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

...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 fright me the more(3.3.121-123)

Iago’s words are indeed carefully weighed and are effective also. They are poisoning Othello’s mind, planting the seeds of suspicion. He tries again to dismiss the issue, "Why then I think Cassio’s and honest man" but Othello curiosity is not satisfied, "Nay, there’s more in this: / I prithee speak to me". Iago hesitates eloquently and Othello further entreats him. Iago continues seeming reluctant to speak his thoughts saying they might be false and that it would be better for Othello not to hear them. This does nothing to quell Othello’s curiosity which grows by the instant, "By heaven, I’ll know your thoughts!" (3.3.164). Iago replies that he cannot to which Othello counters: "Ha!", he exclaims triumphantly as if to say that he knows what Iago is driving at. He has finally reached the conclusion that Iago has been directing him towards and Iago is quick to consolidate this, not with a confession but with an explicit warning,

O beware, my lord of jealousy!

...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 strongly loves!(3.3.167-172)

Iago has succeeded in directing Othello to conceive of the idea that Cassio and Desdemona might be having an affair. Whilst he demands proof, "I’ll see before I doubt" (3.3.193), the transition from the self- controlled authoritative Moor of Venice to the passionately mad and jealous "blacker devil" (5.2.129) has started. "Exchange me for a goat" he says. This is the first example of animal imagery that Othello uses and as he changes from "man" to "beast", these become more frequent. These words of bestial imagery derive from Iago’s language and demonstrate the extent to which Othello is tied up in Iago’s words. Iago gently goads Othello on. "I speak not yet of proof" he begins but goes on to suggest that such a suspicion is not unwarranted if you consider the nature of Venetian women,

I know our country’s disposition well –

In Venice they do let God see the pranks

They dare not show their husbands

(3.3.204-206)

Iago continues, reminding Othello that, "She did deceive her father, marrying you". He stops, saying, "I see I have a little dashed your spirits". "Not a jot, not a jot", Othello replies. A little later he says again, "My lord, I see you’re moved". "No, not much moved", Othello concedes but it is now he that continues the conversation, unprovoked, "And yet how nature, erring from itself –". The seed of suspicion has been planted and is growing in Othello and all Iago needs to do is gently nurture it. Iago leaves him cursing marriage "that we can call these delicate creatures ours / And not their appetites!" But the sight of Desdemona quells his suspicion,

If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself,

I’ll not believ’t

(3.3.281-2)

What Iago has done is to create an irrational suspicion in Othello’s mind. His hints and suggestions add up to something completely irrational, that the innocent and pure Desdemona is false, but once created, this suspicion grows on its own irrational evidence of inconsequential remarks and words that