The location changes to the island of Cyprus in the second act of the play. A terrible storm is blowing, and the ships of both the Turks and the Venetians are having difficulty. Othello’s ship, which led the navy of Venice to Cyprus, moves into the storm first and meets with great difficulty. Thus, a second ship carrying Cassio and a third ship carrying Iago and Desdemona are able to arrive at Cyprus before Othello does.
The good news for Othello and Venice is that the storm sinks most of the Turkish ships, and those that remain realize that they are not powerful enough to attack Cyprus. So, they return to Turkey. Thus, Othello and Venice win the battle without even having to fight. The reader should note that this is a good example of Shakespeare bringing in fate as an influence on the events of the play. Fate appears to be favorable to Othello at this point, but actually the easy victory allows unfavorable events to proceed as the story progresses.
The reader should also note that the storm is a symbol (much in the same way that a storm is symbolic in Lear). The storm here indicates a change that will occur in the personality of Othello. Othello’s calm and peaceful personality that he revealed in Venice will soon become troubled and stormy in Cyprus.
The scene begins with Montano, the governor of Cyprus, and other gentlemen of that island watching the events at sea. Cassio arrives first (line 43), and shortly afterwards Iago and Desdemona arrive along with Emilia (Iago’s wife) and Roderigo (line 83).
In this scene the character of Iago reveals his misogyny (hatred of women). This trait is first revealed when the gallant Cassio kisses Emilia to welcome her. Iago, who is not at all jealous, jokingly says to Cassio:
Sir, would she give you so much of her lips
As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,
You would have enough. (103-05)
Basically, Iago is saying that Emilia talks too much and scolds him too much. He is implying that Cassio would grow tired of her kisses just as he has grown tired of listening to her.
When Emilia objects, Iago continues by making comments about all women in general
(indicated by the pronoun you):
You are pictures out of door,
Bells in your parlours; wildcats in your kitchens,
Saints in your injuries; devils being offended,
Players in your housewifery, and hussies in your beds.
(112-15)
By pictures, Iago is saying that women, when they are out in public, appear to be sweet and charming. And by bells, he is suggesting that they sound sweet and charming in their homes when they have guests (the parlor is where guests would be entertained). But in the parts of the house where there are no guests (such as the kitchen), women display a completely different and dangerous personality. Iago adds that women also pretend to be innocent (saints); but, when they are angry, they are like devils. Then Iago adds that women are like gamblers (players) when it comes to managing the household affairs. He is suggesting that they foolishly throw away the household money. And, finally, Iago insults women by saying they are like prostitutes when they are in the bedroom. Iago clearly does not have anything nice to say about women, and one can guess what his relationship with his wife might be like.
Desdemona thinks that Iago is joking or being playful. She is worried about Othello, who is still on his ship in the stormy sea. So, to take her mind off of her worries, she asks Iago what he has to say about her. Iago is first reluctant to say anything offensive, but Desdemona urges him to speak his thoughts. Iago then proceeds to describe four types of women. The first type is the woman who is Beautiful and Smart:
If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit,
The one’s for use, the other useth it. (132-33)
The word fair means beautiful. Iago is saying that a woman uses her beauty to attract a man and get him to marry her. She also uses her intelligence for just one purpose: to find a way to trap the man into marriage.
The other three types of women are also negatively described like the first:
(1) Beautiful and Smart (“fair and wise”) |
(see above) |
(2) Ugly and Smart (“black and witty” in line 134) |
She uses her intelligence to trick an attractive man. |
(3) Beautiful and Stupid (“fair and foolish” in line 137) |
She uses her foolishness to trick some unsuspecting man. |
(4) Ugly and Stupid (“foul and foolish” in line 143) |
She is still smart enough to imitate the actions of smart women in order to trick a man into marriage. |
Iago is thus stating that every woman in the world fits into one of these four categories. He is stating that all women are basically out to trap a man into marriage. This is anti-feminist literature. But these clever and witty comments also would produce much laughter in the Renaissance audience. And many a man back then might have categorized his own wife in such a way.
Desdemona then asks what Iago would have to say about a virtuous woman (147). Iago then adds a fifth category of women, and concludes that she would only be good “to suckle fools, and chronicle small beer” (162). Iago is suggesting that this fifth type of woman, the virtuous woman, is a fool; and her children will also be fools (suckle means to breastfeed). The word chronicle here means to manage household affairs, and small beer is a cheap beer sold to commoners. Thus, the virtuous woman will foolishly end up as a wife for some poor commoner. Not only does Iago think negatively about women, but he also does not think too highly of virtue either.
If Iago were just joking, his words could be taken for that of a witty clown. But as the play continues, the audience discovers that Iago sincerely means what he says. He has no love for either women or virtue.
The reader should notice that Iago, when he sees Cassio talking with Desdemona, speaks in an aside (a line revealing his thoughts, not heard by the other characters on stage). Iago notes how Cassio is gallant and courteous and kisses Desdemona in a polite, knightly manner (168-76). This gallantry is observable to everybody, but most people do not think that Cassio’s actions mean anything serious. However, Iago is clever enough to know that if he plants a seed of suspicion or doubt into someone’s mind, those innocent actions can then be interpreted in a not-so-innocent way.
To test this idea, Iago immediately tells Roderigo that Desdemona is in love with Cassio (line 215). The reader should also note that the dialogue moves from poetry to prose at this point. The prose indicates (1) that the level of conversation is socially lower since Roderigo is of a class lower than that of Iago and (2) that the speech is less elevated because Iago speaks of schemes and tells lies. Iago basically tells Roderigo that Desdemona is a young girl with a healthy sexual appetite and that she will eventually grow tired and bored of Othello. He then adds that Cassio is a charming man who would willingly take advantage of an attractive girl like Desdemona. Roderigo at first doubts Iago, but Iago is able to convince him.
Iago then instructs Roderigo to find an opportunity to quarrel or fight with Cassio. Iago explains that Cassio is hot-tempered and will disgrace himself. And once that happens, Iago will see to it that Cassio loses his position as Othello’s lieutenant. Then, as Iago explains, Cassio will be gone and Desdemona will turn her attentions to some other man (meaning Roderigo).
Iago is thus setting his scheme in motion, but he still has not figured out all of the details.