Othello - Part Quatro

During the first scene of act iv, Iago insinuates about Desdemona's adultery to Othello. Othello falls into epilepsy for two days. Does that mean he has seizures or he has epileptic charcteristics? Why couldn't Othello just have asked Desdemona in the first place, whether or not she had secret affairs with Cassio? Even as a general, his impulsive move was quite childish. He had to choose to listen to either Desdemona's defense, Iago's accusations and to his self intuition. He doubted himself, which was his main flaw. I believe if he married Desdemona for love, then we all of a sudden turn against her. Was it because during this time period, that all women were regarded ruthless individuals, and that no man can trust them? Was it that ideal that influenced Othello's decisions to trust Iago?

It was all because of Iago's words, his own words that manipulated Othello's thoughts. He used Cassio's feelings about Biana to twist Othello's perspective of seeing Cassio talking about Desdemona. That was just a wussy move on Iago's part, but of course, naive Othello fell for it. This scene demoted Othello's status. He was suppose to be this top shot kind of general, yet he cowards in the dark watching Iago and Cassio talk dirt about Bianca.

During this scene, Othello and Iago agreed that if Iago kills Cassio, that Othello must kill Desdemona. Doesn't Othello suggest poisoning his own wife first? Then Iago convinces him to strangle her instead? If Othello really loved his wife, first of all, he wouldn't want to kill her, and second, if he was a supposed "Catholic", wouldn't strangling her be worse case scenario which would automatically place him in purgatory?

As Othello constantly questions Desdemona about her and Cassio, he neglects anything she says. He states that she is the "cunning whore of Venice." This statement seemed harsh and emotionless. He must have really resented her. At this point, for poor Desdemona, I wish she had to chance to runaway. She had done no wrong to her man, yet she faces the worse to come.

If only Roderigo would have gained some courage to ask out Desdemona in the first place, or even to realize how much he has paid Iago without any results, you would think he would realize by now, that he was being played. He was too much of a follower who couldn't decide his own decisions. He needed Iago to tell him what to do, when and how to do it.

When Desdemona asks Emilia about adultery for the world, Emilia says it would counterbalance the offense. I felt this was a scene showing how women can have the same feelings that men can have for wanting others. Yet, I thought this was unnecessary and excessive. It made women seem worse in this society.