What must Othello be thinking as the revelations begin to hit him in the end? What if he had swallowed his pride and spoken to Desdemona, questioned her about the false charges? If only his eyes had been opened to his ensign's treachery before? Before he murdered his beloved. Before he took that final step over the edge, gave way to that final push by "honest" Iago.
All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven - 'tis gone.
Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell.
Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne
To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy freight,
For 'tis of aspics tongues.
(3.3.450-4)
The play's tragic end begins to unfold in Othello and Desdemona's bed chamber, where he had told her to return, dismiss her gentlewoman, Emilia, and wait for him. Wanting to please her husband (who had been in a foul mood of late), Desdemona does so, and is awakened later by him, speaking to her of sin, forgiveness, and murder. Desdemona's confusion is understandable and she quickly recognizes that she is doomed, for everything she says and does is seen through Othello's jealousy and hurt. She pleads for time, but Othello tragically tells her that it is too late: "Being done, there is no pause" (5.2.90). He smothers his love, and once done, his world truly begins to fall apart, as he almost instantly learns of his mistake and searches for a reason to the madness:
CASSIO: Dear general, I never gave you cause.
OTHELLO: I do believe it, and I ask your pardon.
Will you, I pray, demand that demi-devil
Why he hath thus ensared my soul and body?
IAGO: Demand me nothing. What you know, you know.
From this time forth I never will speak word.
(5.2.305-10)
And Iago does not. Denied a reason, refused an answer -- Othello is left with nothing. After all that Iago has done, the last thing he does is refuse Othello an answer to his own confusion, and with his response -- "What you know, you know" -- he offers a final dig at Othello, which leads the general to turn the blame on himself.
