Othello

Act V Scene 1
Read V.1.1144-1146 Iago has Roderigo poised and ready to pounce on Cassio, and kill him; if either of them is killed, it is to Iago's benefit Roderigo and Cassio fight, and both are injured Othello hears the scuffle, is pleased, and then leaves to finish off Desdemona. Iago enters, pretending that he knows nothing of the scuffle Roderigo is still alive, so Iago feigns a quarrel, and finishes him off. Cassio is carried away, and Roderigo is already dead. Emilia also comes in, and pins more blame on Bianca; she has done nothing, but Iago has some quick work to do if he is to exonerate himself in this mess. Watch movie scene

Analysis
Iago addresses the audience directly about his intentions, and his actions Iago is only truly honest with the audience like Richard III This creates an undercurrent of dramatic irony throughout the play, since the audience knows all of his plans, and individual characters know little or nothing Although Othello is the title character of the play, Iago has more lines and more interaction with the audience as well. It is Othello's tragedy that is the focus of the play, but Iago succeeds in stealing the show he is more interesting than any of the protagonists in the play. Iago proves himself a consummate actor: appearance vs. reality Iago claims to know nothing of this battle Iago is many selves in this act he is friend and advisor to Roderigo betrayer and murderer of Roderigo consoler of Cassio the lead officer in this

Act V Scene 2
Read V.2.1146-1150 Othello enters Desdemona's room while she is asleep; and still is determined to kill her. He justifies this with images, metaphors, and ideas of her rebirth after death Desdemona awakens, and he tells her to repent of any sins before she dies Othello tells her that he found her handkerchief with Cassio, though Desdemona insists it must not be true She pleads with Othello not to kill her right then, but he begins to smother her. Emilia knocks, curious about what is going on Othello lets her in, but tries to conceal Desdemona, who he thinks is already dead. Emilia brings the news of Roderigo's death, and Cassio's wounding.

Act V Scene 2
Emilia soon finds out that Desdemona is nearly dead, by Othello's hand Desdemona speaks her last words, and then Emilia pounces on Othello for committing this horrible crime. Othello is not convinced of his folly until Iago confesses his part, and Cassio speaks of the use of the handkerchief Othello is overcome with grief. Iago stabs Emilia for telling all about his plots, and then Emilia dies Venetian nobles reveal that Brabantio, Desdemona's father, is dead, and so cannot be grieved by this tragedy now. Othello stabs Iago when he is brought back in Othello then tells all present to remember him how he is, and kills himself. Cassio becomes temporary leader of the troops at Cyprus Iago is taken into custody, and his crimes will be judged back in Venice. Watch movie scene

Analysis: Literary Terms

Othello's farewell to Desdemona is a return to his former eloquence Though he believes Desdemona's soul to be black, he can only focus on her whiteness; he pledges not to mar "that whiter skin of hers than snow" The metaphor highlights Desdemona's innocence, as does comparing her to a "light" to be put out. There is irony in Othello's references to Desdemona here: he describes her with words that suggest her brightness and innocence he is determined to condemn and kill her. She is also "the rose" to Othello, another beautiful image Othello's allusion to Prometheus explains his wish to put out Desdemona's light in order to restore her former innocence. Before Othello felt only hatred and anger, now he is forced to feel his love, along with his mistaken determination to see Desdemona die.

Analysis: Lines
Desdemona's last words are especially cryptic When asked who killed her, she remarks:
"nobody, I myself commend me to my kind lord."

This could be seen as a kind of condemnation of Othello for killing her She might be trying to absolve her husband of blame with her last breath If this is so, it certainly does not sit well with her line:
"falsely, falsely murdered," which seems to refer both to Desdemona's death, as to Emilia's mention of the death of Roderigo and wounding of Cassio.

Analysis: Parallelism
Emilia's fate is parallel to Desdemona's:
She was more realistic than Desdemona She too was betrayed by her husband She died through other's wrongs.

Desdemona might be a more central figure in the play, but Emilia is the conscience Emilia knows how human nature works She knows of husbands' jealousies, of how men believe women are less human, of how people are naturally prone to folly. She is the sole voice of reason in the play, the only besides Desdemona who is uncorrupted by Iago's manipulations.

Analysis: Oxymoron
Othello insists that he is an "honorable murderer Iago was surely killed out of anger Desdemona out of jealousy and offended pride. Othello still denies the flaws in himself that have led him to this end. Iago was definitely the catalyst for Desdemona's death and Othello's jealous rages; but the seeds of jealousy and suspicion were already inherent in Othello It certainly makes the resolution of the play more neat to believe that Othello is returned to his nobility Since he still denies the deep wrong he has committed, he cannot be fully redeemed or forgiven.

Analysis: Conclusion
Of course, all threads are wrapped up in this last scene of the play:
Letters are produced that expose Iago's part in these unfortunate events These letters have not been mentioned or shown earlier in the play. Cassio seems to have been kept alive merely to testify about his part in this whole debacle