This scene opens with Othello trying to justify his impending actions through his soliloquy as he stands over Desdemona whilst she is sleeping highlighting her innocence and vulnerability at this point. Shakespeare has Othello and Desdemona like this because to murder someone whilst they are asleep is the worst type of murder because they cannot defend themselves, an image not lost on the audience as Desdemona has not had the chance to defend herself throughout …showed first 75 words of 564 total…

…showed last 75 words of 564 total…been faithful to Othello all along and that it's Iago who is the one who's deceiving and lying to Othello. The majority of a modern audience consisting mainly of young adults would find this scene a little uncomfortable and hard to deal with. Shakespearean tragedy is lost on most modern day audiences. This scene in which we see Othello building up to the fall from grace is typical of the tragic hero's in Shakespearean tragedy.