Why does Othello hit desdemona?

Answer 1

Not because he is mean; he is not at heart a cruel man. But he has been so tortured by jealousy that he is angry with Desdemona all the while he still desperately loves her. The outrage is not only that he hits her (that's bad enough) but he hits her in public. Nobody who knew them in Venice can believe it.

Answer 2

Told her his life story. Fell in love with her. Married her. Took her with him to Cyprus. Refused to listen to her pleas to reinstate Cassio. Suspected her of adultery. Hit her in public. Strangled her in her bed.

Answer 3

This happens in Act IV Scene 1. Ludovico has been sent from Venice with orders that Othello is to return to Venice leaving Cassio in charge in Cyprus. Othello by this point is "horn-mad", obsessed with the belief, implanted so cleverly by Iago, that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. So when Othello hears Desdemona explain to Ludocivo that Othello and Cassio are estranged, and that she hopes that they will reconcile "for the love I bear Cassio", Othello hears this as an admission by Desdemona that she is having a love-affair with him. And an admission made brazenly in public! He starts to get uncontrollably angry. Then Desdemona says she is glad to hear about Cassio's promotion. Another admission! thinks Othello. He loses it completely and hits her. Desdemona protests that she has done nothing wrong, and Ludovico is aghast at this patently wrong behaviour and implores Othello to apologise, which he refuses to do.

Answer 4

Othello was upset by Desdemona's continuing of her supposed lies.