Joseph Atchley
Mrs. B Jones
English 102
9/21/15
Last Breath of Innocence
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury Othello is a respected Venetian general who is manipulated by his subordinate Iago into believing that his newlywed wife Desdemona was unfaithful to him. Iago then aides him in plotting the execution of his wife and her supposed lover Cassio, whom are both innocent. In their plan Iago is tasked with dispatching Cassio, while Othello takes the responsibility of extinguishing Desdemona’s light. Leading up to the night of the murder I will show examples of the premeditated, intentional, and deliberate actions on the part of Othello. Although he is manipulated in the belief that ...view middle of the document...
The next night Othello enters the bedchamber where Desdemona lies asleep and he begins to speak softly to himself, “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men” (5.2.6). As he blows out the lamps illuminating the room he makes a comment on the connection between extinguishing the lights and ending her life: “Put out the light, and then put out the light” (5.2.7). After kissing her he almost changes his mind about killing her is this statement: “Ah, balmy breath, thou dost almost persuade justice to break her sword! / One more, one more. / Be thus when thou are dead, and I will kill thee, and love thee after” (5.2.16-19). After she is awakened Othello informs Desdemona: “If you bethink yourself of any crime unreconciled as yet to Heaven and grace, solicit for it straight” (5.2.26-28). He is giving her a chance to pray for absolution before he kills her so that her soul will go to Heaven despite her supposed crimes against him. She attempts to beg for her life but he is blinded by his emotions and lashes back with: “By Heaven, I saw my handkerchief in ‘s hand. / O perjured woman! / Thou dost stone my heart, and makest me call what I intend to do a murder, which I thought a sacrifice…”
(5.2.62-65). These declarations are more than enough to show his serious intention on ending her life.
Believing that she is now dead Othello allows Iago’s wife Emilia to enter the room, because he is expecting the report of Cassio’s death. On the contrary, she informs him that Cassio is...