s bodies. • He searches for another sword to kill himself, while Emilia with her dying breath sings the song, ‘Willow’ that Desdemona was singing earlier. • She tells Othello, that Desdemona was innocent and that she loved him. • Othello mourns the death of his wife and Iago is brought as prisoner by Cassio and the others. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act V – Scene II • Othello stabs Iago, but is disarmed by the others. • Iago laughs that Othello has only wounded him and not killed him. • Iago refuses to confess, but Lodovico presents a letter taken from Roderigo’s pocket listing evertyhing that Iago has done. • Still looking for a reason, Othello asks Cassio how he found the handkerchief. Cassio tells him that he found it in his room. • Lodovico tells Othello that he will have to return to Venice, where he will lose his job and will be tried in court. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

Act v – Scene II • Othello pleads to speak one final time and tells everyone to remember him as he was in the past. • He begins to describe an incident where he caught a Turk by his neck and stabbed him. While doing so, he kills himself and falls on Desdemona for a final kiss. • Lodovico tells Iago to see what he has done. Tells Gratiano that he is Othello’s heir and asks Montano to ensure that Iago is punished for his crime and leaves to tell the Duke about what has happened. • Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS

THANK YOU Rakhi L. Lalwani, Assistant Professor of English, SNMV CAS