In Act 3 Scene 3 of Othello: Iago notices Cassio leaving Desdemona's room and hints at an affair. Desdemona pleads for Cassio's job back. Iago drops more hints about Cassio while insisting he is honest. Iago warns Othello about jealousy. Iago has Emilia steal Desdemona's handkerchief and plans to plant it on Cassio to convince Othello of Desdemona's infidelity. Othello demands proof and is convinced when Iago claims Cassio spoke of Desdemona in his sleep and was seen with her handkerchief. Othello vows revenge, instructing Iago to kill Cassio and saying he

1. Act 3 Scene 3
• Desdemona promises Cassio that she will
help him
• Iago notices Cassio leave Desdemona’s room:
“Ha! I like it not” (Draws attention to Cassio’s
suspicious exit)
• Desdemona pleads for Cassio’s job back
• Iago drops more hints about Cassio but
insists he is honest “Men should be what
they seem” (Irony!)
• “Good name in man or woman, is the jewel
of their souls” – Saying reputation is
important, unlike in the last scene when he
said the opposite!
• Warns Othello of jealousy: “Beware my lord
of jealousy, it is the green-eyed monster
which doth mock the meat it feeds on”

2. Iago’s wife Emilia picks up
Desdemona’s dropped handkerchief –
“her first remembrance from the
Moor” mentioning Iago has asked her
“ a hundred times to steal it”
Act 3 Scene 3
• Othello assures Iago he is not a
jealous man and he is confident
that Desdemona is faithful
• Iago warns him to watch
Desdemona to Cassio & that she is
capable of deception:
Remember, she lied to her father in
order to marry Othello!

3. • Emilia hands the handkerchief over
to Iago
• Iago: “I will in Cassio’s lodging lose
this napkin and let him find it.
Trifles light as air are to the jealous
confirmations strong as proofs of
holy writ”
• Othello is convinced of
Desdemona’s unfaithfulness – but
demands hard evidence:
“Make me to see’t”
• Othello easily wracked with
suspicions:
“I think my wife be honest, and think
she is not”
Act 3 Scene 3

4. • Iago tells Othello it will be
Impossible to catch them in the act:
“Were they as prime (lecherous) as
goats, as hot as monkeys” – more
animal imagery!
• Iago reports he has heard Cassio
talk of Desdemona in his sleep.
• Iago says that he has seen Cassio
wiping his beard with a
“handkerchief spotted with
strawberries” – this enrages
Othello who is overcome with
jealous grief and vows revenge.
• (Didn’t he say that he was not a
jealous man not so long ago?)
Act 3 Scene 3

5. • Iago swears to serve Othello, who
instructs him to kill Cassio.
“Within three days let me hear thee say
that Cassio’s not alive”
• Othello vows to kill Desdemona himself.
“Damn her, lewd minx!”
“I will withdraw to furnish me with some
swift means of death for the fair devil.”
• He appoints Iago to be his lieutenant.
Act 3 Scene 3