An analysis of Act IV of William Shakespeare’s Othello.
This paper reviews Act IV of William Shakespeare’s “Othello” which discusses and illustrates Othello’s lapses from sanity to insanity. It examines how Othello’s insanity is the result of jealousy, betrayal and rage and how Act IV of “Othello” provides two incriminating pieces of evidence that make Othello confirm Desdemona’s betrayal and adultery. Because of the supposed betrayal of two individuals that he trusted most, Othello wasn’t able to gain control of his anger, jealousy and embarrassment – he later fell into an epileptic seizure, a sign of both physical and mental instability of his state.
“The first ‘evidence’ is the presence of handkerchief in Cassio’s (in actuality, Bianca’s) possession, while the second evidence is the conversation between Iago and Cassio that Othello had witnessed. Othello thought that the two men were talking about Desdemona, but in actuality, Cassio and Iago were talking about Bianca, to whom Cassio had relations with. With these two ‘incriminating’ evidence presented to Othello discreetly by the traitor Iago, Othello began raging about Desdemona’s betrayal, about his hurt ego (although this is only implied), and the fact that Desdemona’s treachery has to do with Othello’s trusted man, Cassio.”