Othello

… when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.

Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless
Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

The first quotation is an indication of the power of Othello’s feelings for Desdemona; the second is as a result of the words, only the words, of the calumnious Iago: what has happened in between?

I teach critical thinking in the hope that it will enable students to have more control over their worlds rather than less; that they will question, will not be manipulated, and will demand answers. If only Othello had been in one of my classes.

In between the two extracts above, no facts have changed. Othello’s wife, Desdemona, has not been unfaithful. He is right to say that when he stops loving her, chaos will come.

As I have mentioned in my introductory chapter, I didn’t find the idea of critical thinking amenable, any more, perhaps, than readers of this book might if they are from an English teaching background. Whenever I looked at the extracts in the exam papers I wanted to say, yes, but … to add contextual features and individual readings. I found the logic quite difficult: not to understand, but to warm to. However, appreciation and astonishment can creep up on us unawares, like love.

Only a little while after being peripherally involved with critical thinking I was looking at Othello with an A2 literature group, and wondering why, how, Iago manages to do what he does. As a way in, I looked at how he convinces Roderigo (admittedly, not too much of a challenge) of the possibility that Desdemona may be interested in him. Yes, it’s clear that Roderigo will hear what he wants to hear, but there’s surely more to it than that. And the “more” hadn’t occurred to me until after I’d learnt a little about critical thinking and shrugged off some of my prejudice.

On the whiteboard I wrote down the key statements of Iago’s argument:

- Desdemona loved very passionately and fell in love very quickly (true).

- She loved Othello’s stories (true).

At this point, we can see Roderigo being lulled into accepting the argument, simply because it begins with indisputably true premises.

- This is temporary. (We can’t accept this: it’s simply an unsubstantiated claim. Iago needs to justify this for us. However, he has no need to bother justifying it to Roderigo, who is hearing just what he hoped to hear.)

- She needs to like what she sees. (Again, this can’t be disputed.)

- Once the stories stop, she’ll really see Othello. (He’s implying that the stories will stop and that they were somehow masking the “real” Othello, which she won’t like. All these things can be disputed.)

- Othello is ugly. (To Iago? But that’s hardly relevant to Desdemona; however, Roderigo must be loving this.)

- Therefore she can’t keep loving him.

So far: we have two true statements, but then the claim that this is temporary. Why is it? Well, the implication is that he will eventually have no more stories. We have the argument that Desdemona’s aesthetic sense must be satisfied, and the claim that, once the charm of the stories has worn off, Desdemona will realise that Othello is not pleasing to the eye, and so there will be nothing to keep her loving him.

Even the sex will become dull, through familiarity (does this say more about Iago than Desdemona?).

So, no more stories; dull sex; ugly man: she’ll then realise that they have nothing in common. Then she’ll find him repellent. Therefore she’ll look for someone else.

“This granted” – i.e., assuming this to be true (a massive assumption, which Roderigo is powerless to challenge) then who will it be? (Of course Roderigo hopes it’s him, but Iago can’t miss the opportunity to attack Cassio.)

- It must be Cassio (conclusion).

- Why (reasons): he talks well (and that was one of things that she fell for about Othello).

- Being a good talker, he’ll be able to be duplicitous (well, he may have the capability, but that doesn’t mean he’d ever use it).

- He is good looking and young.

Roderigo has no chance; this is too easy for Iago, but a nice warm up for his uncompromising destruction of Othello’s faith in Desdemona in Act III scene (iii).

I feel almost embarrassed about my excitement upon reading this as a fallacious argument: why hadn’t I seen it before in this way? Previously I worked though it with students as a very persuasive speech, but never with the same sense of this being the beginning of something really special: I could bring my learning from critical thinking into my teaching of literature. I ran off to get my colleague who teaches critical thinking, fervently hoping that my “please don’t wipe this off” message would be prominent enough for our meticulous cleaner.

I couldn’t wait to get back to the play, and to interrogate the scene in which Iago faultlessly turns Othello’s assured love into bitter regret. How did he do this?

This part of the play is an excellent one for sub-texting: underwriting the lines of the characters with the moves made in the argument. In terms of a game of chess, Iago is the one who understands the rules. Othello, like Roderigo, is guileless, and thus an easy target.

So, here’s a look at the moves which Iago makes in III (iii) 11 90 – 254; lines the effect of which turn the story of Othello and Desdemona from romance to tragedy, and result in her murder, his suicide and – what, for Iago? We’ll never know.

At the start of this scene, Othello openly expresses his love for Desdemona; however, Iago responds with what appears to be a moment of reticence: “My noble lord …”. This implies that he has something to say, yet does not wish to say it. The start of the strategy though which he is to turn the burden of proof onto Othello: Iago need not (of course, cannot) prove Desdemona’s guilt, therefore, Othello must prove, to his own satisfaction, her innocence. This is the corruption of reasoning that manifests itself in Miller’s The Crucible, where false accusations are made out of nothing, yet the burden of proof lies not with the accuser but with the victim. Only maybe this is worse; for although Othello is a victim, of Iago’s wickedness, it is Desdemona who pays the price.

Elsewhere in this book we look at credibility of evidence, and this can be a very interesting way into the study of this scene. However, at the moment we’re more interested in the ploys which Iago uses to move Othello from security to insecurity, from bliss to misery, from harmony to discord.

Is that unfinished “My noble lord …” an appeal to ignorance? Inviting Othello to imagine that something must be the case because he doesn’t know that it isn’t?

It seems that Iago may well be working along these lines; his next words link Desdemona and Cassio, reminding Othello of their earlier intimacy. Why, Othello asks, do you want to know this? “But for a satisfaction of my thought; No further harm.” Again, implying something withheld.
The bait is interesting to Othello: “Why of thy thought?” Othello explains that Cassio was a frequent traveller between the two lovers; Iago’s one word response “Indeed?” undermines the innocence of Othello’s memory. Is there now a tiny doubt: “Is he not honest?” “Honest, my lord?” Again, appearing to withhold something; being reluctant to disclose something, thus suggesting that there is something to be disclosed. Honest – “for aught I know”: this makes the judgement subjective and fallible (contrast this with II (ii) 216 ff, where he blatantly makes subjective judgements appear objective) “What dost thou think?” Othello wants to know. Again, the delaying tactic of simply repeating the question, implying reluctance to answer. Othello is now falling, inexorably into the trap:

Think, my lord? Alas, thou echoest me,
As if there were some monster in thy thought
Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something.

Suddenly, Othello begins re-interpreting the previous words and events, writing Iago’s script for him.

And then, “If thou dost love me / Show me thy thought.” This highlights a major flaw in Othello: belief in the teller is misplaced, but combined with Othello’s insecurity it is strong enough to overcome the incredibility of the idea. That said, if Othello were to apply credibility criteria to Iago he might be no better than we, as at the heart is a gaping hole where Iago’s motive may lie. This is Shakespeare’s genius: we never know.And so we endlessly debate.

After “Show me thy thought” Iago prevaricates again, increasing Othello’s apprehension. Othello acknowledges that Iago “weigh’st [his] words before [he] giv’st them breath” but only we know that the motive for this is not compassion. Iago’s hesitancy is alarming Othello: “these stops of thine affright me”: exactly as intended ...

Iago’s next move involves a cunning use of grammar and syntax: “For Michael Cassio, I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.” Implication: maybe he isn’t. Reinforced by “Men should be what they seem”: which appears to be a principle to agree with, but which in this context implies that Cassio is otherwise.

Othello’s “Nay, yet there’s more in this.” shows us that Othello now believes that there really is something being withheld. This apparent withholding continues and continues, until Othello is almost pleading to be told. Iago is self-deprecating in “I do beseech you … my thoughts”, but this only adds to his credibility in Othello’s eyes. He goes on to talk about “woman”, still apparently reluctant to speak directly of Desdemona. So ensnared is Othello now that he exclaims “By heaven, I’ll know thy thoughts.” This is what Iago has achieved, with no evidence and, in truth, no claims. His case is another black hole which sucks all Othello’s confidence while having no substance of its own.

The game continues, with Iago refusing to disclose his thoughts (so, it must be really serious) and then warning Othello to beware of jealousy. This may be good advice, but it is logically unconnected with anything else. Of course it is connected by association, contiguity, juxtaposition – whichever predominates in Othello’s deeply unsettled mind. Never mind the credibility criteria: what about that mantra of cognitive behavioural therapy: where’s the evidence?

By this time Othello’s cry of “O misery!” shows that he is totally hooked on the bait. Although there is a desperate rally, where he says that he’ll really believe when he sees evidence: “I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove”, the fact that he’s even having this conversation allows for the possibility that Desdemona is unfaithful. Iago is quick to move on this “I speak not yet of proof.” And what does “yet” imply? That there will be some.

Next, the masterstroke: “She did deceive her father, marrying you”. The emphasis is on deception, not on the fact that she loved him so much that she was prepared to deceive her father. Iago is using a disanalogy: that her father loved and trusted her as Othello loves and trusts her. She deceived her father, therefore she will deceive Othello.

There is yet more in this scene to show us how brilliantly Iago plays the insecure, vulnerable Othello, the Othello who was just waiting for this to happen, so that he could stop fearing it, the Othello who lives in the man’s world of warfare where trusting one’s comrades is at least as important as is trusting one’s wife. There is a clear echo of Much Ado About Nothing here, but when I first looked at Othello in this way I was hardly on the nursery slopes of the critical thinking range. I knew that Iago was doing something to subvert reason while yet somehow cloaking himself in it. I could see how plausible his apparent argument was, and how little chance Othello had to resist its seduction. At the time I didn’t know how to express this and thus I realised that I really did need to learn more about this critical thinking stuff in order to understand the structures and the moves and to be able to name them and attune myself to identifying them. The rest is history!

Iago - Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantastical lies. Love him still for prating? Let not thy discreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed; and what delight shall she have to look on the devil? When the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there should be, again to inflame it and give satiety a fresh appetite, loveliness in favour, sympathy in years, manners, and beauties: all of which the Moor is defective in. Now for want of these required conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itself abused, begin to heave the gorge, disrelish and abhor the Moor; very nature will instruct her in it; and compel her to some second choice. Now sir, this granted – as it is a most pregnant and unforced position – who stands so eminent in the degree of this fortune as Cassio does, a knave very voluble, no further conscionable than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane seeming, for the better compassing of his salt and most hidden loose affection? Why, none; why, none. A slipper and subtle knave, a finder of occasions; that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages, though true advantage never present itself; a devilish knave. Beside, the knave is handsome, young and hath all those requisites in him that folly and green minds look after. A pestilent complete knave; and the woman hath found him already.

Roderigo - I cannot believe that in her; she’s full of most blessed condition.

Iago - Blessed fig’s end! The wine she drinks is made of grapes. If she had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor. Blessed pudding! Didst though not see her paddle with the palm of his hand? Didst not mark that?

Roderigo - Yes, that I did, but that was but courtesy.

Iago - Lechery, by this hand …

Othello - Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul But I do love thee; and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again.

Iago - My noble lord –

Othello - What dost thou say, Iago?

Iago - Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady, Know of your love?

Othello - He did, from first to last. Why dost thou ask?

Iago - But for a satisfaction of my thought; No further harm.

Othello - Why of thy thought, Iago?

Iago - I did not think he had been acquainted with her.

Othello - Oh yes, and went between us very oft.

Iago - Indeed?

Othello - Indeed? Ay, indeed. Discern’st thou aught in that? Is he not honest?

Iago - Honest, my lord?

Othello - Honest? Ay, honest.

Iago - My lord, for aught I know.

Othello - What dost thou think?

Iago - Think, my lord?

Othello - Think, my lord? Alas, thou echoest me,
As if there were some monster in thy thought Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something. I heard thee say even now, thou lik’st not that, When Cassio left my wife. What didst not like? And when I told thee he was of my counsel In my whole course of wooing, thou cried’st ‘Indeed?’ And didst contract and purse thy brow together, As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain Some horrible conceit. If thou dost love me, Show me thy thought.

Iago - My lord, you know I love you.

Othello - I think thou dost. And for I know thou’rt full of love and honesty, And weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them breath, Therefore these stops of thine affright me more. For such things in a false disloyal knave Are tricks of custom; but in a man that’s just They’re close dilations, working from the heart, That passion cannot rule.

Iago - For Michael Cassio, I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.

Othello - I think so too.

Iago - Men should be what they seem; Or those that be not, would they might seem none.

Othello - Certain, men should be what they seem.

Iago - Why then, I think Cassio’s an honest man.

Othello - Nay, yet there’s more in this. I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings, As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts The worst of words.

Iago - Good my lord, pardon me. Thou I am bound to every act of duty, I am not bound to that all slaves are free to. Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false? As where’s that palace whereinto foul things Sometimes intrude not? Who has a breast so pure, But some uncleanly apprehensions Keep lects and law-days, and in session sit With meditations lawful?

Othello - Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but think’st him wronged, and mak’st his ear A stranger to thy thoughts.

Iago - I do beseech you, Though I perchance am vicious in my guess – As I confess it is my nature’s plague To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy Shapes faults that are not – that your wisdom, From one that so imperfectly conceits, Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble Out of his scattering and unsure observance. It were not for your quiet nor your good, Nor for my manhood, honesty, wisdom, To let you know my thoughts.

Othello - What dost thou mean?

Iago - Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls. Who steals my purse, steals trash; ’tis something, nothing; ’Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed.

Othello - By heaven, I’ll know thy thoughts.

Iago - You cannot, if my heart were in your hand, Nor shall not, whilst ’tis in my custody.

Othello - Ha!

Iago - O beware my lord of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss Who certain of his fate loves not his wronger, But O, what damned minutes tells he o’er Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet fondly loves.

Othello - O misery!

Iago - Poor and content is rich, and rich enough; But riches fineless is as poor as winter To him that ever fears he shall be poor. Good God, the souls of all my tribes defend From jealousy!

Othello - Why, why is this? Think’st thou I’d make a life of jealousy, To follow still the changes of the moon With fresh suspicions? No, to be once in doubt Is once to be resolved. Exchange me for a goat, When I shall turn the business of my soul To such exsufflicate and blown surmises, Matching thy inference. ’Tis not to make me jealous To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company, Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well; Where virtue is, these are more virtuous. Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, For she had eyes, and chose me. No, Iago, I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove; And on the proof, there is no more but this – Away at once with love or jealousy.

Iago - I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason To show the love and duty that I bear you With franker spirit. Therefore, as I am bound, Receive it from me. I speak not yet of proof. Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio; Wear your eyes thus, not jealous nor secure. I would not have your free and noble nature, Out of self-bounty, be abused. Look to’t. I know our country dispositions well; In Venice they do let God see the pranks They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience Is not to leave’t undone, but keep’t unknown.

Othello - Dost thou say so?

Iago - She did deceive her father, marrying you; And when she seemed to shake, and fear your looks, She loved them most.

Othello - And so she did.

Iago - Why, go to then; She that so young could give out such a seeming, To seel her father’s eyes up close as oak – He thought ’twas witchcraft – but I am much to blame; I humbly do beseech you of your pardon For too much loving you.

Othello - I am bound to thee for ever.

Iago - I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.

Othello - Not a jot, not a jot.

Iago - I’faith, I fear it has. I hope you will consider what is spoke Comes from my love. But I do see y’are moved. I am to pray you not to strain my speech To grosser issues, nor to the larger reach Than to suspicion.

Othello - I will not.

Iago Should you do so my lord, My speech should fall into such vile success Which my thoughts aimed not. Cassio’s my worthy friend – My lord, I see y’are moved.

Othello - No, not much moved. I do not think but Desdemona’s honest.

Iago - Long live she so. And long live you to think so.

Othello - And yet, how nature erring from itself –

Iago - Ay, there’s the point: as, to be bold with you, Not to affect many proposed matches Of her own clime, complexion and degree, Whereto we see in all things nature tends. Foh! One may smell in such a will most rank, Foul disproportion, thoughts unnatural. But pardon me, I do not in position Distinctly speak of her, though I may fear Her will, recoiling to her better judgement, May fall to match you with her country forms, And happily repent.

Othello - Farewell, farewell. If more thou dost perceive, let me know more. Set on thy wife to observe. Leave me, Iago.

Iago - [Going] My lord, I take my leave.

Othello Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

Iago - [Returns] My lord, I would I might entreat your honour To scan this thing no further. Leave it to time. Although ’tis fit that Cassio have his place, For sure he fills it up with great ability, Yet if you please to hold him off awhile, You shall by that perceive him and his means. Note if your lady strain his entertainment With any strong or vehement importunity; Much will be seen in that. In the meantime, Let me be thought too busy in my fears, As worthy cause I have to fear I am, And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.

Othello - Fear not my government.

Iago - I once more take my leave. [Exit]

III (iii) 90–256