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    Othello
    Othello
    Othello
    Ebook149 pages1 hour

    Othello

    By William Shakespeare

    4/5

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    To Die Upon a Kiss-- Othello is Shakespeare's great tragic play of love, trust, and deceit. Iago, an officer of the watch, sets out to destroy Othello by convincing him that his young bride, Desdemona, has betrayed him and is secretly in love with another man. What sense had I of her stol'n hours of lust? I saw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me; I slept the next night well, was free and merry; I found not Cassio's kisses on her lips. He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stol'n, Let him not know't and he's not robb'd at all.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWilder Publications, Inc.
    Release dateJun 10, 2015
    ISBN9781627557054
    Author

    William Shakespeare

    William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest dramatist in the English language. Shakespeare is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon.”  

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    Reviews for Othello

    4/5

    3,044 ratings45 reviews

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    • 4/5
      1603, claustrofobe tragedie, over jaloezie en roddelHuiselijke tragedie; de intrige is belangrijker dan de karakters. Een één-thema-drama.Grote eenheid van tijd en ruimte (behalve I), blind noodlot overheerst. -Othello: neger, nobel en simpel, krachtig, maar geen subtiliteit, beheerst door zijn obsessie (jaloersheid)-Jago: fascinerende, complexe schurk, type machtswellusteling, verstrikt in zijn eigen list, maar geen andere keuze, wel ijskoud monster
    • 4/5
      Huh. Well, I'll lay myself open to charges of philistinery and admit that Othello – the only one of the Big Tragedies that I'd not read until now — disappointed me. Our noble hero is even more easily duped regarding his “beloved's” faithfulness than Claudio (Much Ado about Nothing), and the true-hearted Desdemona is even more of a doormat than Viola (Twelfth Night). Given the references I've seen so often to the “noble Moor,” I expected Othello to be an intelligent, competent, stalwart sort of fellow, who would only be misled as to his wife's faithfulness through the most devious maneuvers and false evidence. All it actually took, though, was a dropped and stolen hankie. I mean, REALLY? If Othello had given it a moment's thought he'd have remembered that Desdemona pulled the handkerchief out to mop his grumpy brow after one of his (many, many) temper tantrums, and that he dropped the thing on the floor, complaining that it was too Small for his big, manly head. What a freakin' moaner. I was appalled by his self-absorption – his whole reason for “loving” Desdemona was that she hung on his every word and felt sorry for all the troubles he'd suffered. What he wanted was not a Wife, but a particularly devoted German Shepherd. And Desdemona, who initially was an appealingly spunky girl, gets slapped around in public and dissolves into a puddle of masochistic goo. Iago is plenty villainous, but his villainy is so all encompassing that it really seems pretty pointless. He's just mean. His scheming – the astute way he uses suggestion to arouse Othello's insecurities and jealousies – is impressive at first, but after a while his one-trick character gets dull. At least Thersites (Troilus and Cressida), another evil-for-no-reason character, offers astonishingly creative invective to liven his performance, whereas when asked to explain himself Iago just harumphs and says he has no intention of explaining anything. So, the play offers seemingly endless histrionics from Othello, who somehow earned the friendship of a nice fellow like Cassio and the love of the sweet Desdemona despite the fact that all we ever see from him are braggadocio and raging insecurities, and evil schemes to no particular end but the general misery by Iago. Not one of my favorites.I read this in the Oxford Shakespeare edition, which has nice heavy paper and dark print, but I have to say that the cheap paper and larger print (and less copious notes) of the Folger editions are easier reading. I listened to the Archangel recording, which is really, really excellent. Iago is just Perfectly done, and Desdemona is wonderful. Othello – well, the actor does a great job with what he had to work with; an insecure, egotistical, hysterical bully.
    • 4/5
      Othello, believing the report of the lying Iago, believes his wife Desdemona was unfaithful to him. Much of the evidence rests on a handkerchief. It's definitely sad as are most tragedies. Sadly there are far too many people who tell lies with consequences just as devastating as the ones in this play. It also shows the consequences of jealousy.
    • 5/5
      Iago has to be one of the nastiest villains in all of literature. Good, old, Honest Iago. In a matter of hours, he takes a happily married man and a successful general and turns him into a jealous, vengeful caricature of his former self. Iago uses innuendo to sow the seeds of distrust, then sits back to watch what he's set in motion. When it looks like things are straying off course, a gentle nudge from Iago keeps things moving in the direction he's set. I'd love to believe that people like Iago exist only in fiction, but I fear that there are too many Iagos in the halls of power, intent on corrupting any whose nature is too trusting.
    • 4/5
      Read this in preparation for seeing it on the Boston Common tonight. This is probably the third time I've read the thing, and there's something weird about it; I like it, but I keep failing to love it. I feel like this is a personal problem; Othello's one of the best, everyone says so, right? And it has some scenes that are incredibly powerful; the (uh, spoiler alert?) bit where Othello kills Desdemona is brutal. And, of course, it has Iago, the apotheosis of Shakespeare's "As evil as I wanna be" villains.

      Maybe it's Othello himself who throws me off. He's sortof a wimp, y'know? Awfully easily manipulated, anyway. I guess he's insecure, because there's no other explanation for his fall, but that's not really reflected in anything he says - just what he does.

      Everyone always focuses on his race: "As an outsider, he doesn't believe his position is secure; therefore he's all too ready to believe Iago's lies." But none of that is really in the play. Iago, Roderigo and Desdemona's dad engage in some vicious ranting right at the beginning, but that serves to set up Othello's introduction as an eloquent, respected general; the difference between their description and his reality simply establishes their villainy.

      Traditionally, the tragic hero must have flaws that lead inexorably to his downfall; here, I'm left guessing at what Othello's flaws might be. Despite some moving scenes and the presence of one of Shakespeare's best villains, Othello doesn't stand with Shakespeare's best plays.
    • 4/5
      I've seen "Othello" performed before but never picked it up and read it through... and I'm glad I finally did. "Othello" has a reputation as one of Shakespeare's great tragedies and it is well deserved. The story is well-paced-- full of action and great passages of dialog that move the plot a long. This is one of his plays that never drags.In the play, the villainous Iago plots against the Moor Othello by driving a wedge into his marriage with Desdemonda by convincing Othello that his wife is cheating on him. Iago plays the other characters like chess pieces to achieve his aims and destroying them all in the process.Overall, this tragedy was a fun read... lots of good tidbits in the dialog to pour over, interwoven in a strong and compelling story.
    • 5/5
      I have difficulty understanding and enjoying Shakespeare due to the archaic language. This edition ("The Oxford Shakespeare: Othello" by Oxford World's Classics) has extensive explanatory notes on the bottom every page. This clears up the language and makes the story much more interesting and enjoyable. I expected that reading these notes frequently would interrupt the flow of the story. Instead it adds to it. I recommend this edition to anyone who enjoys a good plot story but is hindered from completely enjoying it due to the language of Shakespeare.
    • 3/5
      I never thought I would give Shakespeare three stars out of five. There is something eerie about it. All I have to say is that Othello, being a wonderful general and seaman, becomes a very unbelievable character once he murders his wife. Such emotional and intellectual swings in this book!

      I did like Desdemona and Emilia's discussion about infidelity and femininity. That was probably the best part. Ah well.
    • 3/5
      Beware you are entering heresy: Not one of Bill's best. It was a drag to finsih, Iago's actions seem out of line with motivation, no great set speeches, few memorable lines and Othello's change of heart is too rapid. That said, Shakespeare was a working playwright and it is the academy that has enshrined all his work as great. The Folger Library edition was excellent.
    • 5/5
      Othello is one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. It stands beside Hamlet, Macbeth and Lear in this regard. Each of these works has its own 'personality' and in Othello this includes the prominence of the title character's antagonist. For it almost seems that this play could have been entitled Iago. Iago demonstrates a superior mind, coldly calculating and planning his actions to achieve his end, the usurpation of Othello. In this he appears to be completely evil. Othello, on the other hand, seems clueless and is easily manipulated. His innocence plays into the hands of Iago. There is much more in this complex drama, including two interesting and intelligent women in Desdemona and Emilia. Emilia stands out as a courageous woman who has been described by some as a "proto-feminist". The conflict between Iago and Othello is stark as Iago's schemes play out. It makes this one of Shakespeare's best plays.
    • 4/5
      It's hard to review Shakespeare in a way that's worthy. I'll simply add my observation: so basic and so base.
    • 3/5
      Not bad. Shakespeare once again shows his ability to take an age-old story and give it the Bard's Twist. However, I didn't like this story as much as Macbeth--where the magnificent Lady Macbeth helps push her husband to his crimes--nor did I like it as much as Hamlet--where the deep psychological issues rooted in Hamlet's character make him come to life in so many ways.Othello is an interesting character, but lacking in character and nobility.
    • 3/5
      Shakespeare has built thefoundation of modern drama. I can totally see in "Othello" the elements of Pinoy telanovellas. This one is a real tragedy (which Pinoy teleseryes lack - tehy always end in happy endings. Funny thing about this are the lines the characters say before they die which is very FIlipino. Characters in Shakespeare does not die easily. Cassio is also very smart, too bad he got a "too honest" wife - another common Pinoy plot but the wife is usually the bad one and the husband is not "too honest" but "too stupid". I still like "Romeo and Juliet", "AMND" and "Twelfth Night" than "Othello" and I believe that plays are better watched than read especially if its a Shakespeare play.
    • 4/5
      I actually found Othello one of the easiest of Shakespeare's plays to read. I knew the basic plot, which probably helped -- when reading the histories like Henry V, I wasn't always sure what was going to happen -- but just in general I found it by far the easiest to follow. And very real: I actually know someone who was as easily lead as astray as Othello, about someone almost as blameless as Desdemona... luckily, it didn't end as badly as this play!

      I really enjoyed this, anyway -- I'm really glad I never had it ruined by having to study it too much. (Alas for Romeo and Juliet, which -- for me -- suffered that fate.)
    • 3/5
      Despite the great dramatic aspects of this famous play, I really struggled to maintain my interest. I don't know why the language here seemed so much more difficult than in Titus Andronicus… will have to reread this someday to see if it just my inability to concentrate or whether it was actually the play that is the cause.
    • 4/5
      It is a bit difficult to read Shakespeare in English if it is not ones mother language, but it is still an enjoyable experience. Poor Othello, deceived by his 'honest, honest' Iago.
    • 5/5
      I love the rap of this! look it up on YouTube!
    • 4/5
      This is not my favorite Shakespeare play. I just find it so very sad. Sadder then the other tragedies. I can never get past Desdemona smothered to death. So, while this is great literature I simply cannot like it as it makes me too sad.
    • 3/5
      My first expereince in Shakespeare. I didn't know what to expect, but in the end I really enjoyed it. I was pleasently surprised.
    • 5/5
      The first of the third series of Arden Shakespeare, it feels a tad experimental. However, unlike some of the later output (such as the Sonnets), this doesn't feel like it has an agenda. It's more of an overview of criticism on "Othello" with copious notes, and that's what I really expect of the Ardens.
    • 4/5
      I read this seminal tragedy for the first time in anticipation of seeing it next week at The Globe. I'm ashamed to say I have read comparatively little Shakespeare and this is only the sixth complete play I have read. It remains a classic exposition of values of racism, revenge, jealousy and repentance. There are comparatively few characters, which makes it easy to focus on the main four or five and really get under the skin of their motivations.
    • 4/5
      This is a nice edition, with a readable typeface, and appropriate notes and context, including descriptions of selected performances through 2001.
    • 5/5
      Read this for A-Level English and really enjoyed it. I love the story of Othello - my favourite Shakespeare as of yet.Iago is one of the best villains I have ever read - I absolutely loathe him but he is so fascinating. People who can manipulate you psychologically like that, tap into people's weaknesses and use them against people - truly very fascinating.
    • 4/5
      Oh how I hate this play! Desdemona is frustratingly naive, but Othello is driven mad with jealous ridiculously easily. The only character I like is Emilia. But it's a dense, rich play, and the right production can make me believe in it.
    • 4/5
      This is perhaps Shakespeare’s darkest play – featuring characters that are flawed and damaged, but which completely captivate us. Our title character – Othello, the Moor - is a highly regarded general. As the play opens he has recently eloped with the lovely Desdemona, to the consternation of her father and others who were hopeful suitors. Egged on by Iago (one of literature’s most reviled villains), they accuse Othello of somehow bewitching Desdemona, but the couple successfully convinces everyone that their love is true and pure.

      Iago is a true sociopath. Rules do not apply to him, and duplicity is second nature to him. His oily manner convinces everyone that he has only their own best interests at heart while he plants seeds of doubt everywhere, ensuring that everyone becomes suspicious and disheartened. Iago uses the other characters as his pawns some sort of game he plays for his own benefit. He particularly targets Othello, recognizes the chink in his armor is his relationship with Desdemona, and manages to turn this noble general into a homicidal, emotional wreck.

      I do wonder how Othello, Cassio, and Roderigo (among others) can be so easily swayed by Iago. Othello, in particular, should be able to see through this smarmy false friend. I’m completely perplexed by Emilia’s role in this tragedy. How can she abet her husband’s evil plans? Is she really so clueless?

      Shakespeare writes a true psychological drama, exploring the darkest human emotion and motivation.
    • 5/5
      Loved this play from start to finish, thanks largely in part to Iago. His near flawless scheme against his general was absolutely brilliant. Shakespeare's language, is as eloquent as it is insightful, but that's unsurprising. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good tale of betrayal.
    • 5/5
      One of my favourite Shakespeare plays. Had the privilege of playing Desdemona; being in a Shakespeare play really gives you such a feel for what he's trying to convey. As is frequently noted, his messages and metaphors never seem to fade with time. Beautiful.
    • 5/5
      Whew!I've read this drama at least 3 times; in fact, I teach it every fall semester.I doubt my review will shed anymore life on this tragedy, so I'll go for the gist of it, and how I relate it to 16 year old I-Pod/internet/cellphone/sparknotes/cliff notes instilled with apathy and teenaged-drama inclined students:Iago is just plain wicked, amorally so; he has a real beef about Othello, a well-respected General who has passed him over for a lieutenant's position in favor of Cassio, who has very little if any military experience. Of course, such a choice flies into the face of Iago, and lights the fuse of his quest to destroy Othello.Iago employs that ol'human shortcoming of jealousy, and he does it very well. Iago knows that Othello is open, trusting, loyal, and faithful. These qualities Othello demonstrates to his friends as well as to Desdemona, his wife.From there Iago creates havoc at every turn; you would think early on after setting up Cassio in a brawl with a governor, resulting in Cassio losing his position, and Iago replaces him, that it would end all there, but noooooooooo! That's not good enough for Iago; he has to go to great lengths to manipulate all of those around him to bring Othello to a jealous pile of mush.Anyway, I think this tragedy is very revelant about Othello's racial difference among white society even by today's standards, and how instead of seeing the goodness in others we are only too inclined to not trust even if we have good qualities. Also, there are some real literary gems like "the beast with two backs" and other sexual innuendo which appeals to 16 year old hormonal instincts.Usually of course, I take the easy way out--since my students'attention spans are only geared toward the latest edition of Guitar Hero, I show the 1995 film version with Laurence Fishbourne and Kenneth Branaugh if the students find the actual study of the play or me too much.
    • 4/5
      This is a sad story.Everyone in this story is very poor.Without crying, you can't read this book.
    • 4/5
      This tragic play by Shakespeare is one that I read as a child, but didn't quite understand. So last night in Barnes & Noble's, I decided to re-read it.This is the story of a Venetian nobleman named Othello, a Moor from Northern Africa, who made his way from slavery to wealth and power. His sad story and noble character inspire Desdemona, a beautiful young woman, to fall in love with him. The two hastily marry in secret, to the disapproval of many. Othello's personal attendant, a man named Iago, is meanwhile hunting for a way to bring about his master's ruin. Iago feels that Othello promoted another man to a higher position that should have been his, and dwells on a rumor that Othello slept with his wife. For this, he actively and purposefully sets out to usher in Othello's destruction. He plants doubts in Othello's mind about his wife's faithfulness, and goes to great lengths to set up an entire story of her alleged affair. Though Othello believes his wife to be loyal, he eventually allows the smallest doubt to creep into his mind, which Iago coaxes into certainty with his clever words and twisting of events.Eventually, Othello decides that he must kill Desdemona and her supposed lover.This play was, indeed, very tragic and sad. I would even go so far as to say that it is the saddest Shakespeare play I have ever read. For some reason, the idea of a perfect couple being torn apart by an outsider seemed even more horrible than the "Romeo and Juliet" plot line.I thought at one point in the story: Poor Othello, poor Desdemona, poor Cassio! Really, all of the characters played out a very unfortunate story, and met an equally unfortunate end, all because of one scheming man.This man is Iago, who everyone believes to be a loyal, mostly good individual, even if he does have a negative view on women, as is witnessed by his wife and Desdemona. Iago has heard rumors that Othello slept with his wife, Emilia. He has no proof, and he never tells us where exactly he heard these rumors. In fact, he seems more interested in picturing his wife cheating than actually trying to discover if the rumors are true or not. With this already in his mind, he takes the advancement of Cassio as the last straw. Cassio is a younger, less experienced man, who has just been promoted in the army. Iago feels that he deserves the job, and that it was wrong of Othello to forget him.Though he never voices this like his other complaints, Iago also seems to have a racist grudge against Othello, who is black. At the time, serving under a black man would have been unusual and controversial, and Iago makes a few snide remarks in the beginning that pertain to Othello's race, mostly in the form of name-calling.So Iago does not like Othello.But he takes it much farther than a simple dislike toward someone. He truly hates the man, he loathes him, he obsesses day and night over how to bring about his ruin. This is not done over just a few days, and nor does Iago simply come up with one plan and go through with it.Iago's plans are complex and extremely involved, taking enormous effort. Because his plans are so complicated and rely heavily on how others react to them, Iago's plots must adapt constantly, and require much quick-thinking.Iago has a way with words. Simple everyday acts like greeting someone politely, laughing, walking, or making a new friend are twisted into terrible acts of wickedness by his silver tongue. Shakespeare uses Iago's character to do what he does best: clever dialogue, which no can do quite like him, still to this day.An example of this is the scene in which Iago tells Othello to listen to him speak to Cassio (who is supposedly cheating with Desdemona, Othello's wife). Iago asks Cassio about his whore, knowing that Cassio will assume he is referring to Bianca, who actually is a whore and can thus be accurately referred to as one. Iago also knows that Othello, listening, will assume that Iago is referring to Desdemona, who is not a whore, and thus is being insulted. Cassio speaks lightly of her, laughing, just as men normally do when speaking of their latest conquest. However, Othello takes this to mean that Cassio is shameless and thinks that cheating with his master's wife is a joke.Scenes like this are scattered through-out the play, and if the topic at hand weren't so grave, they would be extremely funny in how witty they are. Othello is a Moor (meaning that he is from northern Africa) who is honorable, respectful, and logical. He does not seem like a jealous man, and at first is doubtful that Iago can possibly be right about Desdemona's unfaithfulness. However, I believe that even a trusting man married to an angel would have eventually grown suspicious with Iago's tricky words leading him on.Othello also shows himself, farther on in the story, to be very passionate, which was actually what made Desdemona attracted to him in the first place. Yet another sad little fact: The thing that made her fall in love with her husband is also what ruins their relationship. Othello becomes utterly enraged by the idea of another man touching his wife, and the thought consumes him as he does his best to dismiss it. By the time Iago is done, Othello completely believes the story he has been told, and is driven even to murder.Cassio, yet another of Iago's victims, is another character whose life is ruined simply by Iago's word choice. One day, he is a handsome, charismatic young ladies man who has just been promoted to a prestigious new title. But the next day, he has been falsely labeled a drunkard and a brawler, is thought to be an adulterer, and has two men scheming out how to murder him.Iago's third victim would be Desdemona, a pretty young rich girl who fell in love with Othello despite the public opinion that they were an ill match. She risks and endures her father's disownment of her just to be with Othello, only to have her romance torn apart by Iago's lies. The injustice of it all is a sense that is strongly felt through-out the play, particularly in the scenes involving Desdemona, due to her innocence.Desdemona is completely unaware of the schemes being plotted against her, and the suspicions that her husband is needlessly drawing up about her.She struck me as naive, angelic, and very sweet. This cherubic character only served to make the audience pity her even more.At the end, when Othello voices his thoughts about her cheating, she remains devoted to him, a touching and heartbreaking scene.I think that every single character in this play suffers in some way (mostly in a very large way) due to Iago. Jealousy is a prominent theme here. Iago is jealous of almost everyone, seeing himself as deserving of whatever pleasures they may have. He uses other men's admiration of Desdemona's beauty to prod them into jealousy over Othello (who is certainly sleeping with her, since he is her husband) or of Cassio (who is allegedly sleeping with her just because Iago says so). Understanding jealousy inside and out and being an apparent expert on the subject, Iago skillfully weaves other men's jealousy into yet another way of getting what he wants.Though the entire play is about jealousy and cheating, it appears that none of the characters actually ever cheat.The first woman who is accused of cheating by Iago is his wife, Emilia, but this is presumably not true. No evidence to it being true is ever even hinted at.The next is, of course, Desdemona, who is unquestionably innocent. This is a sad play that sets off Shakespeare's style and abilities perfectly. I would recommend it highly.

    Book preview

    Othello - William Shakespeare

    OTHELLO

    by William Shakespeare

    Wilder Publications, Inc.

    Copyright © 2014

    All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

    Manufactured in the United States of America

    10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1

    ISBN 978-1-62755-705-4

    Table of Contents

    Dramatis Personae

    ACT I

    ACT I. SCENE I. Venice. A street.

    ACT I. SCENE II. Another street.

    ACT I. SCENE III. A council chamber. The Duke and Senators sitting at a table; Officers attending.

    ACT II

    ACT II. SCENE I. A seaport in Cyprus. An open place near the quay.

    ACT II. SCENE II. A street.

    ACT II. SCENE III. A hall in the castle.

    ACT III

    ACT III. SCENE I. Before the castle.

    ACT III. SCENE II. A room in the castle.

    ACT III. SCENE III. The garden of the castle.

    ACT III. SCENE IV. Before the castle.

    ACT IV

    ACT IV. SCENE I. Cyprus. Before the castle.

    ACT IV. SCENE II. A room in the castle.

    ACT IV. SCENE III. Another room in the castle.

    ACT V

    ACT V. SCENE I. Cyprus. A street.

    ACT V. SCENE II. A bedchamber in the castle. Desdemona in bed asleep; a light burning.

    Dramatis Personae

    OTHELLO, the Moor, general of the Venetian forces

    DESDEMONA, his wife

    IAGO, ensign to Othello

    EMILIA, his wife, lady—in—waiting to Desdemona

    CASSIO, lieutenant to Othello

    THE DUKE OF VENICE

    BRABANTIO, Venetian Senator, father of Desdemona

    GRATIANO, nobleman of Venice, brother of Brabantio

    LODOVICO, nobleman of Venice, kinsman of Brabantio

    RODERIGO, rejected suitor of Desdemona

    BIANCA, mistress of Cassio

    MONTANO, a Cypriot official

    A Clown in service to Othello

    Senators, Sailors, Messengers, Officers, Gentlemen, Musicians, and

    Attendants

    SCENE: Venice and Cyprus

    ACT I

    ACT I. SCENE I. Venice. A street.

    Enter Roderigo and Iago.

    RODERIGO: Tush, never tell me! I take it much unkindly

    That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse

    As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.

    IAGO: ‘Sblood, but you will not hear me.

    If ever I did dream of such a matter,

    Abhor me.

    RODERIGO: Thou told’st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.

    IAGO: Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,

    In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,

    Off—capp’d to him; and, by the faith of man,

    I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.

    But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,

    Evades them, with a bumbast circumstance

    Horribly stuff’d with epithets of war,

    And, in conclusion,

    Nonsuits my mediators; for, Certes, says he,

    I have already chose my officer.

    And what was he?

    Forsooth, a great arithmetician,

    One Michael Cassio, a Florentine

    (A fellow almost damn’d in a fair wife)

    That never set a squadron in the field,

    Nor the division of a battle knows

    More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,

    Wherein the toged consuls can propose

    As masterly as he. Mere prattle without practice

    Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election;

    And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof

    At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds

    Christian and heathen, must be belee’d and calm’d

    By debitor and creditor. This counter—caster,

    He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

    And I— God bless the mark!— his Moorship’s ancient.

    RODERIGO: By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.

    IAGO: Why, there’s no remedy. ‘Tis the curse of service,

    Preferment goes by letter and affection,

    And not by old gradation, where each second

    Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself

    Whether I in any just term am affined

    To love the Moor.

    RODERIGO: I would not follow him then.

    IAGO: O, sir, content you.

    I follow him to serve my turn upon him:

    We cannot all be masters, nor all masters

    Cannot be truly follow’d. You shall mark

    Many a duteous and knee—crooking knave,

    That doting on his own obsequious bondage

    Wears out his time, much like his master’s ass,

    For nought but provender, and when he’s old, cashier’d.

    Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are

    Who, trimm’d in forms and visages of duty,

    Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,

    And throwing but shows of service on their lords

    Do well thrive by them; and when they have lined their coats

    Do themselves homage. These fellows have some soul,

    And such a one do I profess myself.

    For, sir,

    It is as sure as you are Roderigo,

    Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago.

    In following him, I follow but myself;

    Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,

    But seeming so, for my peculiar end.

    For when my outward action doth demonstrate

    The native act and figure of my heart

    In complement extern, ‘tis not long after

    But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve

    For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.

    RODERIGO: What a full fortune does the thick—lips owe,

    If he can carry’t thus!

    IAGO: Call up her father,

    Rouse him, make after him, poison his delight,

    Proclaim him in the streets, incense her kinsmen,

    And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,

    Plague him with flies. Though that his joy be joy,

    Yet throw such changes of vexation on’t

    As it may lose some color.

    RODERIGO: Here is her father’s house; I’ll call aloud.

    IAGO: Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell

    As when, by night and negligence, the fire

    Is spied in populous cities.

    RODERIGO: What, ho, Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho!

    IAGO: Awake! What, ho, Brabantio! Thieves! Thieves! Thieves!

    Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!

    Thieves! Thieves!

    Brabantio appears above, at a window.

    BRABANTIO: What is the reason of this terrible summons?

    What is the matter there?

    RODERIGO: Signior, is all your family within?

    IAGO: Are your doors lock’d?

    BRABANTIO: Why? Wherefore ask you this?

    IAGO: ‘Zounds, sir, you’re robb’d! For shame, put on your gown;

    Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;

    Even now, now, very now, an old black ram

    Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise!

    Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,

    Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you.

    Arise, I say!

    BRABANTIO: What, have you lost your wits?

    RODERIGO: Most reverend signior, do you know my voice?

    BRABANTIO: Not I. What are you?

    RODERIGO: My name is Roderigo.

    BRABANTIO: The worser welcome.

    I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors.

    In honest plainness thou hast heard me say

    My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,

    Being full of supper and distempering draughts,

    Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come

    To start my quiet.

    RODERIGO: Sir, sir, sir—

    BRABANTIO: But thou must needs be sure

    My spirit and my place have in them power

    To make this bitter to thee.

    RODERIGO: Patience, good sir.

    BRABANTIO: What tell’st thou me of robbing? This is Venice;

    My house is not a grange.

    RODERIGO: Most grave Brabantio,

    In simple and pure soul I come to you.

    IAGO: ‘Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not serve God,

    if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service and you

    think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a

    Barbary horse; you’ll have your nephews neigh to you; you’ll have

    coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans.

    BRABANTIO: What profane wretch art thou?

    IAGO: I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the

    Moor are now making the beast with two backs.

    BRABANTIO: Thou are a villain.

    IAGO: You are— a senator.

    BRABANTIO: This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo.

    RODERIGO: Sir, I will answer anything. But, I beseech you,

    If’t be your pleasure and most wise consent,

    As partly I find it is, that your fair daughter,

    At this odd—even and dull watch o’ the night,

    Transported with no worse nor better guard

    But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,

    To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor—

    If this be known to you, and your allowance,

    We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;

    But if you know not this, my manners tell me

    We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe

    That, from the sense of all civility,

    I thus would play

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