Lie with her? Lie on her? We say lie on her when they belie her. Lie with her! Zounds, that's fulsome! Handkerchief-confessions-handkerchief! To confess and be hanged for his labour. First to be hanged and then to confess. I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion without some instruction. It is not words that shakes me thus. Pish! Noses, ears, and lips. Is't possible? - confess? Handkerchief? O devil!.
Othello's fit is a major eye-opener or window into the characteristics of Othello. The few words that are uttered by this fuming and irritated man can be seen as minute by some, but Shakespeare has essentially composed this piece strategically in order to provide the audience with an insight of who Othello is, or to reinforce ideas we may have already established throughout the course of the play. .
In this short passage Othello thinks and questions himself and his conscience. We can infer that there are several major issues running through the moor's head and exactly why he may be feeling these strong negative sensations. In the leading up to and during "Othello's fit" we begin to witness Othello as he is influenced by Iago and due to this, he slowly and unnoticeably losses contact with other people. Iago's deceit has lead Othello to block out the loving input of Desdemona and the wise intellect of Cassio. This draws the audience a picture showing Othello's lack of interdependence and his great insecurity. Othello has made himself vulnerable to Iago's wickedness by becoming even more so reliant and influenced by this coward. The moors deep respect for his own reputation only makes matters worse when he is deceitfully told that he is been wronged causing his anger to boil and it is evident it begins to bubble over. .
Othello is a high ranked personality in society and sees himself above all. He has great respect for his reputation and makes sure that it is well taken care of.