Othello Act 5

1. At the end of this scene we witness the murder of several characters. Did this ending satisfy you? Why or why not?

 Honestly, the ending did satisfy me. First of all, the play is a tragedy so there was obviously not going to be a happy ending. Also, considering it's a Shakespeare play, it was obvious death would pop up at some point. Othello was the tragic hero, so it was obvious that he would die as well. I think the ending was interesting and perfectly valid when you look at the timeline and events that led up to all of the deaths and murders taking place. I liked it... but I am twisted.

2. This play is considered to be one of the greatest tragedies of all time. Why is it so tragic (avoid the answer: they all died).

 I don't think the tragedy lies in the deaths and murders per se, but rather in the events that lead up to the deaths. You get to watch a manipulator work and an honest, caring man rip apart at the seams and commit homicide in a jealous rage. You get to watch a faithful, loving woman become consumed with confusion and sadness because of the unjust acts she's accused of doing, and then her death in the end. Basically what makes the play one of the greatest tragedies of all time is that you get to watch everyone unravel and fall to pieces before the actual deaths and murders even take place. This is why Shakespeare is upheld as an amazing writer.

3. What does the handkerchief symbolize?

 The handkerchief is a symbol of many things; the main thing it symbolizes is the wedding sheets. To Iago, it is his seed and the instrument that puts his evil plan in motion. For Othello and Desdemona, it is a symbol of their undying love and also of Desdemona's faithfulness to Othello. To Cassio it's a symbol of undoing - it being in his possession ultimately leads Othello to the decision to let Iago kill him.

4. Examine Othello's last words. What do these words show us about him?

Othello's last words show a big character change. You see him go from a jealous, angry, killing machine back to his original character in a very short period of time. He accepts the reality of the horrible acts he just committed in a calm manner, then kills himself for what had just happened. This shows that he was too devoted to her to live with the grief of ending her life prematurely. He loved her, and he knew he was guilty. He let Iago turn him into a murderer, thus his life was taken by his own hands. An eye for an eye came into play, so to speak. Othello was loyal to her until the very end, despite having killed her.