Chapter Commentary of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice - Study Guide by William Shakespeare

This reference to celestial movements is continued by Emilia, who, telling Othello of Roderigo’s murder and Cassio’s injury, says:

It is the very error of the moon,

She comes more nearer earth than she was wont

And makes men mad(5.2.108-110)

Othello is obviously not so used to smothering his victims. Desdemona is still alive for just long enough to tell Emilia that it was she who killed herself. Out of love of Othello, she perjures herself with her dying words, sacrifices her innocence for her love. Othello is a man of honour and honesty, though, and admits his part, arguing still that she was false, "as water". Emilia replies that he is as "rash as fire", a contrast like that in colour, he the "blacker devil", she with skin "whiter...than snow".

Emilia cannot believe what Othello tells her about Iago. She repeats over and over, "My husband?...My husband!...My husband say she was false?" As the scene progresses, she really comes into her own. She knows Desdemona to be true and curses Othello for thinking her to be false, calls him a "most filthy bargain...gull...dolt...As ignorant as dirt". She ignores his threats and shouts for help. Montano, Gratiano and Iago. Slowly, the truth starts to emerge. Iago, confronted by Emilia, tells the company that,

I told him what I thought, and told no more

Than what he found himself was apt and true(5.2.172-3)

In the eyes of the characters he seems to shift the blame to Othello but the audience can see this as a frank admission of his most effective technique of deception. Emilia, though, pursues him adamantly. Othello continues to defend Iago. He is still convinced of his honesty and in his defence he mentions the fateful handkerchief. Emilia knows the truth about the handkerchief and sees, finally, her husband’s deception. Iago becomes increasingly threatening as he realises how vulnerable he is. In an attempt to stop the truth from coming out, he tries to stab Emilia. Iago is by now a condemned man. His attempts silence Emilia become more and more desperate, "Villainous whore!...Filth, thou liest!". As Othello finally realises his mistake, he stabs her and runs away. Montano runs after him, leaving Gratiano to guard the door against Othello’s escape. Emilia dies saying, "So come my soul to bliss as I speak true!". She lies next to her mistress who, out of love, died speaking false. Desdemona served her husband to the end, damning her soul with perjury. Emilia damned her husband, serving her soul first.

Othello is left alone, with his dead wife and her dead maid. He calls in Gratiano who is guarding the door. He needs an audience for his speech, brave talk of a warrior, "...that with this little arm and brave sword..." but soon realises how empty such words are as he stands by his dead wife: "O vain boast!...’tis not so now". He is struck by remorse and guilt, "O cursed, cursed slave! Whip me ye devils!...Blow me about in winds, roast me in sulphur, Wash me in steep-down gulf of liquid fire! O Desdemon! dead, Desdemon. Dead! O, O! ".

Ludovico arrives and calls Othello, "Where is this rash and most unfortunate man?". "That’s he that was Othello? Here I am" Othello replies. He is no longer the Othello that Ludovico knew, who barely knows what to say to him,

O thou Othello, that wert once so good,

Fallen in the practice of a cursed slave,

What shall be said to thee?(5.2.287-289)