Act V Questions

Act V:
Who are the characters?
The characters in Act V are Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Lodovico, Gratiano, Emilia, Bianca, and Montano.

What is the setting? (Time and Place)
The setting of this scene is a courtyard in Cypress and Desdemona’s bed chamber.

List the many conflicts that exist in this Act.
One of the conflicts in this act is Roderigo and Cassio’s conflict, Iago sets up a plan to have Roderigo kill Cassio, and another conflict in this act is Othello and Desdemona.

What do you think is an appropriate theme for this Act?
An appropriate theme for this act would be a Lover’s Scandal.

What evil plan does Iago concoct?
He plans to have Roderigo kill Cassio in the courtyard, hoping they will both kill each other.

Why does Othello stand at the foot of the bed where Desdemona is
sleeping?
He is having feelings of love and regret for what he is about to do.

What do you think is going through his mind?
He must have a lot going on in his mind regret, second thoughts and love for his wife.

How does Othello murder Desdemona?
Othello smothers Desdemona with a pillow in her bed.

Why does Desdemona remain loyal to her husband with her dying breadth?
She remains loyal to her husband because she truly loves him.

Othello calls Desdemona a whore rather than an adulterer. Why such a degrading name?
He uses this name because Cassio is one of his best friends and he thinks she slept with him.

What are Othello’s last words?
"I kiss'd thee ere I kill'd thee. No way but this/Killing myself, to die upon a kiss."

Why does he kill himself?
He kills himself because he realizes that Desdemona was innocent and he realizes the mistake he made.

Who also dies in the end and how?
Emilia and Cassio also die in the end, both by the hand of Iago, because Iago doesn’t want word to get out about his plan to take Cassio’s spot in the ranking.

Who ironically does not die and why?
Iago does not die ironically because Othello does not fatally wound him before he is disarmed.