The Attack on Cassio
In the beginning of Act 5, Roderigo and Iago ambush Cassio. Iago hides while Roderigo actively tries to fight Cassio. Roderigo stabs at Cassio, but Cassio's armor is strong enough to prevent his injury. Cassio then retaliates, injuring Roderigo, but while Cassio isn't looking, Iago cuts him behind his knee with his sword and then gets away unseen. No matter the outcome of the fight between Cassio and Roderigo though, it is beneficial to Iago, as he needed to get rid of both of them. Cassio shouts for help, and both Lodovico and Gratiano hear. They don't help at first though, because they think it may be an attempt to lure them down. Later, Bianca shows up, and Iago implies that she was the one who injured him by bringing up how she is a prostitute, an occupation not exactly known for morality. He makes it out like she wanted to steal his money.
Othello's Ironic Speech
Othello's "put out the light" speech regarding killing Desdemona in the beginning of Act 5 Scene 2 is ironic because the light that is Desdemona's life is also the light of his life.
Getting Away With Murder
Othello could have easily gotten away with the murder of Desdemona if he had used an alternate plan of killing her, such as his original one of poisoning her, rather than strangling her.
Othello Wants Revenge
Once Emilia figures out what Iago has done and exposes him, Othello wounds Iago with a sword but does not kill him. Othello is happier with him wounded than dead though because he would rather have him in constant pain on the earth than with him in hell.
People Die
Roderigo dies from Iago stabbing him after Cassio exclaims to Iago that Roderigo is one of the men who attacked him. Emilia dies from Iago stabbing her in the back after she exposes him as a distraction so he can flee. Desdemona dies from Othello smothering her due to being convinced by Iago that she was cheating on him. Othello commits suicide by stabbing himself with a knife after he realizes he has nothing to live for anymore and that Desdemona was innocent after all. Cassio turns out alive in the end, but will remain crippled for the rest of his life.
Othello's Tragic Flaw
Othello's fatal flaw which leads to his downfall is his jealousy.
The Moral of the Story
Do not put your trust in just one person, as they may not be someone you should trust, and will be able to manipulate you to do whatever they want.
Heaven and Hell in Act 5
“She’s like a liar, gone to burning hell: ‘Twas I that kill’d her” (Othello, Scene 2).
“Cassio did tup her; ask thy husband else. O, I were damn’d beneath all depth in hell, but that I did proceed upon just grounds to this extremity. Thy husband knew it all” (Othello, Scene 2).
“To you, lord governor, remains the censure of this hellish villain; the time, the place, the torture, O, enforce it” (Lodovico, Scene 2)!
“Here, here! For heaven’s sake, help me” (Cassio, Scene 1)!
“Marry, heaven forbid! Light, gentlemen: I’ll bind it with my shirt” (Iago, Scene 1).
“Know we this face or no? Alas, my friend and my dear countryman Roderigo? No: yes, sure; O heaven! Roderigo” (Iago, Scene 1).
“I must weep, but they are cruel tears: this sorrow’s heavenly; it strikes where it doth love. She wakes” (Othello, Scene 2).
“If you bethink yourself of any crime unreconcil’d as yet to heaven and grace, solicit for it straight” (Othello, Scene 2).
“I would not kill thy unprepared spirit; no, heaven forfend! I would not kill thy soul” (Othello, Scene 2).
“Then heaven have mercy on me” (Desdemona, Scene 2)!
“I never did offend you in my life; never lov’d Cassio but with such general warranty of heaven as I might love: I never gave him token” (Desdemona, Scene 2).
“By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in ‘s hand” (Othello, Scene 2).
“Thou art rash as fire, to say that she was false: O, she was heavenly true” (Emilia, Scene 2)!
“Nay, had she been true, if heaven would make me such another world of one entire and perfect chrysolite, I’d not have sold her for it” (Othello, Scene 2).
“Do thy worst: this deed of thine is no more worthy heaven than thou wast worthy her” (Emilia, Scene 2).
“O heavens forfend” (All, Scene 2)!
“O heaven! O heavenly powers” (Emilia, Scene 2)!
“No, I will speak as liberal as the north: let heaven and men and devils, let them all, all, all, cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak” (Emilia, Scene 2).
“By heaven, I do not, I do not, gentlemen” (Emilia, Scene 2).
“Are there not stones in heaven but what serve for thunder” (Othello, Scene 2)?
“When we shall meet at compt, this look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven, and fiends will snatch at it...Whip me, ye devils, from the possession of this heavenly sight” (Othello, Scene 2)!
“Cassio did tup her; ask thy husband else. O, I were damn’d beneath all depth in hell, but that I did proceed upon just grounds to this extremity. Thy husband knew it all” (Othello, Scene 2).
“To you, lord governor, remains the censure of this hellish villain; the time, the place, the torture, O, enforce it” (Lodovico, Scene 2)!
“Here, here! For heaven’s sake, help me” (Cassio, Scene 1)!
“Marry, heaven forbid! Light, gentlemen: I’ll bind it with my shirt” (Iago, Scene 1).
“Know we this face or no? Alas, my friend and my dear countryman Roderigo? No: yes, sure; O heaven! Roderigo” (Iago, Scene 1).
“I must weep, but they are cruel tears: this sorrow’s heavenly; it strikes where it doth love. She wakes” (Othello, Scene 2).
“If you bethink yourself of any crime unreconcil’d as yet to heaven and grace, solicit for it straight” (Othello, Scene 2).
“I would not kill thy unprepared spirit; no, heaven forfend! I would not kill thy soul” (Othello, Scene 2).
“Then heaven have mercy on me” (Desdemona, Scene 2)!
“I never did offend you in my life; never lov’d Cassio but with such general warranty of heaven as I might love: I never gave him token” (Desdemona, Scene 2).
“By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in ‘s hand” (Othello, Scene 2).
“Thou art rash as fire, to say that she was false: O, she was heavenly true” (Emilia, Scene 2)!
“Nay, had she been true, if heaven would make me such another world of one entire and perfect chrysolite, I’d not have sold her for it” (Othello, Scene 2).
“Do thy worst: this deed of thine is no more worthy heaven than thou wast worthy her” (Emilia, Scene 2).
“O heavens forfend” (All, Scene 2)!
“O heaven! O heavenly powers” (Emilia, Scene 2)!
“No, I will speak as liberal as the north: let heaven and men and devils, let them all, all, all, cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak” (Emilia, Scene 2).
“By heaven, I do not, I do not, gentlemen” (Emilia, Scene 2).
“Are there not stones in heaven but what serve for thunder” (Othello, Scene 2)?
“When we shall meet at compt, this look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven, and fiends will snatch at it...Whip me, ye devils, from the possession of this heavenly sight” (Othello, Scene 2)!