Desdemona’s death

Othello’s Plan

Othello had been angered by his handkerchief which he gave to Desdemona as a sign of long-lasting love. Since Othello and I had overheard Cassio’s supposed confession of ownership to Othello’s handkerchief, Othello has expressed nothing but blunt hatred towards his wife, Desdemona, and his lieutenant, Cassio. He sought for blood and vengeance. I still didn’t know what exactly Iago was up to, but his actions and plans are all coming together.

As Othello walked to his chambers to see Desdemona, he had no expression other than anger on his face and eyes; something was going to go down, but it was not yet clear what. I went up to their chamber window to see what Othello was up to. As I approached, Othello was opening their door, slowly and quietly Desdemona was in her bed, tucked in white wedding sheets, and wearing a clean, white sleeping gown.

Standing guard of their chambers, I heard muffled conversations. Desdemona seemed to be awake and asked Othello to come to bed, but Othello started speaking in a loud tone. It sounded like he was asking her to admit to any crimes or disloyalty she has committed, but she insisted she had not committed any.

She sounded like she was in some sort of danger or panic; asking Othello to have mercy on her because she had not done anything in which he was accusing her of doing. Desdemona asks Othello to explain himself.

Othello then brings up his handkerchief, which he had heard was given to Cassio by Desdemona. He confronts her about what he had heard, but she denies and even asks for Othello to speak to Cassio on the matter. Othello doesn’t believe her and threatens to kill her once again,

“Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin. For to deny each article with oath cannot remove nor choke the strong conception that I do groan withal. Thou art to die.”

Desdemona’s Slow Death

She continued to beg for mercy for she did not do what he suggests. She insisted that he had never done anything in her life to offend him, nor did she love Cassio in the way Othello believed she did. Othello then told her that he saw Cassio with his handkerchief;

“By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in ’s hand! O perjured woman, thou dost stone my heart and mak’st me call what I intend to do a murder, which I thought a sacrifice! I saw the handkerchief!” t took Othello a long while to open the door for Emilia, or what reason, I didn’t know yet.

Desdemona claims he must have found it or taken it; she wanted Othello to ask Cassio himself. Othello said that he had heard Cassio confess that he was given the handkerchief. The rest of the conversation was very muffled, but Othello was speaking to Desdemona about some order he gave to Iago about Cassio.

Desdemona seemed to be crying and begging for something. I felt it was best for me to leave my guard and stop eavesdropping on the Moors business. As I was leaving, I heard Desdemona cry out even louder. Luckily, Emilia, Desdemona’s companion could be heard coming up the stairs to their room, and Othello grabbed a pillow from their bed and held it over Desdemona's face (in a hurry.)

Emilia started coming even closer and started yelling or the lord.

As Emilia was approaching, the cries and yelling of heir chambers came to a silence.

Finally, Othello sprung open the door with little to no expression on his face, and Emilia began notifying him of an occurrence that just took place.