Synopsis:
- The Duke and the Venetian Senators discuss conflicting reports about the movements of the Turkish Fleet
- When Othello and Brabantio arrive, the Duke tells Othello to go to war immediately. However, this meeting to discuss military tactics becomes a trial of Othello. Brabantio insists that his daughter was bewitched by Othello, whereas Othello argues that he won her love fairly and asks that Desdemona be brought to the Council to confirm the truth of his words.
- Desdemona's polite but firm insistence shows that she owes her love and duty to her husband.
- Brabantio is disappointed and finds it impossible to accept Othello as a son-in-law. The Duke tries to persuade him to make the best of things and not cause further mischief but Brabantio remains angry. Brabantio compares his loss of Desdemona with the possible loss of Cyprus to the Turks.
- The Duke and Othello resume military business. Othello must prepare to depart for Cyprus. Othello insists that Desdemona's presence won't distract him from military affairs and places his wife in Iago's charge.
- Before Othello leaves with the Senators, Brabantio warns Othello:
Analysis:
From Othello's description of the courtship it appears that Desdemona was "half the wooer", so it doesn't come as a surprise to hear her say she "she did love the Moor to live with him". Both Othello and Desdemona speak plainly and poignantly about their love for one another in this scene.
Othello says that Desdemona "loved me for the dangers I had passed/ And I loved her that she did pity them". Desdemona was seduced by Othello's story-telling powers, while the Moor was enchanted by the Venetian's sympathetic response to his history. We may wonder whether each perhaps fell in love with an image or an idea about the other.
We might also question how realistic Othello is about love. He says that he has had little experiences in the matters of the heart. He is able to describe his experience as a soldier but needed prompting to woo Desdemona and seems to expect to continue his military duties without any distractions. He is confident about love and war being combined.
Othello is a mature man coming late to love, while Brabantio suggests that his daughter is not more than a girl. This could be seen as a future conflict within the play.
We may be concerned with the fact that Othello is too trusting (enough to be led by the nose; Desdemona ensnared him with her "world of sighs").
His decision to place his wife in his ensign's care is alarming but then indicates his high opinion of his ensign. We receive two ominous hints about the future progress of Othello's marriage when the senators leave; Brabantio warns Othello to not trust Desdemona and the first senator states "use Desdemona well". These lines are examples of dramatic irony, hints to the audience about the way the plot will develop.
The Theme of Deception:
The theme of deception is continued in this scene. Brabantio's assessment of his daughter's character has proved to be false and his own affection for Othello is also false. Iago is successful in concealing his true intentions.
Yusuf
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ReplyDeleteVery clear and detailed analysis. To add, in Othello's first speech to convince Brabantio that he did not use magic and charms, he uses the phrase "I won his daughter". For Othello, this is very out-of-character, for so far the audience has been given the impression that he does not value women and marriage as property or possession (unlike Brabantio and Iago). However, the line using 'won' suggests Desdomona is somewhat like a trophy. In one perspective this can be seen as Othello mimicking the others' ideaologies so that it gives him more of a chance to convince them of his equality and therefore that he is worthy of marrying Desdomona. Emma
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