At first, the fight between Roderigo and Cassio confused me, I wasn't sure who got stabbed and who died. This fight scene seemed silly. It was so dark, that Cassio could not see Iago simply come by and pierce him. It would be a totally different scenario if this scene involved sniper shootings, yet Iago just glides on by and pokes Cassio's leg. It takes some time to stab someone, take the blade out and dart away to hide. Why does Iago take Bianca under arrest? She's just a prostitute that wants someone to love her. Yet, he chastises her, but he actually secretly is civil with her, since he went to her house for dinner. So Iago is the total back stabber in this whole play. He is the one that should not be trusted at all.
When Othello prepares to kill Desdemona, she awakens. He allows her to repent, which may show some love and forgiveness on his part. I don't see that though. He is ruthless by smothering her to begin with. He allows her to repent just for his amusement, not because he is simply Catholic. Yet again, he probably does show some affection to her since, she isn't completely killed. She rises from her death, which seems comedic. She cries out to Emilia. Othello is strangling his wife, and finally some heroic gesture was introduced. Emilia calls out for help, but in the end, her attempt to be Desdemona's true friend and savior ends when she is stabbed by her husband. So much for husbands, huh? During this time, women were considered inferior, so why did Shakespeare have the need to kill or torture all the women? What happen to Cassio? If this was a tragedy, everyone should have died. Cassio should have bled out profusely from him gushing leg wound. Or at least, have it amputated or something. And what happens when Lodovico, Montano and Graziano witness Emilia's death. Why couldn't Othello been the person who killed Iago? Why does Iago get away? Why is he the center of this play?
He doesn't do anything, but he succeeds in screwing everyone over by letting others act on their will and by him using his words to manipulate people. Iago is ruthless. Everyone dies, so is that what he wanted in the end? He cared less about his own wife? His own wife helped him out, and he ends up killing her.
At the end, Iago's character comes to a halt. He is trapped and he no longer can use his words to pull him out. Hopefully, Montano does something severe to Iago. He needs something to use against him, which he could use Emilia's death and Roderigo's letter.
Iago could have monologued in the end of the play, yet he was cornered. He had nowhere else to go. He didn't say a word to anyone, because he had nothing else to say. He probably could have came up with some witty remarks and nonchalant phrases to get him out of the situation. He probably could have not stabbed Emilia, and killed her later to hide her death.
Othello was tragic; all the women were killed, besides Bianca who was under arrest. Iago still lingers somewhere, compiling a plan to get out of his predicament. And Cassio is still there taking the fame. So what's next? Does Iago go out for Cassio still?
I am wondering about the same thing that you mentioned in the end. How scanadlous would it be if Iago came out of jail and went back for Cassio? Maybe somebody should write a second part of this play. As for Iago not saying anythig in the end I think that he was smart for not saying a word because if he would have admitted that he caused all the other crimes he would have stayed in jail for life. Funny how Iago is clever and thinks straight even when he is caught and in trouble. Some people are so vicious.
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