Othello (1603/4) quotes

Act 1 Scene 1: Roderigo telling Brabantio Desdemona has rebelled against him Your daughter, if you have not given her leave, hath made a gross revolt in tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortune to an extravagant stranger
Act 1 Scene 1: Brabantio realises that Desdemona is gone and questions Roderigo Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl! With the Moor? Who would be a father! How didst thou know it was she? O, she deceives me!
Act 1 Scene 2: Othello tells Iago that he loves Desdemona, so he has nothing to be worried about when Brabantio meets him For know, Iago, but that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition put into circumscription and confine
Act 1 Scene 2: Brabantio asserts that Desdemona must have been bound by magic to Othello If she in the chains of magic were not bound, whether a maid as fair, tender, and happy… would ever run into the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou
Act 1 Scene 3: The First Senator gives Othello a chance to tell his story, defining true love in the process Othello, speak; Did you poison this young maid’s affections? Or came it by fair question as soul to soul affordeth?
Act 1 Scene 3: Othello concludes a monologue of how he met Desdemona, by summarising why the two love each other She wished that heaven had made her such a man… She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them
Act 1 Scene 3: Desdemona requests to accompany Othello to Cyprus, understanding how strange this is I did love the Moor to live with him, my downright violence and storm of fortunes may trumpet to the world
Act 1 Scene 3: Desdemona says that she and Othello are very similar in personality My heart’s subdued even to the very quality of my lord… His honours and valiant parts did I my soul and fortunes consecrate
Act 1 Scene 3: Iago dissuades Roderigo from killing himself by undermining love, calling it an offshoot of sexual attraction I take this, that you call love, to be a sect or scion… It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will
Act 1 Scene 3: Iago tells Roderigo that Desdemona and Othello will split up very quickly It was a violent commencement, and thou shall see an answerable sequestration
Act 1 Scene 3: Iago explains to Roderigo that Desdemona will eventually grow tired of Othello When she is sated with his body, she will find the error of her choice: She must have change, she must
Act 1 Scene 3: Iago tells Roderigo that Othello and Desdemona’s marriage won’t be hard to separate If a frail vow between an erring barbarian and a supersubtle Venetian girl prove not too hard for my wits, thou will enjoy her
Act 2 Scene 1: Cassio’s prayer for Othello’s safe arrival Great Jove, Othello guard… that he may bless this bay, make love’s quick pants in Desdemona’s arms… and bring all Cyprus comfort
Act 2 Scene 1: The exchange between Othello and Desdemona when the former arrives at Cyprus My fair warrior! (Othello) My dear Othello! (Desdemona) [They kiss.] And this, and this, the greatest discords be that e’er our hearts should make! (Othello)
Act 2 Scene 1: Iago tries to convince Roderigo that Desdemona is in love with Cassio, citing Othello’s weaknesses for this Her eye must be fed, and what delight shall she have to look on the devil? …There should be loveliness in favour, sympathy in years, manners and beauties, all of which the Moor is defective in
Act 2 Scene 1: Iago says to Roderigo that Desdemona isn’t that pure, and that her meeting with Cassio is going to lead to a sexual relationship If she had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor… Lechery; an index and obscure prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts
Act 2 Scene 1: Iago’s concluding soliloquy, in which he admits to being in love with Desdemona Now I do love her too, not out of absolute lust… but partly led to diet my revenge
Act 2 Scene 3: Iago prods Cassio for evidence that he is in love with her by asking him a few questions What an eye she has! Methinks it sounds a parley to provocation… And when she speaks, is it not an alarum to love?
Act 2 Scene 3: Nice Guy Cassio answers Iago’s sneaky questions with a polite appreciation of Desdemona’s beauty An inviting eye, and methinks right modest… She is indeed perfection.
Act 2 Scene 3: Iago describes Roderigo’s love for Desdemona as a weakness My sick fool Roderigo, whom love hath turned almost the wrong side out
Act 2 Scene 3: Iago considers Othello to be a slave to love, as Roderigo is Our general’s wife is now the general… Her appetite shall play the god with his weak function
Act 3 Scene 3: After talking about meeting with Cassio, Desdemona leaves Othello with a promise to always be obedient to him Be as your fancies teach you. Whate’er you be, I am obedient
Act 3 Scene 3: As he works Othello into jealousy, Iago explains how Desdemona’s Venetian background may influence her actions toward Cassio In Venice they do let God see the pranks they dare not show their husbands… Not to affect many proposed matches of her clime, complexion, and degree… her will may fall to match you with her country forms
Act 3 Scene 3: In Othello’s soliloquy after Iago has left, he reflects on the reasons why Desdemona may be unfaithful to him Haply, for I am black, and have not the soft parts of conversation that chamberers have, or for I am declined into the vale of years
Act 3 Scene 3: Othello’s soliloquy concludes with him saying being a great man means having a wife who cheats on you ‘Tis the plague of great ones, prerogatived are they less than the base. ‘Tis destiny unshunnable
Act 3 Scene 3: When Emilia picks up Desdemona’s handkerchief, she fondly reflects on how much it means to Desdemona This was her first remembrance from the Moor… She reserves it evermore around her to kiss and talk to.
Act 3 Scene 3: Iago makes a joke about Emilia’s vagina when she tries to give him the handkerchief A ‘thing’ for me? It is a common thing- (Ha?) To have a foolish wife.
Act 3 Scene 3: Othello says to Iago that he would be fine if Desdemona had cheated on him, if he had no idea I had been happy if the general camp, pioners and all, had tasted her sweet body so I had nothing known
Act 3 Scene 3: Othello presses Iago for evidence that Desdemona is cheating on him, and then enters a homicidal/suicidal rage Her name, that was as fresh as Dian’s visage, is now as black as mine own face. If there be cords, knives, fire, or poision, I’ll not endure it.
Act 3 Scene 3: After Iago tells Othello of his improbable gay experience with Cassio, Othello is convinced that Desdemona is cheating and that he should renounce all feelings of love for her Yield up, o love, thy crown and hearted throne to tyrannous hate!
Act 3 Scene 4: Othello speaks of Desdemona’s hands as a symbol for infidelity This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart: Hot, hot and moist. A liberal hand.
Act 3 Scene 4: Othello explains the metaphorical significance of the handkerchief [An Egyptian] told her ‘twould make her amiable and subdue my father entirely to her love; but if she lost it my father’s eye should hold her loathly.
Act 3 Scene 4: Emilia tells Desdemona that Othello is actually a jealous man, and that she does not know him well enough to make a clear judgement They are all but stomachs, and we are all but food; they eat us hungrily and when they are full they belch us
Act 3 Scene 4: When talking to Emilia, Desdemona says that she cannot judge Othello for his actions because he is a man Nay, we must think men are not gods, nor of them look for such observancy as fits the bridal. I was arraigning his unkindness with my soul, but he’s indicted falsely
Act 4 Scene 1: Othello tells Iago that being a cuckold is a mark of shame A horned man’s a monster and a beast
Act 4 Scene 1: In an aside, Iago makes a plan to frame Cassio by having him talk about Bianca as he would Desdemona, introducing Bianca as A creature that dotes on Cassio, as ’tis the strumpet’s plague to beguile many and be beguiled by one
Act 4 Scene 1: After seeing Cassio talk about Bianca (thinking that she is Desdemona), Othello laments to Iago about Desdemona’s positive qualities Hang her! I do but say what she is: so delicate with her needle, an admirable musician – of so high wit… A thousand times! And then, of so gentle a condition!
Act 4 Scene 1: Othello hits Desdemona in front of Lodovico for speaking favourably of Cassio, then says her tears are fake If that the earth could teem with women’s tears, each drop she falls would prove a crocodile
Act 4 Scene 2: In a private conversation, Emilia asserts Desdemona’s faithfulness to Othello If she be not honest, chaste, and true, there’s no man happy: the purest of their wives is foul as slander
Act 4 Scene 2: Othello, speaking to himself, makes it clear that he thinks Desdemona is a lying cheater This is a subtle wh-ore, a closet lock and key of villainous secrets
Act 4 Scene 2: When Desdemona is accused of infidelity by Othello, she uses her previous assumption (that he is upset at being sent back to Venice) to try to comfort Othello If haply you do suspect my father an instrument of this your calling back, lay not your blame on me. If you have lost him, I have lost him too.
Act 4 Scene 2: Othello calls Desdemona a liar and a cheat, saying that she appears pure but really is not O thou weed, who art so lovely fair and smellest so sweet, that the sense aches at thee… Was this fair paper, this goodly book, made to write who-re upon?
Act 4 Scene 2: Desdemona swears loyalty to Othello by saying she is a Christian, who has only let him touch her body If to preserve this vessel for my lord from any other foul unlawful touch be not to be a strumpet, I am none
Act 4 Scene 2: Desdemona suspects that Othello really does have a reason to be treating her so harshly but cannot figure it out It is meet I should be used so, very meet… He might have chid me so, for in good faith I am a child to chiding
Act 4 Scene 2: To Iago, Emilia tells him that Desdemona has sacrificed a lot to be with Othello and deserves no such abuse Hath she forsook so many noble matches, her father, her country, and her friends to be called who-re?
Act 4 Scene 2: To Iago, Desdemona pleads for his help and says that Othello’s unkindness will never stop her from loving him His unkindness may defeat my life, but never taint my love
Act 4 Scene 3: When left alone together, Desdemona tells Emilia that she does not regret meeting Othello and that even his horrible actions have favour in them My love doth so approve him, that even his stubornness, his checks, his frowns, have grace and favour in them.
Act 4 Scene 3: After Desdemona asks her if she would cheat on Iago, Emilia monologues about how husbands mistreat their wives and should expect the same treatment in kind I do think it is husbands’ faults if wives do fall… Let husbands know their wives have sense like them: they see, smell, and have their palates for both sweet and sour as husbands have.
Act 5 Scene 1: After Cassio is maimed, Othello enters and states that he now plans to kill Desdemona Minion, your dear lies dead.Strumpet, here I come. Those charms and thine eyes are blotted. Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust’s blood be spotted.
Act 5 Scene 1: Iago and Emilia accuse Bianca of murdering Cassio, but she tells Emilia that she is just as honest as her I am no strumpet, but of life as honest as you that thus abuse me
Act 5 Scene 2: Othello enters the bedroom and in a soliloquy talks about how he must kill Desdemona despite his reservations She must die, else she’ll betray more men… When I have plucked the rose, I cannot give it vital growth again
Act 5 Scene 2: Othello concludes his opening soliloquy by saying he is delivering godly justice unto Desdemona This sorrow’s heavenly; it strikes where it doth love.
Act 5 Scene 2: Othello tells Desdemona to think about what she has done wrong, but Desdemona cannot think of anything Think on thy sins. They are loves I bear to you.
Act 5 Scene 2: Desdemona tells Othello that killing someone out of love is a transgression That death’s unnatural that kills for loving
Act 5 Scene 2: Speaking to Emilia, Desdemona tells her that she killed herself and to give her love to Othello Nobody; I myself. Farewell. Commend me to my kind lord. [She dies.]
Act 5 Scene 2: When Othello tells Emilia he killed Desdemona, he makes a Biblical (Genesis 49:4) accusation of her infidelity which Emilia counters She was false as water. [Thou art rash as fire to say that she was false!]
Act 5 Scene 2: Emilia is outraged when she learns Iago told Othello that Desdemona was unfaithful, and calls Desdemona’s marriage a sham She was too fond of her most filthy bargain
Act 5 Scene 2: Othello tells Lodovico and Gratiano that he only killed out of honour and unwise love For nought did I in hate, but all in honour… Speak of me as I am: one that loved not wisely but too well
Act 5 Scene 2: Othello’s last words No way but this, killing myself to die upon a kiss