The Ship Bearing Michael Cassio - Essay Example

The scene is at a seaport in Cyprus, in an open place by the quayside.
2. The ship bearing Michael Cassio is the first to arrive from Venice.
3. The ship bearing Iago, Emilia, Roderigo, and Desdemona is the second one to arrive from Venice.
4. Desdemona speaks up when Emilia is quiet and answers back to Iago. They must be friends since she takes the liberty of joking with Emilia’s husband Iago. Emilia seems tired of Iago’s clever talk, but Desdemona teases him and calls him a slanderer. The two women operate as a team in this conversation, countering Iago’s slanderous views on women.
5. Iago wants Roderigo to anger Cassio because Roderigo is not known to Cassio, and this is a way of meddling in the life of Desdemona in secret, without anyone knowing that Iago is behind it all.
6. The real purpose is to use Roderigo to cause trouble between Cassio and Othello. He wants to create the impression that Desdemona is unfaithful and hurts Othello in the process.
7. His evidence consists of the way Desdemona holds Cassio’s hand, but this could be just politeness, it is not evidence of guilt.
8. Roderigo is somewhat confused by his love for Desdemona, and his respect for Iago and Cassio. He is jealous of Othello because he wants to get close to Desdemona and so it suits him to go along with Iago’s lies. He probably thinks he can influence Desdemona against Othello and Cassio, and this would allow him to draw nearer to her.
9. Iago is a nasty person who is jealous of Othello, because he has a superior position in the court, and because he has Desdemona. He also despises Cassio. He seems to have a problem with figures of authority and those who are better placed in society than he is.
10. Iago sees Desdemona as a trophy to be gained, and as too good for Othello. He is jealous of Cassio and is prepared to lie about Cassio to plot against Othello.
11. Iago wants Cassio to drink more wine to make him drunk and aggressive in the hope that this will cause a fight. This in turn will displease Othello, which is what Iago is aiming for. Sure enough, Roderigo and Cassio end up fighting, Othello is called, and Cassio loses his job.
12. Iago tells Montano that Cassio drinks too much and that this is a risky quality in a soldier.
13. Othello is worried about the fuss and bother that the fighting has caused in a strange city and with the war in the air. He sees the fight as a security risk, and as beneath the behavior expected of civilized soldiers. Read More