| Passage 1: (Act I Scene I)Beginning of the play; Iago and RoderigoIago alerts Brabantio of Desdemona’s secret marriage to Othello | Iago: Awake! What ho, Brabantio! Thieves, thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! Thieves, thieves! |
| Passage 2: (Act I Scene III – final scene of Act I); Iago’s first soliloquy, creates dramatic irony; setting the play; audience becomes aware of what will happen; final impression of the whole Act.Iago’s deception | Roderigo: Where shall we meet i’the morning?Iago: At my lodging.Roderigo: I’ll be with thee betimes.Iago: Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo? |
| Passage 3: (Act II Scene I)Othello is reunited with Desdemona following the destruction of the Turkish fleet in a storm. It was unknown whether he had survived or not. | Othello: O, my fair warrior!Desdemona: My dear Othello!Othello: It gives me wonder great as my content To see you here before me. O, my soul’s joy, If after tempest comes such calms… |
| Passage 4: (Act II Scene III)Iago previously persuaded Cassio to drink on duty, informs Montano of Cassio’s “drinking problem”; Montano stepped in to prevent a fight between Cassio and Roderigo, is injured in the process.Reveals Iago’s duality – appears to attempt to pacify Othello when he was the cause of the problem | Othello: I know, Iago, They honesty and love doth mince this matter, Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee, But never more be officer of mine. |
| Passage 5 (Act II Scene III)Iago persuades Cassio to appeal to Desdemona, so she could reason with Othello in his place.Iago’s plan is being set in motion; will lead to the downfall of Desdemona. | Cassio: You advise me well.Iago: I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.Cassio: I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me. I am desperate of my fortunes if they check me here. |
| Passage 6: (Act III Scene III)Iago had begun to sow the seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind about Cassio’s truthfulness, intentions to Desdemona. | Othello: Thous dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but think’st him wronged, and mak’st his ear A stranger to thy thoughts.Iago: I do beseech you,… |
| Passage 7: (Act III Scene III)Iago attempts to persuade Othello of Desdemona’s infidelity with Cassio.Othello refused to believe him and demanded proof | Iago: I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.Othello: Not a jot, not a jot.Iago: I’faith, I fear it has. I hope you will consider what is spoke Comes from my love. But I do see you’re moved. |
| Passage 8 (Act III Scene III)Othello, convinced by Iago’s apparent honesty, begins to suspect Desdemona’s virtue, becomes aware of his own lack of charm (“haply for I am black”) etc. Desdemona’s entrance brings him back from dark thought – his salvation? | Othello: If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself; I’ll not believe it.Desdemona: How now, my dear Othello? Your dinner and the generous islanders, By you invited, do attend your presence. |
| Passage 9 (Act III Scene III)Othello just declared he would rather be oblivious to the truth since he is now plagued by thoughts of Desdemona’s betrayal. | Othello: Villain, be sure thou prove my love a wh*re; Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof, Or by the worth of mine eternal soul, Thou hadst been better have been born a dog Than answer my waked wrath! |
| Passage 10 (Act III Scene III)Othello’s mental state becomes increasingly unstable, Iago continues to stress Desdemona’s infidelity.Othello constantly wavers between the stances, once second convinced of her guilt, and her innocence another instance. | Othello: I’ll tear her all to pieces!Iago: Nay, yet be wise; yet we see nothing done, She may be honest yet. Tell me but this: Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief Spotted with strawberries in your wife’s hand? |
| Passage 11 (Act IV Scene I)In the previous scene (Act III), Cassio, having found Desdemona’s “lost” handkerchief, gifts it to Bianca as a token of his love.Othello, convinced by Iago that the handkerchief would be his “ocular proof”, become obsessed with obtaining it. | Iago: Her honour is an essence that’s not seen: They have it very oft that have it not. But for her handkerchiefOthello: By heaven, I would most gladly have forgot it. Thou said’st – O it comes o’er my memory, As doth the raven o’er the infected house, Boding to all! – he had my handkerchief. |
| Passage 12 (Act IV Scene I)Othello has just heard Cassio belittling Desdemona, and saw the handkerchief passed from Bianca back to Cassio. Unbeknownst to Othello, it was actually orchestrated by Iago and Cassio was really talking about Bianca the whole time. | Othello: [Coming forward.] How shall I murder him, Iago?Iago: Did you perceive how he laughed at his vice?Othello: O, Iago!Iago: And did you see the handkerchief?Othello: Was that mine? |
| Passage 13 (Act V Scene II)Cassio injured by Roderigo; Cassio’s exclamations of murder lead Othello to believe Iago has completed his part of their blood pact, prepares to kill Desdemona. | Othello: It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul: Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars. It is the cause. Yet I’ll not shed her blood, Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow And smooth as monumental alabaster – Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. |
| Passage 14 (Act V Scene II)Utterly convinced of Desdemona’s guilt, believes Cassio to be dead and therefore his turn to kill Desdemona. | Desdemona: Talk you of killing?Othello: Ay, I do.Desdemona: Then heaven Have mercy on me!Othello: Amen, with all my heart! |
Othello Passages
August 12, 2019