Othello Act 3 Study Guide

Act 3 Study Guide

• Bianca's Role: Cassio's lover, accuses him of cheating, and makes a third copy of the handkerchief.
• Othello's Question: "Did Micheal Cassio... know of your love?" - This is a false statement, actually said by Iago.
• Character Dialogue: Various characters voice different opinions, including jealousy, suspicion, and deception.
  • Iago: "Ha! I like not that," "I'll have some proof," "Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!" "as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys." "I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest."
  • Othello: "Honest, my lord?" "I'll have some proof."
  • Desdemona: "His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift; I'll intermingle every thing he does with Cassio's suit," "Why do you speak so strangely and rash," "But I do love thee"
  • Emilia: "But jealous souls will not be answer'd so..."
  • Cassio: "Honest, my lord?"
• Iago's Evidence for Othello: Iago provides the handkerchief as evidence of Desdemona's infidelity with Cassio. Iago also reveals a dream Cassio had.
• Desdemona's Reinstatement Timeframe: Desdemona gives Othello three days to reinstate Cassio.
• Othello's Proof Demand: Othello demands visible proof from Iago.
• Act 3, Scene 3 Conclusion: Iago regains his position of lieutenant.
• Handkerchief Count: Three handkerchiefs exist: The original, a copy made by Emilia and Iago, and one for Bianca and Cassio.
• Othello's Suspicion Trigger: Cassio's fleeing from Desdemona when Othello enters.
• Desdemona's Rule: She's supposed to keep the handkerchief Othello gave her.
• Manipulation Tactics: The guide lists examples of manipulation, including lying, flattery, guilt-tripping, etc.

Vocabulary and Literary Devices

• Paradox: Contradictory statements.
• Metaphor: Comparing two things without using "like" or "as".
• Foreshadowing: Indication of a future event.
• Irony: Using language to express the opposite of the meaning.
• Idiom: Figurative expression or phrase.
• Allusion: Reference hinting at something without mentioning it explicitly.
• Hyperbole: Exaggeration.
• Personification: Attributing human characteristics to non-human things.
• Pun: Wordplay, using multiple meanings.
• Alliteration: Repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words.
• Simile: Comparison using "like" or "as".
• Oxymoron: Contradictory words placed next to each other.
• Gaslighting: Manipulation tactics, including lying, flattery, guilt-tripping. The guide explains how Iago uses this to convince Othello of Desdemona's unfaithfulness.

Explore the pivotal events and character dynamics in Act 3 of Shakespeare's Othello. This study guide highlights key dialogues, accusations, and themes of jealousy and deception. Engage with character motivations and their implications for the unfolding tragedy.