©2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (V, ii, 272), the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona: ?that handkerchief?I found by fortune, and did give me husband? When Desdemona tells Emilia what has happened, she finds her husband Iago, who maintains his pretense of being a friend and comforter to Desdemona (while continuing to bicker with his wife). However, one of the most disturbing aspects of the play is Iago. At the end of Act II, Scene 1, he reiterates the real motivation behind his plots against Othello: I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leap'd into my seat: the thought whereof It certainly would have tied things up more neatly if Iago had indeed met his demise at the end of Othello. We know that by the play's end Othello has transformed from a noble general and loving husband into a jealous, irrational killer. His last words are ‘O damned Iago! +1. Every character in the play believes that Iago is the most reputed, honest, reliable, and direct speaking person. Over time, Iago’s manipulation and lies cause Othello to kill Desdemona in an effort to keep her from doing the things that Iago has been telling him she has been doing. In this scene, Iago can be said to have winked at the audiences while revealing his wits, skills and knowledge of manipulation. What happens to Emilia at the end of OTHELLO? and find homework help for other Othello questions at eNotes Very cleverly, he has schemed this into his plans to make the people question what has truly occurred. However, it … At the end of the play, he finally sees this clearly and, with this realization, he kills himself. We also know that after Othello learns the truth (that he killed the ever-faithful Desdemona for no good reason), he decides to end his own life. What reason does Iago give for his hatred of Othello? which character is alive at the end of the play? How does othello end? Moreover, it would be totally alien to Iago's nature to take his own life, as it would be inconsistent with the civilized Venetian society, at this point represented by Gratiano, to have him killed without due process. What is striking is how Iago's hatred for Othello is the emotional centre around which the action of the play turns; without it, there would be no affective motor to drive the story forward. You shall close prisoner rest, Till that the nature of your fault be known To the Venetian state. He explains that he was an experienced soldier and had served under Othello for many years, and thus was expecting to be promoted to the position of Othello's lieutenant. Choose the correct answer: she is sent back to Venice she is forced to stay with Iago in Cyprus she resolves to leave Iago completely Iago kills her Pretty much all the characters in the play end up being fooled and or deceived by Iago at one stage or another. Thus we could surmise that Shakespeare's message in this respect is that justice is not always served. Iago stands for many passions, but is also an instrument of chaos. ” Although Othello’s character is a powerful, military leader, we can see that he is actually a very insecure person. What happens to Emilia at the end of OTHELLO? Cassio declines, but Iago wheedles and urges him, until Cassio finally relents. What happens to Othello, Iago and Cassio in the end? Othello then begs to know why Iago did what he did, but Iago refuses to speak at all. What happens to Iago in the end? By making it clear that he will be tortured, he may have meant for the audience to perceive that Iago's fate would be worse than death. Meanwhile, Othello can't believe that he just killed his innocent wife. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. As the new leader, he is given the responsibility of dealing with Othello's fate: "To you Lord Governor, / Remains the censure of this hellish villain. Another possible reason as to why Iago remains alive at the end of the play may concern the belief that death serves as a relief—which is, in fact, Othello's belief. Iago sees an opportunity to divert attention from himself by casting suspicion on … We know that by the play's end Othello has transformed from a noble general and loving husband into a jealous, irrational killer. She demonstrates her strength and honesty by exposing her husband and challenging Othello for his behavior. Lodovico, however, has found two letters in Roderigo 's pocket that reveal all of Iago's schemes. To show Iago’s success in this even at the end of the play, Othello still refers to him as “honest Iago. He warns Othello against the dangers of "the green-eyed monster" (3.3.165-7) of jealousy, while at the same time noting that Desdemona did successfully deceive her father. Topic: “Iago is the real hero of Shakespeare’s play Othello.”Discuss. After Othello commits suicide and falls on the bed beside his dead wife, Desdemona, Lodovico tells Iago to look upon the consequences of his evil acts. Iago's refusal to speak at the end of the play once again illustrates his power as a mastermind, with everything he does having an important reason. Source(s): LODOVICO You must forsake this room, and go with us: Your power and your command is taken off, And Cassio rules in Cyprus. If you are at all familiar with Shakespeare’s tragedies, you know as much. No one knows exactly how Iago contrived his crimes except him, and as he "sentences himself to eternal silence" (Henry L. Warnken, "Iago As a Projection of Othello"), it will be difficult if not impossible to sentence him to death. Desdemona asks Emilia to fetch Iago, whom Desdemona then questions about Othello 's behavior. Iago's food imagery contains sexual innuendo: 'Blest fig's end!' (2.1.238). Othello doesn’t end well. We may view Iago as the puppeteer that has been pulling the strings of the ill-fated characters in Othello. Good, honest Iago. Iago stands for many passions, but is also an instrument of chaos. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Storms are always of great significance in Shakespeare; here, the storm is a symbol of unrest and the discord to come. Now he lies with Desdemona and Emilia, the completion of the play's series of tragic deaths. Iago spurs Roderigo into a fight with Cassio; others join in and Iago sends Roderigo to ring the alarm bell, waking Othello and bringing him and his armed men to the spot. In the end, Roderigo is stabbed his only "friend," Iago, who does not want him to reveal his secret plot. It is evident, therefore, that Othello’s faults and virtues, all that makes him human, played a large part in the demise of Desdemona and himself yet without Iago, there would have been no tragedy to speak of. Iago is unpunished at the end of the play. The title warrior ruled armies but not his own heart in this tale set in Renaissance Venice - yet belonging to the ages. Iago does this to such an extent that he can get other characters to even commit murder. Iago can be assumed to be a mastermind of most the troubles that Othello will have to face. This leads to Iago’s eventual downfall and sadly her own murder as her husband kills her. The play ends with Cassio reinstated and placed in command as Governor of Cyprus. (5.1.74). Lastly and more importantly, although Iago looked to be scheming person who is not a coward, towards the end of the play, he is seen as being a coward. Already a member? (5.1.74). OTHELLO Jealousy, Passion, Misplaced Trust The themes of jealously, passion, and misplaced trust permeate Shakespeare's towering tragedy, Othello.. However, Roderigo finally outsmarts him by quickly writing a letter which he places in his pocket, pointing to Iago’s involvement in the plot and his guilt. For this slave, If there be any cunning cruelty That can torment him much and hold him long, It shall be his. The ending symbolizes the culmination of … In Act 3, Scene 3, Iago reveals to the audience that, having surreptitiously obtained the handkerchief that Othello had originally given Desdemona as a lover's token, he will lose it in Cassio's lodging. 2.1 Iago arrives at Cyprus with Desdemona and his own wife, Emilia. Source(s): LODOVICO You must forsake this room, and go with us: Your power and your command is taken off, And Cassio rules in Cyprus. The storm marks the end of the peaceful part of the play, a signal that Iago's mischief is about to begin. Log in here. Othello is a tale of jealousy and ambition, love and passion, deception and manipulation. Iago again says that his suspicions are likely false. But Iago's salacious language is just that – words. Is justice possible? Othello goes to the Duke because he has been summoned. who is't that cried?" Iago decides to convince Othello that Desdemona's cheating on him. Iago says he'd rather not say, and then Othello presses him, and then Iago says he'd rather not say, and Othello presses. At the end of Othello by Shakespeare Othello kills himself, Cassio inherits everything of Othello's and is left to decide Iago's punishment. Othello immediately stabs Iago, who is injured but not killed. In other words, he would have a taste of his own medicine. She starts to speak up to explain what happened, but as soon as she finishes the explanation, she is killed by Iago. That he is alive at the end of the play may well mean that the balance between crime and punishment should not be expected as a matter of course. Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. This is a contemporary obscenity, figs being associated with the female vulva. By the end of the play, he has realized that Iago is responsible for Desdemona's death, and he helps Othello understand Iago's treachery. What happens to Iago at the play's end? The play is set in motion when Othello, a heroic black general in the service of Venice, appoints Cassio and not Iago as his chief lieutenant. Othello, facing the inevitability of his own trial, uses a hidden weapon to commit suicide. We also know that after Othello learns the truth (that he killed the ever-faithful Desdemona for no good reason), he decides to end his own life. Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. 0-1. His reasons for his horrific acts are not fully explained such as his suspicion of Othello and Cassio sleeping with Emilia, his racial hate for Othello and even the aspect of Iago possibly having homosexual desires for Othello. Iago's plan appears to succeed when Othello kills Desdemona, who is innocent of Iago's charges. The characters that comment on the storm are mariners, alluding to Ursa Minor and stars used for navigation; this is a testament to Shakespeare's ability to craft credible dialogue for a great diversity and range of characters. Iago is a man with an obsession for control and power over others who has let this obsession take over his whole life. As a result of Iago’s theatrics, the passage becomes hard to paraphrase completely while the gist of it is still present. Storms are always of great significance in Shakespeare; here, the storm is a symbol of unrest and the discord to come. Othello Activity Question 8 Continued 1. Othello by William Shakespeare Choose the correct answer: he is killed by Othello he kills himself he escapes he is taken into custody skip question » Ask a friend You shall close prisoner rest, Till that the nature of your fault be known To the Venetian state. His hatred voices the beginning of the play, and is reiterated at regular intervals until the final scene, where he refuses to speak. Report This +1-4-1. Iago also manipulates the undeserving devotion that Emilia shows him. Therefore, he uses that trust to manipulate every character in the play for his sake of revenge. Sign up now, Latest answer posted December 30, 2019 at 9:30:34 AM, Latest answer posted February 06, 2020 at 11:53:31 AM, Latest answer posted July 21, 2012 at 1:18:42 AM, Latest answer posted December 27, 2015 at 4:53:53 PM, Latest answer posted August 14, 2012 at 2:09:35 AM. The play begins with a quarrel of sorts between Iago and Roderigo, and, as such, it serves several functions. In fact, nearly all of the rest of the action of Othello involves the character's "acting out" the "play" that Iago is "writing." Finally, Iago counsels Othello to trust only what he sees, not Iago's suspicions. Notably, Iago is left wounded but alive at the end of the play. From the beginning to till the end, he is a controller of other characters and his sole motive was to take revenge on Othello and Cassio. what happens to Othello at the end of the play *character not provided *4 choices on test. Cassio is charged with determining Iago’s punishment, and urges “the time, the place, the torture, oh, enforce it” (5.2.). Throughout the play, Iago's soliloquies disclose to the audience what he does not reveal to the other characters as his plans take shape. Or he may have meant to further problematize the notion of justice after the death of the virtuous Desdemona. he kills himself. O inhuman dog!’ Bianca enters and is distraught at Cassio’s injuries. (Othello makes a speech about how he would like to be remembered, then kills himself with a sword he had hidden on his person. However, the world that Shakespeare depicts in this play is far from perfect. Get an answer for 'How does Iago control what happens in the play Othello? ' The play extinguishes the external threat with almost ridiculous speed. The storm is also a great example of Shakespeare's deft use of language. When Iago says to "Demand me nothing...From this time forth I never will speak word," Gratiano replys forebodingly that "Torments will ope your lips." Her love for Othello is stronger than her love for her father. The audience believes that he will be punished, but it's left open for the audience to wonder whether he will get away with his evil plans by concocting another deception or violent act. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Why? Very cleverly, he has schemed this into his plans to make the people question what has truly occurred. Cassio becomes the temporary leader of the troops at Cyprus, and Lodovico and Gratiano are to carry the news of the tragedy back to Venice. The storm is also a great example of Shakespeare's deft use of language. The image is reversed later in the play, when Emilia comments that men 'are all but stomachs, and we all but food' (3.4.93). Iago is deemed by many as one of the most villainous character in Shakespearean plays. Which character is a symbol of unrest and the discord to come answer for 'How Iago... And feigning reluctance, Iago is deemed by many as one of most... Jealousy and ambition, love and passion, Misplaced trust the themes of jealously,,... We can see that he can get other characters to even commit murder is taken to. Shall be his at all most the troubles that Othello is stripped of his own trial, a... 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