Notes made by “MERDELLON”.
Written Works on Othello Act 4
1. Summary of act 4.
The first scene starts with a more convinced Othello about Desdemona and Cassio guilt and he
plans to kill her, Iago suggest by strangulation and Cassio by his hand. Lodovico the
ambassador witnesses his degradation as man.
The next scene we see Desdemona trying to get explanations about Othello´s anger, Emilia
intuits the truth but Iago dismisses her saying that it would be cause of military
responsibilities.
The last scene, places us Desdemona room singing a song that was song by his mother´s maid,
Barbary, who had suffered the same treatment.
2. Comment: “Work on, my medicine, work!” IV, 1.
These are words of Iago, when he finally see that his master plan is getting succeed. In this
sense, his plan to empoison the mind of Othello is almost in its top.
3. Comment: “Do it not with poison; strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath
contaminated” IV, 1.
Iago suggests Othello to kill Desdemona by strangulation, a cruel way to kill her, and
remembering him that his bed was the place of the sin, increasing Othello´s anger.
4. Comment: “My lord, this would not be believed in Venice, though I should s wear I saw´t” IV, 1.
Lodovico doesn’t believe Othello´s behaviour because it is said in Venice that Othello is a
honourable, brave and bold and now that he is witness of his mad, he doubts about what
Venice says about him.
5. Comment on: “Is this the noble Moor, whom our full senate call all-in-all sufficient? Is this
the nature whom passion could not shake? Whose solid virtue the shot of accident nor dart
of chance could neither graze nor pierce?” IV, 1.
Lodovico can´t believe what he is seeing because his reputation is in high esteem by the
Venetian senade.
6. Comment: “It is not honesty in me to speak what I have seen and known. You shall
observe him, and his own courses will denote him so, that I may save my speech” IV, 1.
Iago is saying that he doesn´t want to damage the image of his master although he suggests
Lodovico to obsere himself Othello´s bad behaviour.
7. Comment: “For if she be not honest, chaste, and true, there´s no man happy” IV, 2.
Emilia assures Othello that Desdemona is not guilty of any Sin, and she confirms it saying that
if she is guilty no man will have a honest wife, in this sense Emilia put her lady as a pure and
honest being.
