The reunion of Othello and Desdemona is a happy celebration of their love. Othello greets Desdemona as his equal, his "fair warrior" (174). He has gone through Hell in the tempest and is now in Heaven with his wife and realizes that this is the happiest moment of his life: "If it were now to die, / @'Twere now to be most happy; for I fear / My soul hath her content so absolute / That not another comfort like to this / Succeeds in unknown fate" (181–184). There is also a dark side to his happiness, for he feels that the future cannot match it. Desdemona, however, looks forward — "our loves and comforts should increase, / Even as our days do grow" (186–187).
In an aside, Iago remarks that Othello is now "well tuned" (191) like a lute or guitar and sings sweetly, but Iago will "set down the pegs" (192), loosening the strings and spoiling the music, "As honest as I am." (193). Others, especially Othello, use the word "honest" in earnest when talking of Iago; Iago, however, uses it ironically. This use of an aside links Iago with stage villains in traditional forms of theatre, masques, pantomimes, and puppet shows.
Iago pushes Roderigo in an emotional stampede, overwhelming his idealized view of Desdemona with a flood of disparaging words, abusing her virtue, and besmirching her reputation. He sweeps aside Roderigo's protestations of her virtue: "Blest fig's end! (an obscene oath, a "fig" is the head of a penis) / The wine she drinks is made of grapes" (238), meaning she is just the same as ordinary women. He claims Cassio is already courting her: "They met so near with their lips that their breaths embraced together" (239–245). Iago batters Roderigo with the sheer volume of his abuse until the weak gentleman agrees to do as he is told in the plot to disgrace Cassio. Then Iago, alone on stage, speaks his thoughts.
