Significance of Act V Scene II – Othello [Part I]
Significance of Act V Scene II – Othello
The extent of Othelloʼs peripetia.
Desdemona as an innocent victim.
Shakespeare commentating on the 16th century societies norm of killing unfaithful wives.
The scene comes from Act V Scene II, a single scene before the tragic ending of the play and
moments after Othello hears Cassioʼs wounded cry believing that Iago has fulfilled his promise
to kill him. The end is pivotal as it marks the climactic extent of Othelloʼs peripetia where a man
who once spoke of love with his “life upon her faith” is now approaching the sleeping
Desdemona to smother her. The significance of the scene can be seen through its exploration
of the tragic themes of the tragic heroes peripetia, the tragic victim of Desdemona, and status
of women in 16th century society.
As Othello approaches the sleeping Desdemona the extent of the tragic heroes peripetia can be
seen. Once a man “highly renowned and prosperous” (Aristotle), who would approach
situations with a “free and noble nature” such as Brabantioʼs arrival in Act I Scene II, is now a
mere fragment of the man he once was. He is presented as weak and cowardly in contrast to
the previous upfront nature he presented; “lift up your bright swords for the dew will rest them”.
Additionally, all previous presentations of egalitarian love in which Othello and Desdemona
viewed each other as equals have also dissipated. In the extract Othello objectifies Desdemona
referring to her as having “whiter skin of hers than snow And smooth as monumental alabaster”
linking to the story of Pygmalion, a Greek Myth, where a statue maker fell in love with his statue
so intensely that the Goddess Venus brought the statue to life in a transformation of ultimate
objectification. This thematic link suggests Othelloʼs hamartia which causes his later actions
after this scene to occur. Othelloʼs hamartia being love, an idolatry love, in which he “loved not
wisely but too well” demonstrating the reason why he kills in Desdemona in this scene being his
immense love for her. Like Macbeth, Othello compares Desdemonaʼs life to the “light”, in the
form of a candle, which he is holding. He uses the chiasmus of “put out the light, and then put
out the light” similar to Macbethʼs “out, out brief candle” speech in response to Lady
Macbethʼs suicide. The irregular pattern of words reflecting a disordered mind within Othello
revealing to the audience how he still remains in the “perplexed” state in which Iago placed him
in Act IV after he fell into a trance, and it is in this trance that he kills Desdemona. The
monologue is filled is paradoxes such as “I will kill thee And love thee after” alongside refers to
his “cruel tears” and “sorrowʼs heavenly”, further emphasising how Othello is committing this
deed with a fractured mind.
Ironically being only the second long monologue, we get from Othello in the entire play, the
speech is significantly placed as the previous one was moments before Othelloʼs “green eyed
monster was awakened” and this moments before Othelloʼs anagnorisis and suicide soon after.
Significance of Act V Scene II – Othello
The extent of Othelloʼs peripetia.
Desdemona as an innocent victim.
Shakespeare commentating on the 16th century societies norm of killing unfaithful wives.
The scene comes from Act V Scene II, a single scene before the tragic ending of the play and
moments after Othello hears Cassioʼs wounded cry believing that Iago has fulfilled his promise
to kill him. The end is pivotal as it marks the climactic extent of Othelloʼs peripetia where a man
who once spoke of love with his “life upon her faith” is now approaching the sleeping
Desdemona to smother her. The significance of the scene can be seen through its exploration
of the tragic themes of the tragic heroes peripetia, the tragic victim of Desdemona, and status
of women in 16th century society.
As Othello approaches the sleeping Desdemona the extent of the tragic heroes peripetia can be
seen. Once a man “highly renowned and prosperous” (Aristotle), who would approach
situations with a “free and noble nature” such as Brabantioʼs arrival in Act I Scene II, is now a
mere fragment of the man he once was. He is presented as weak and cowardly in contrast to
the previous upfront nature he presented; “lift up your bright swords for the dew will rest them”.
Additionally, all previous presentations of egalitarian love in which Othello and Desdemona
viewed each other as equals have also dissipated. In the extract Othello objectifies Desdemona
referring to her as having “whiter skin of hers than snow And smooth as monumental alabaster”
linking to the story of Pygmalion, a Greek Myth, where a statue maker fell in love with his statue
so intensely that the Goddess Venus brought the statue to life in a transformation of ultimate
objectification. This thematic link suggests Othelloʼs hamartia which causes his later actions
after this scene to occur. Othelloʼs hamartia being love, an idolatry love, in which he “loved not
wisely but too well” demonstrating the reason why he kills in Desdemona in this scene being his
immense love for her. Like Macbeth, Othello compares Desdemonaʼs life to the “light”, in the
form of a candle, which he is holding. He uses the chiasmus of “put out the light, and then put
out the light” similar to Macbethʼs “out, out brief candle” speech in response to Lady
Macbethʼs suicide. The irregular pattern of words reflecting a disordered mind within Othello
revealing to the audience how he still remains in the “perplexed” state in which Iago placed him
in Act IV after he fell into a trance, and it is in this trance that he kills Desdemona. The
monologue is filled is paradoxes such as “I will kill thee And love thee after” alongside refers to
his “cruel tears” and “sorrowʼs heavenly”, further emphasising how Othello is committing this
deed with a fractured mind.
Ironically being only the second long monologue, we get from Othello in the entire play, the
speech is significantly placed as the previous one was moments before Othelloʼs “green eyed
monster was awakened” and this moments before Othelloʼs anagnorisis and suicide soon after.
