Brabantio’s Accusation against Othello
Hamilton, Willian. Brabantio’s Accusation against Othello. Late 18th century. jpg file.
Analysis of Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 149-296.
In this passage, Othello is telling Desdemona’s father Brabantio and the Duke that he didn’t use spells, tricks, or magic of any kind to make Desdemona fall in love with him. He states that they spent time together with him telling her the many stories of his adventures and she slowly developed her love of him. The main significance of this passage in the play is it gives the readers a clear view of the kind of person that Othello is. As a “Moor”, Othello is put down because of his race, skin color and his former religious follow which was Muslim. In the play, he has converted to Christianity and is a respected soldier for Venice. Despite this, Brabantio, who respects him greatly, when he hears that Desdemona has ran off to marry Othello without his permission, he immediately blames Othello for drugging or using tricks of some sort to make Desdemona marry him. Othello’s proclamation of his own innocence in this crime shows that he also has a great respect for Brabantio and a pure love for Desdemona as seen when he says “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them.” telling that their love for each other come from them spending time with each other and was not influenced or caused by outside influences.
Leight Wardleworth Jack, Desdemona and Othello. jpg file
Analysis of Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 276-294
In this passage, Desdemona is asking the Duke to allow her to go with Othello to Cyprus. She explains her reasoning by saying that if she were to stay home while he went off to war, she would feel unimportant to him and she desires to support him no matter what he does or where he goes.
“So that, dear lords, if I be left behind, a moth of peace, and he go to the war, the rites for why I love him are bereft me and I a heavy interim shall support By his dear absence. Let me go with him.” (Act 1. Sc 3. Lines 290-294)
The significance of this is it shows the readers Desdemona’s utter devotion to her husband Othello even in the face of going to a battlefield. Unfortunately, even though he sees just how devoted she is to him, Othello later believes in Iago’s lies about Desdemona committing infidelity and kills her so she could never “betray” another man ever again. From the beginning of the play to the end, Desdemona remains entirely loyal to Othello despite how he changes as he falls for Iago’s lies which causes him to accuse her and even strikes her out of anger.
Hofmann, Heinrich, Othello Approaches the Sleeping Desdemona. 19th century. jpg file
Analysis of Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 1-24
In this passage, Othello has just arrived home and found Desdemona asleep in bed. As she is still sleeping, Othello talks to himself about Desdemona’s supposed infidelity.
“It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul. Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars. It is the cause. Yet I’ll not shed her blood, nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, as smooth as monumental alabaster. Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light. If I quench thee, though flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore should I repent me. But once put out thy light, thou cunning’st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat that can thy light relume. When I have plucked <the> rose, I cannot give it vital growth again. It needs must wither. I’ll smell <it> on the tree.> (Act 5. Sc. 2. Lines 6-16)
Othello is so convinced of Desdemona’s infidelity that he believes that if he doesn’t kill her, she would continue to do the same to other men. He compares Desdemona and her supposed infidelity like a flower that would continue to trick men unless he kills it. However, even though he is resolved to kill her, he is unwilling to use his sword to kill her and decides to smother her to death. Even being convinced of her infidelity, Othello is still very much in love with her as he is unable to bring himself to use his sword to kill her and thus “scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, as smooth as monumental alabaster.” This shows that Othello is not killing her because he is no longer in love with her but rather simply because he believes she has been with other men and would do the same to him in the future so he has to stop her before that happens.