5. Desdemona fulfills her promise in her conversation with Othello.
a. How?
b. Why does Othello not listen to her?
c. How do her solicitations take on more importance later in the scene?
d. What is the significance of these episodes in relation to her character?
e. to other characters in the play?
Desdemona expresses her concern for Cassio, and she is persistent in his suit. Othello is not too pleased about this, as he believes that she is overstepping her bounds.... meddling in things that have nothing to do with her.
Iago later plays on Othello's insecurities about Desdemona, and gets Othello to believe, through insinuation, that there is something going on between Desdemona and Cassio. Othello seizes on this, and Iago works at building up his suspicions. Soon, Othello begins to doubt his wife, as Iago lets his insinuations gain the force of an accusation against her.
Desdemona's words and actions are unfortunate; she calls Cassio a "suitor," not meaning it in a romantic sense, although Othello could certainly take it that way. Desdemona binds her reputation to Cassio's, to the detriment of them both; she says that if Cassio is wrong, "I have no judgment in an honest face". Of course Desdemona means well, but she gambles too much on another person's honor (III.iii.50).
Othello
