Othello IV & V

I think a crucial scene in act IV of "Othello" by William Shakespeare is the exchange of the handkerchief between Bianca and Cassio. The scene showed that Cassio was having an affair with someone, but Bionca did not know who. When talking to Cassio, Bianca refers to Desdemona's handkerchief as "some minx's token" (Shakespeare, IV.i.145). When Othello heard this, he knew that the affair had been occurring. Even though it did not go according to Iago's plan, it provided "ocular proof" needed by Othello. It made the "confession" from Cassio look even more realistic. I think the scene was so crucial because it was the final selling point in breaking the marriage between Othello. Before this scene, Othello was skeptical of the idea of an affair occurring between Desdemona and Cassio. But after this scene, Othello was making plans to get this revenge on Cassio, as well as murdering Desdemona. Othello says "Aye, let her rot, and perish, and be damned tonight, for she shall not live" (Shakespeare, IV.i.169-170).