Harlem Duet

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1997

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Act I, Scene 5Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Act I, Scene 5 Summary

Sounds of a stringed duet open the scene, underscoring Malcolm X’s message to black people to look away from Whiteness and see one another with new eyes. Billie and Othello are in the afterglow of making love when the apartment buzzer rings. Billie answers, assuming that it is Magi, but instead it is Mona. She asks over the intercom to speak to Othello. Othello, still undressed, begins throwing on his clothes. He tells Mona that he needs more time to finish packing and will call her when he’s done. Mona’s response is silence, indicating her annoyance. His demeanor changes from surprised to deferential: “Mone? Mona? I’m coming, OK? I’ll be right…Just wait there one second, OK? OK?” (61). Rushed and panicked, he finishes dressing and makes his excuses to Billie: “I’m sorry…Well…I’ll be right…I’ll be back” (61). He exits as Billie sits and stares in disbelief.

Act I, Scene 5 Analysis

The purpose of Scene 5 is to show insights into Othello’s character, particularly his ability to become almost subservient when he feels it is required. Of course, much of his panic and deference stems from the fact that he has just been nearly caught by his current fiancée having sex with another woman, but his quick change when he senses Mona’s annoyance with the situation is also representative of his demeanor with white people in general.