| “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / And I loved her that she did pity them” (Othello) | Act 1 Scene 3: Othello and Desdemona’s love is built not on sexual appetite, but on mutual understanding |
| “My heart’s subdued / Even to the very quality of my lord.” (Desdemona) | Act 1 Scene 3: Desdemona submits entirely to her husband and is in love with his personality |
| “I saw Othello’s visage in his mind” (Desdemona) | Act 1 Scene 3: Desdemona fell for Othello for his personality |
| “But to be free and bounteous to her mind” (Othello) | Act 1 Scene 3: Othello wants Desdemona’s company platonically |
| “Ere I would say I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon.” (Iago) | Act 1 Scene 3: Iago believes romantic love to be fickle |
| “If sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt an erring Barbarian and a super-subtle Venetian be not too hard for my wits” (Iago) | Act 1 Scene 3: Iago mocks marriage as fickle |
| “O, my fair warrior!” (Othello) | Act 2 Scene 1: Desdemona’s love has control over Othello |
| “O, my soul’s joy!” (Othello) | Act 2 Scene 1: shows the intensity of Othello’s love for Desdemona |
| “His soul is so enfettered to her love” (Iago) | Act 2 Scene 3: Othello has the potential to be made weak by his love for Desdemona |
| “Perdition catch my soul / But I do love thee! And when I love thee not, / Chaos is come again.” (Othello) | Act 3 Scene 3: Othello would lose his life if he didn’t love Desdemona |
| “A fine woman, a fair woman, a sweet woman!” (Othello) | Act 4 Scene 1: Othello laments his love for Desdemona |
| “O, she will sing the savageness out of a bear!” (Othello) | Act 4 Scene 1: Othello laments his love for Desdemona and her good qualities |
| “Why do you weep? / Am I the motive of these tears, my lord?” (Desdemona) | Act 4 Scene 2: even when he is jealous, Desdemona is devoted to Othello |
| “The fountain from the which my current runs” (Othello) | Act 4 Scene 2: Desdemona is a fountain of peace for Othello |
| “His unkindness may defeat my life, / But never taint my love.” (Desdemona) | Act 4 Scene 2: Desdemona would love Othello even if he killed her |
| “O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade / Justice to break her sword!” (Othello) | Act 5 Scene 2: Othello cannot bear to kill Desdemona because he loves her too much |
| “That death’s unnatural that kills for loving.” (Desdemona) | Act 5 Scene 2: Desdemona defends her own life and Othello’s love for her |
| “One that loved not wisely, but too well” (Othello) | Act 5 Scene 2: Othello urges the men not to follow his example of loving Desdemona |
Othello: Romantic Love
August 20, 2019