Questions for Othello

Act III

“Oh beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-ey’d

Monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” (III.iii.165-167)

1. What is the purpose of the brief scene with the clown and the musician?

Cassio was the one who sent the musicians to Othello’s house in an attempt to get back his job and into Othello’s good graces. The clown probably works for Othello and paid the musicians off because Othello still hasn’t forgiven Cassio. The clown says “ and the general so likes your music that the desires you,/ for love’s sake to make no more noise with it” he clown sends them off gently so that must mean that Othello

2. Based on what you learn in Scene iii, what kind of relationship did Cassio and Othello have before the beginning of the play?

Before the scene Cassio and Othello were very close. Othello and Cassio trusted each other. Othello trusted and loved cassio so much that he gave him the position as lieutenant. Even after he fired cassio he still said that he loved him very much.

3. In Scene iii, Iago says that “Good name in man and woman…/ Is the immediate jewel of the souls”. But in Act II, he said, “Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit and lost without deserving”. How do you explain these contradictory statements?

In the first quote Iago is explaining how important reputation is, he compares it to a jewel, “jewel of the souls” which are very precious. Jewels are also very eye catching, people wear them to show off and make other people jealous of them. Perhaps the jealousy that Iago has for Cassio’s position which caused him to say that reputation doesn’t mean anything, when in fact it means a lot to him. It’s what he wants to take from