About the lecture

In this module, we go through the first two scenes of Act 3, both of which are relatively short, before looking in more detail at the first third of Act 3, Scene 3, up to the point at which Iago enters (line 93). In particular, we think about: (i) the purpose of Act 3, Scene 1 – what does it add to the play?; (ii) the concepts of harmony and chaos (“When I love thee not | Chaos is come again”, 3.3.91-92); and (iii) Iago’s off-the-cuff comment about Cassio (“Ha, I like not that”, 3.3.34) and its immediate impact on the relationship between Othello and Desdemona (“grant me this, | To leave me but a little to myself.”, 3.3.84-85).

About the lecturer

John McRae is Special Professor of Language in Literature Studies and Teaching Associate in the School of English at Nottingham University, and holds Visiting Professorships in China, Malaysia, Spain and the USA. He is co-author of The Routledge History of Literature in English with Ron Carter, and also wrote The Language of Poetry, Literature with a Small 'l' and the first critical edition of Teleny by Oscar Wilde and others.