Othello

by Уильям Шекспир

  GRATIANO If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear:Within

  Thou hast no weapon, and perforce292 must suffer.OTHELLO Look in upon me then and speak with me,

  Or, naked294 as I am, I will assault thee.

  [Enter Gratiano]GRATIANO What is the matter?OTHELLO Behold, I have a weapon:

  A better never did itself sustain297

  Upon a soldier’s thigh. I have seen the day

  That, with this little arm and this good sword,

  I have made my way through more impediments

  Than twenty times your stop301: but — O vain boast! —

  Who can control his fate? ’Tis not so now.

  Be not afraid, though you do see me weaponed:

  Here304 is my journey’s end, here is my butt

  And very sea-mark305 of my utmost sail.

  Do you go back dismayed? ’Tis a lost306 fear:

  Man but a rush307 against Othello’s breast

  And he retires. Where should Othello go?

  Now, how dost thou look now? O ill-starred309 wench,

  Pale as thy smock310, when we shall meet at compt,

  This look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven,

  And fiends will snatch at it! Cold, cold, my girl?

  Even like thy chastity. O cursèd, cursèd slave313!

  Whip me, ye devils,

  From the possession of this heavenly sight,

  Blow me about in winds, roast me in sulphur,

  Wash me in steep-down317 gulfs of liquid fire!

  O Desdemon! Dead, Desdemon! Dead! O, O!

  Enter Lodovico, Cassio [carried in a chair], Montano and Iago [prisoner] with OfficersLODOVICO Where is this rash and most unfortunate man?OTHELLO That’s he that was Othello: here I am.LODOVICO Where is that viper? Bring the villain forth.OTHELLO I look down towards his feet322, but that’s a fable:

  If that thou be’st a devil, I cannot kill thee.Wounds Iago

  LODOVICO Wrench his sword from him.IAGO I bleed, sir, but not killed.OTHELLO I am not sorry neither: I’d have thee live,

  For in my sense327 ’tis happiness to die.LODOVICO O thou Othello, thou was once so good,

  Fall’n in the practice329 of a cursèd slave,

  What shall be said to thee?OTHELLO Why, anything:

  An honourable murderer, if you will,

  For nought I did in hate, but all in honour.LODOVICO This wretch hath part confessed his villainy.

  Did you and he consent in Cassio’s death?OTHELLO Ay.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 ensnared my soul and body?IAGO Demand me nothing: what you know, you know:

  From this time forth I never will speak word.LODOVICO What? Not to pray?GRATIANO Torments344 will ope your lips.OTHELLO Well, thou dost best.LODOVICO Sir, you shall understand what hath befall’n —

  Which, as I think, you know not. Here is a letter

  Found in the pocket of the slain Rodorigo,

  And here another: the one of them imports349

  The death of Cassio to be undertook

  By Rodorigo.OTHELLO O villain!CASSIO Most heathenish and most gross353!LODOVICO Now here’s another discontented354 paper

  Found in his pocket too: and this, it seems,

  Rodorigo meant t’have sent this damnèd villain,

  But that belike357 Iago in the interim

  Came in and satisfied him358.OTHELLO O thou pernicious caitiff359!—

  How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief

  That was my wife’s?CASSIO I found it in my chamber,

  And he himself confessed it but even now

  That there he dropped it for a special purpose

  Which wrought to his desire365.OTHELLO O fool, fool, fool!CASSIO There is besides in Rodorigo’s letter

  How he upbraids Iago, that he made him

  Brave369 me upon the watch, whereon it came

  That I was cast370: and even but now he spake —

  After long seeming dead — Iago hurt him,

  Iago set him on.LODOVICO You must forsake this room and go with us:To Othello

  Your power and your command is taken off,

  And Cassio rules in Cyprus. For this slave,

  If there be any cunning cruelty

  That can torment him much and hold him long377,

  It shall be his. You shall close378 prisoner rest

  Till that the nature of your fault be known

  To the Venetian state.— Come, bring away.OTHELLO Soft you; a word or two before you go.

  I have done the state some service, and they know’t —

  No more of that. I pray you, in your letters,

  When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,

  Speak of me as I am: nothing extenuate385,

  Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak

  Of one that loved not wisely but too well:

  Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought388,

  Perplexed389 in the extreme: of one whose hand,

  Like the base390 Judean, threw a pearl away

  Richer than all his tribe: of one whose subdued391 eyes,

  Albeit unusèd to the melting mood,

  Drops tears as fast as the Arabian trees393

  Their medicinable394 gum. Set you down this,

  And say besides, that in Aleppo395 once,

  Where a malignant and a turbaned Turk

  Beat a Venetian and traduced397 the state,

  I took by th’throat the circumcisèd dog

  And smote him, thus.Stabs himself

  LODOVICO O bloody period400!GRATIANO All that is spoke is marred.OTHELLO I kissed thee ere I killed thee402: no way but this, Killing myself, to die403 upon a kiss.Kisses Desdemona

  Dies

  CASSIO This did I fear, but thought he had no weapon,

  For he was great of heart.LODOVICO O Spartan dog406,To Iago

  More fell407 than anguish, hunger, or the sea!

  Look on the tragic loading of this bed:

  This is thy work.— The object poisons sight,

  Let it be hid. Gratiano, keep410 the house,

  And seize upon411 the fortunes of the Moor, For they succeed on412 you.— To you, lord governor,To Cassio

  Remains the censure413 of this hellish villain:

  The time, the place, the torture: O, enforce it!

  Myself will straight aboard, and to the state This heavy416 act with heavy heart relate.Exeunt

  TEXTUAL NOTESQ = First Quarto text of 1622Q2 = a correction introduced in the Second Quarto text of 1630F = First Folio text of 1623F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632F3 = a correction introduced in the Third Folio text of 1663–64F4 = a correction introduced in the Fourth Folio text of 1685Ed = a correction introduced by a later editorSH = speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)

  List of parts based on “The Names of the Actors” at end of F text, with additional information provided in parenthesis

  RODORIGO spelled thus in F (throughout). Q = Roderigo throughout EMILIA spelled Aemilia in F (throughout)

  1.1.1 Never = F. Q = TVsh, neuer 4 But = F. Q = S’blood, but 25 toga’d = Q (toged). F = Tongued 29 Cyprus spelled Ciprus in F (and elsewhere) 33 bless = F. Q = God blesse 68 full = Q. F = fall thick-lips = Ed. F = Thicks-lips. Q = thicklips. 75 chances = F. Q = changes 90 Sir = F. Q = Zounds sir 91 soul: = Ed. F = soule 117 Sir = F. Q = Zouns Sir 121 jennets for germans spelled Gennets for Germaines in F 125 making = F. Q = now making 165 hell-pains = Ed. F = hell apines. Q = hells paines 168 sign. That = Ed. F = signe) that

  1.2.41 haste-post-haste = Ed. F = haste, Post-haste 70 You, Rodorigo? Come = F (corrected). F (uncorrected) = You Rodorigo, Come 98 Whither = F2. F = Whether 103 I do = Q. F = do

  1.3.24 gaze. When = Ed. F = gaze, when 58 nor = Q. F = hor 62 and = Q. F = snd 66 SH SENATORS ambiguously spelled Sen. in F 84 your = Q. F = yonr 100 tale = Q. F = u Tale 110 maimed spelled main’d in
F imperfect = Ed. F = imperfect. 117 wrought upon = Q. F = wtought vp on 118 SH DUKE = Q. Not in F 119 overt = Q. F = ouer 122 SH FIRST SENATOR = Q. F = Sen. 136 till = Q. F = tell 152 slavery, of = Q. F = slauery. Of 154 antres spelled Antars in F 155 rocks, hills = F. Q = rocks and hils 157 other = Q. F = others 158 Anthropophagi spelled Antropophague in F 161 thence = Q. F = hence 169 intentively = Q. F = instinctiuely 173 kisses = F. Q = sighes 190 speak: = Ed. F = speake? 217 lovers. = F. Q = louers / Into your fauour 222 preserved = Q. F = presern’d 245 couch = Q. F = Coach 247 alacrity = Q. F = Alacartie 258 there reside = Q. F = therorecide 265 I love = F. Q = I did loue 291 against = Q. F = againsf 320 the = Q. F = the the 334 guinea-hen spelled Gynney Hen in F 341 thyme spelled Time in F 344 beam = Ed. F = braine. Q = Ballence 350 scion spelled Seyen in F 371 supersubtle = F. Q = a super subtle 393 a snipe = Q. F = Snpe 396 He = Q. F = She

  2.1.2 SH FIRST GENTLEMAN = 1. Gent in F 9 mortise = Q. F = Morties. 10 SH SECOND GENTLEMAN = Q. F = 2 13 wind-shaked surge = F3. F = winde-shak’d-Surge mane spelled Maine in F 18 SH MONTANO = Ed. F = Men. 21 SH THIRD GENTLEMAN = Q. F = 3 27–8 in…Cassio = Ed. F = in: A Verennessa, Michael Cassio 42 th’aerial = Ed. F = th’Eriall 44 SH THIRD GENTLEMAN = Q. F = Gent. 47 Thanks, you = Ed. F = Thankes you, 54 hopes = Ed. F = hope’s 56,103 SH [VOICES] = Ed. F = Within 71 engineer spelled Ingeniuer in F 97 tell of = F. Q = tell me of 101 of sea = F. Q = of the sea 158 indeed, one = Ed. F = indeed? One authority spelled authorithy in F 180 gyve = F2. F = giue 185 courtesy spelled Curtsie in F 186 clyster-pipes = Q (Clisterpipes). F = Cluster-pipes 228 hither = Q. F = thither 237 prating? = Q. F = prating, 248 fortune = Q. F = Forune 249 does? = Q. F = do’s: 253 has = Q. F = he’s 269 mutabilities = F. Q = mutualities 279 haply spelled happely in F 298 accountant spelled accomptant in F 304 evened spelled eeuen’d in F for wife = Q. F = for wift 311 right = F. Q = ranke 312 night-cap = Q. F = Night-Cape

  2.2.9 present = Q. F = presenr Bless = F. Q = Heauen blesse[Act 2 Scene 3] = Ed. Scene is continuous in F

  2.3.26 stoup = Ed. F = stope 53 to put = Q. F = put to 71 Englishman = Q. F = Englishmen 85 Then = Q. F = And auld = Ed. F = awl’d. Q = owd 98 Forgive = F. Q = God forgiue 100 left = F. Q = left hand 103 SH GENTLEMEN = Q. F = Gent. 134 You = F. Q = Zouns, you 148 Sir Montano— Sir = Ed. F = Sir Montano: 151 lieutenant! = F. Q = Leiutenant, hold, 154 I bleed = F. Q = Zouns, I bleed 157 sense of place = Ed. F = place of sense 189 me — = Ed. F = me. 209 leagued = Ed. F = league 246 well, = F. Q = well now, 280 O, = F. Q = O God, 298 familiar = Q. F = famillar 306 denotement = Q. F = deuotement 313 stronger = Q. F = stonger 319 check me = F. Q = check me here 330 were’t to = Q. F = were to 360 Does’t = Ed. F = Dos’t 371 on: = Ed. F = on. Q = on, 372 the while = Ed. F = a while

  3.1.8 tail spelled tale in F 29 SH CASSIO = Q. Not in F

  3.2.6 We’ll = F3. F = Well

  3.3.5 fellow. Do = Ed. F = Fellow, Do 71 In faith = F4. F = Infaith 73 example = Ed. F = example) 79 with = Q. F = wirh 82 much— = Ed. F = much. 105 you = Q. F = he 154 that all = Q. F = that: All free = F. Q = free to 158 Where no = Ed. F = Wherein. Q = But some 167 oft = Q. F = of 168 wisdom = F. Q = I intreate then 175 What = F. Q = Zouns. 183 I’ll = F. Q = By heauen, I’le 203 Is = F. Q = Is once 205 exsufflicate spelled exufflicate in F 208 dances = F. Q = dances well 278 put = F2. Not in F 289 learnèd = Ed. F = learn’d 290 human spelled humane in F (and elsewhere) 329 talk to = Q. F = talke too 384 Pioneers spelled Pyoners in F 406 lord— = Ed. F = Lord. 409 horror’s = Ed. F = Horrors 432 I see you = F. Q = I see sir, you 466 laid = F. Q = then layed 492 thy = Q. F = the 498 mind may = F. Q = mind perhaps may 501 Ne’er feels = Q2. F = Neu’r keepes

  3.4.36 It hath felt = F. Q = It has yet felt 70 lose’t spelled loose’t in F 86 Bless = F. Q = Heauen blesse 92 I can, but = F. Q = I can sir, but 101 you— = Ed. F = you. 121 honour. I = Ed. F = honour, I 171 born spelled borne in F 174 hereabout = F3. F = heere about 184 lovers’ = Ed. F = Louers 193 friend: = Ed. F = Friend,

  4.1.43 Lie…That’s = F. Q = lye with her, Zouns, that’s 84 list. = Q. F = List, 86 unsuiting = Q (corrected). F = resulting 112 conster = Q. F = conserue 114 you, lieutenant = F. Q = you now Leiutenant 118 power = Q. F = dowre 132 I marry = F. Q = I marry her 143 beckons = Q. F = becomes 146 and falls me = F. Q = by this hand she fals 170 I = F. Q = Faith I 220 I…Venice = F. Q = Something from Venice sure, 221 Lodovico: this comes = Ed. F = Lodouico, this, comes 223 Save you = F. Q = God saue the 263 an obedient = Q. F = obedient 300 denote = Q. F (corrected) = deonte. F (uncorrected) = deuote

  4.2.34 nay = Ed. F = May 49 haply spelled happely in F (and elsewhere) 52 I = F. Q = Why I 70 Ay spelled I in F 173 form, = Ed. F = Forme. 193 daff’st spelled dafts in F 200 I = F. Q = Faith I 231 the = Q. F = rhe 234 within = Q. F = within,

  4.3.19 I = Q. F = I, 21 favour = F. Q = fauour in them 24 before, = F. Q = before thee, 34 Barbary spelled Brabarie in F 42 singing = F (corrected). F (uncorrected) = sining 45 Sing…willow = Ed. F = Sing Willough, &c. (and elsewhere)

  5.1.1 bulk = Q. F = Barke 46 in to = Ed. F = into 115 him out = Q. F = him

  5.2.39 say = F. Q = say so 61 Presently = F. Q = Yes, presently 184 worst = Q. F = wotst 274 have = F. Q = haue here 347 not. Here = Ed. F = not) heere 361 wife’s = Q. F = wiues 390 Judean = F. Q, F2 = Indian

  QUARTO PASSAGES THAT DO NOT APPEAR IN THE FOLIO

  Following 1.3.367 (after “errors of her choice”): she must have change, she must.

  Following 1.3.388:

  RODORIGO What say you?

  IAGO No more of drowning, do you hear?

  RODORIGO I am changed:

  Following 2.1.89: And bring all Cyprus comfort!

  Following 3.1.25:

  CASSIO Do, good my friend.

  Following 3.1.48: To take the safest occasion by the front

  Following 3.4.98:

  DESDEMONA I pray, talk me of Cassio.

  OTHELLO The handkerchief!

  Following 4.2.185: And he does chide with you.

  Following 5.2.100:

  DESDEMONA O, lord, lord, lord!

  SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS

  ACT 1 SCENE 1 Lines 1–84: The action begins in medias res, establishing the pace of the play. As Iago and Rodorigo hurry along, they reveal events prior to this point. The audience is initially excluded from some key information, however, establishing the themes of secrecy and misunderstanding: Rodorigo complains that, although he has been giving Iago money, Iago has not told him “of this,” although we are not told what “this” is. He claims that Iago said that he hated someone, referred to by both of them as “him,” and, later, “the Moor”; no one refers to Othello by name in the first scene: he is identified chiefly by his racial “otherness,” and “labeled” by pronouns or epithets, creating a negative sense of his identity (another theme) and establishing the power of language. The latter is particularly significant to Iago, who manipulates others through his linguistic skills, evident in his placation of the gullible Rodorigo and description of his hatred for Othello. Iago claims that he is bitter because Othello promoted Cassio to be his lieutenant and made Iago his ensign. Iago complains that he is an experienced soldier, while Cassio’s “soldiership” is “Mere prattle without practice,” creating tension between words and action. Rodorigo comments that if he were Iago he would not continue to follow Othello, but Iago explains that he is doing it so that he can get his revenge. He explains that he is only “trimmed in forms and visages of duty,” establishing the themes of deception and appearance versus reality. Iago declares his false nature: “I am not what I am,” a paradoxical statement that emphasizes the ambiguity of his identity. Despite this, Rodorigo continues to trust him, showing his lack of perception.They arrive at Brabantio’s house and Iago instructs Rodorigo to rouse the sleeping household, establishing that it is nighttime. This reinforces the sense of secrecy and introduces the recurring image of darkness, part of the structure of oppositions that run through the play, including dark/light, black/white, words/actions, good/evil, and male/female. Both men shout to wake Braba
ntio, but Iago’s language is more dramatic, alarmist, and effective.

  Lines 85–195: Brabantio appears above, demanding to know “the reason of this terrible summons.” Rodorigo politely inquires whether all Brabantio’s family “is within,” but Iago takes over, warning Brabantio that “an old black ram / Is tupping [his] white ewe.” His sustained use of base sexual imagery further dehumanizes Othello and enrages Brabantio. Rodorigo identifies himself, but Iago remains anonymous, secretly manipulating events as both “actor” and “director.” Rodorigo has previously tried to court Brabantio’s daughter, Desdemona, and Brabantio accuses him of coming full of “distempering draughts” to see her. With inflammatory interjections from Iago, Rodorigo explains to Brabantio that they have come to warn him that Desdemona has eloped with “a lascivious Moor.” Brabantio rouses his household and Iago leaves, explaining that he cannot appear to be against Othello. Brabantio confirms that Desdemona is missing. His disjointed speech reflects his distress and anger as he suggests that magic has been used on her. Rodorigo offers to take him to Othello and Desdemona.