Othello

wind.DESDEMONA   I called my love false love, but what said he then? Sings

     Sing willow, willow, willow:

     If I court more women, you’ll couch⁵⁹ with more men!—

     So, get thee gone, goodnight. Mine eyes do itch:

     Doth that bode⁶¹ weeping?EMILIA   ’Tis neither here nor there.DESDEMONA   I have heard it said so. O, these men, these men!

     Dost thou in conscience think — tell me, Emilia —

     That there be women do abuse⁶⁵ their husbands

     In such gross kind⁶⁶?EMILIA   There be some such, no question.DESDEMONA   Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?EMILIA   Why, would not you?DESDEMONA   No, by this heavenly light!EMILIA   Nor I neither by this heavenly light:

     I might do’t as well i’th’dark.DESDEMONA   Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?EMILIA   The world’s a huge thing: it is a great price⁷⁴

     For a small vice.DESDEMONA   In troth, I think thou wouldst not.EMILIA   In troth, I think I should, and undo’t when I had

   done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint- ring⁷⁸, nor

   for measures of lawn⁷⁹, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps,

   nor any petty exhibition⁸⁰: but for all the whole world, why,

   who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a

   monarch? I should venture⁸² purgatory for’t.DESDEMONA   Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong

   For the whole world.EMILIA   Why, the wrong is but a wrong i’th’world, and

   having the world for your labour, ’tis a wrong in your own

   world, and you might quickly make it right.DESDEMONA   I do not think there is any such woman.EMILIA   Yes, a dozen, and as many to th’vantage⁸⁹ as

     Would store⁹⁰ the world they played for.

     But I do think it is their husbands’ faults

     If wives do fall⁹². Say that they slack their duties

     And pour our treasures into foreign laps⁹³,

     Or else break out in peevish⁹⁴ jealousies,

     Throwing restraint upon us, or say they strike us,

     Or scant⁹⁶ our former having in despite:

     Why, we have galls⁹⁷, and though we have some grace,

     Yet have we some revenge⁹⁸. Let husbands know

     Their wives have sense like them: they see and smell

     And have their palates both for sweet and sour,

     As husbands have. What is it that they do

     When they change¹⁰² us for others? Is it sport?

     I think it is. And doth affection¹⁰³ breed it?

     I think it doth. Is’t frailty that thus errs?

     It is so too. And have not we affections?

     Desires for sport? And frailty, as men have?

     Then let them use¹⁰⁷ us well: else let them know,

     The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.DESDEMONA   Goodnight, goodnight: heaven me such uses¹⁰⁹ send

     Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend¹¹⁰!Exeunt

Act 5 Scene 1running scene 10

Location: Cyprus (a street)

Enter Iago and RodorigoIAGO   Here, stand behind this bulk¹: straight will he come.

     Wear thy good rapier bare², and put it home.

     Quick, quick, fear nothing; I’ll be at thy elbow.

     It makes us or it mars⁴ us: think on that,

     And fix most firm thy resolution.RODORIGO   Be near at hand: I may miscarry⁶ in’t.IAGO   Here, at thy hand: be bold, and take thy stand.Conceals himself

RODORIGO   I have no great devotion to the deed,

     And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons.

     ’Tis but a man gone. Forth, my sword: he dies.Draws

IAGO   I have rubbed this young quat¹¹ almost to the sense,Aside

     And he grows angry¹². Now, whether he kill Cassio

     Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,

     Every way makes my gain. Live Rodorigo¹⁴,

     He calls me to a restitution large

     Of gold and jewels that I bobbed¹⁶ from him

     As gifts¹⁷ to Desdemona:

     It must not be. If Cassio do remain,

     He hath a daily beauty in his life

     That makes me ugly: and besides, the Moor

     May unfold²¹ me to him: there stand I in much peril.

     No, he must die. But so: I heard him coming.

Enter CassioRODORIGO   I know his gait, ’tis he.— Villain, thou diest!Makes a

sword thrust

CASSIO   That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,

     But that my coat²⁵ is better than thou know’st:

     I will make proof²⁶ of thine.Draws and wounds Rodorigo

RODORIGO   O, I am slain!He falls; Iago comes forward and stabs Cassio on the leg

Exit Iago

CASSIO   I am maimed for ever. Help, ho! Murder, murder!He falls

Enter OthelloOTHELLO   The voice of Cassio: Iago keeps his word.RODORIGO   O, villain that I am!OTHELLO   It is even so.CASSIO   O, help, ho! Light! A surgeon!OTHELLO   ’Tis he. O brave³³ Iago, honest and just,

     That hast such noble sense of thy friend’s wrong!

     Thou teachest me.— Minion³⁵, your dear lies dead,

     And your unblest³⁶ fate hies. Strumpet, I come:

     For of³⁷ my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted,

     Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust’s blood be spotted.Exit Othello

Enter Lodovico and GratianoCASSIO   What, ho! No watch? No passage³⁹? Murder, murder!GRATIANO   ’Tis some mischance: the voice is very direful⁴⁰.CASSIO   O, help!LODOVICO   Hark!RODORIGO   O wretched villain!LODOVICO   Two or three groan. ’Tis heavy⁴⁴ night;

     These may be counterfeits: let’s think’t unsafe

     To come in to⁴⁶ the cry without more help.RODORIGO   Nobody come: then shall I bleed to death.

Enter IagoWith a light and weapons

LODOVICO   Hark!GRATIANO   Here’s one comes in his shirt⁴⁹, with light and

     weapons.IAGO   Who’s there? Whose noise is this that cries on

     murder?LODOVICO   We do not know.IAGO   Do not you hear a cry?CASSIO   Here, here! For heaven sake, help me!IAGO   What’s the matter?GRATIANO   This is Othello’s ancient, as I take it.To Lodovico

LODOVICO   The same indeed: a very valiant fellow.To Gratiano

IAGO   What are you here that cry so grievously?CASSIO   Iago? O, I am spoiled⁵⁸, undone by villains!

     Give me some help.IAGO   O me, lieutenant! What villains have done this? CASSIO   I think that one of them is hereabout,

     And cannot make away.IAGO   O treacherous villains!—To Lodovico and Gratiano

     What are you there? Come in, and give some help.RODORIGO   O, help me there!CASSIO   That’s one of them.IAGO   O murd’rous slave! O villain!Stabs Rodorigo

RODORIGO   O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!IAGO   Kill men i’th’dark!— Where be these bloody

     thieves?—

     How silent is this town!— Ho! Murder, murder!—

      What may you be? Are you of good or evil?To Lodovico and Gratiano

LODOVICO   As you shall prove⁷² us, praise us.IAGO   Signior Lodovico?LODOVICO   He, sir.IAGO   I cry you mercy. Here’s Cassio hurt by villains.GRATIANO   Cassio?IAGO   How is’t, brother?To Cassio

CASSIO   My leg is cut in two.IAGO   Marry, heaven forbid!—

     Light, gentlemen. I’ll bind it with my shirt.

Enter BiancaBIANCA   What is the matter, ho? Who is’t that cried?IAGO   Who is’t that cried?BIANCA   O my