FOUNDING EDITOR: T. J. B. SPENCER
GENERAL EDITOR: STANLEY WELLS
SUPERVISORY EDITORS: PAUL EDMONDSON, STANLEY WELLS
OTHELLO
T. J. B. SPENCER,
sometime Director of the Shakespeare Institute of the University of Birmingham, was
the founding editor of the New Penguin Shakespeare, for which he edited both
Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.
STANLEY WELLS is
Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Emeritus Professor of
Shakespeare Studies at the University of Birmingham, and General Editor of the
Oxford Shakespeare. His many books include Shakespeare: For All Time,
Shakespeare & Co., Shakespeare, Sex, and Love and Great Shakespeare
Actors.
KENNETH MUIR was King
Alfred Professor of English at the University of Liverpool. He edited
Macbeth and King Lear for the Arden Shakespeare and
Troilus and Cressida for the Oxford Shakespeare, and wrote extensively
on Shakespeare and other literary topics.
TOM McALINDON is
Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Hull. He is the author of six
books on the drama of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, including
Shakespeare’s Tudor History, Shakespeare’s Tragic Cosmos and
English Renaissance Tragedy.
An Account of the Text
Othello was first published in 1622,
some eighteen years after its first performance, in an edition known as the Quarto (Q).
In the following year the play was included in the first Folio (F), the collected
edition of Shakespeare’s plays. The F text was based partly on that of Q (or on the
transcript from which it was printed) and partly on a copy of the prompt book. As both Q
and F omit passages, a modern editor has to make use of both. What things caused the
divergences are still a matter of debate. Omissions in Q may be due to the transcriber
or the compositors, and some of them may rather be due to revisions of the original play
(see Coghill below). Omissions in F include the deletion of many oaths in order to
comply with the new regulations about profanity; others may be due to the carelessness
of the book-keeper who had the job of collating the manuscript with the prompt book. It
was probably a rushed job. As some mistakes are common to Q and F, there may well be
others impossible to detect.
We may agree with Alice Walker’s attack on
the Q text (Shakespeare Survey 5, 1952; Textual Problems
ofthe First Folio, 1953; and her edition of the play, 1957)
but she exaggerates its faults, blaming them on the book-keeper ‘who saved himself time
and trouble by using his memory rather than his eyes’. Nevill Coghill in
Shakespeare’s Professional Skills (1964) argues convincingly that the poet
revised the play so as to eliminate weaknesses which had struck him in performance.
Roderigo’s speech (I.1.123 ff.) clarifies the
situation for the audience; the Pontic Sea simile enormously increases the effectiveness
of the temptation scene – but this might well be due to careless omission by the
transcriber; there are several passages inserted to arouse sympathy for Emilia (e.g. IV.3.85–102). In The
Stability ofShakespeare’s Text (1965) E. A. J. Honigmann
argued that Shakespeare, like other poets, introduced variants while copying out his own
work; and in a later article in The Library (June 1982), without abandoning
this theory, he agreed with Coghill that Shakespeare deliberately revised the play. This
hypothesis is acted upon by the editors of the Oxford Complete Works (1986) and
is discussed in William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion (by Stanley Wells,
Gary Taylor, et al., 1987).
In my own article on the text of
Othello, written while I was working on this edition, and published in
Shakespeare Studies I (1965), I argued that although an editor should use F
as his copy-text, there are scores of Q readings which are manifestly superior, and that
it is necessary to deviate from F in approximately 300 places, and that in 200 of them Q
should be accepted. When both Q and F are unsatisfactory it is necessary to amend. Every
variant must be judged on its merits rather than on the assumption that we should
wherever possible follow F. The collations that follow show how much these principles
have been applied. The original spellings have been used in these collations.
COLLATIONS
1 Passages Omitted in Quarto
I.1
122–38 If’t
… yourself
I.2
20 Which, when
I know
65 If …
bound
72–7 Judge
… attach thee
I.3
16 By Signor
Angelo
24–30 For
… profitless
63 Being
… sense
118 The
… you
123 I …
blood
192 Which
… heart
273 her
274 it
280 So
308 O
villainous
345–6 She must
change for youth
357–8 if
… issue
376 I’ll sell
all my land
II.1
39–40 Even
… regard
63 quirks
of
112 DESDEMONA
154 See
… behind
234 Why, none;
why, none
237–8 a
devilish knave
246 Blessed
pudding
248 that I
did
249 obscure
252 Villainous
thoughts, Roderigo
254 master
and
255 Pish
II.2
9 of
feasting
II.3
67 O
96 to be
98–9 and
… saved
112 Why
184 to
245 dear
297 O,
strange
III.1
54 CASSIO I am much bound to you
III.3
163 OTHELLO Ha
380–87 By
… satisfied
450–57 Iago
… heaven
465 in me
III.4
8–10 CLOWN To … this
98 of it
179 Well,
well
191–2 BIANCA … not
IV.1
37–43 To
… devil
120 What! A
customer
123 they
174–6 IAGO Yours … whore
179 that
IV.2
50 utmost
72–5 Committed
… committed
185 With
naught but truth
217 what is
it
IV.3
30–50 I have
… next
57–60 I
… question
85–102 But
… so
V.1
21 much
V.2
83 OTHELLO Being … pause
150–53 EMILIA … Iago
184–92 My
… villainy
244–6 EMILIA What … willow
264–70 Be
… wench
334 before you
go
2 Passages Omitted in Folio
I.1
1 Tush
4 ’Sblood
(later examples ofoaths are not listed)
15 And in
conclusion
117 now
I.3
106 DUKE
199 Into your
favour
274 You must hence tonight
372–5 RODERIGO … purse
II.1
82 And …
comfort
88 me
116 thou
(after wouldst)
264 with his
truncheon
II.3
322 here
III.1
29 CASSIO Do … friend
48 To …
front
III.3
178 once
183 well
221 at
421 then
449 perhaps
III.4
22 of
37 yet
84 sir
90 OTHELLO … Cassio
IV.1
52 No,
forbear
103 now
110 a
120 her
124 shall
135–6 by this
hand
248 an
IV.2
32 But not the
words
80 Impudent
strumpet
166 And
… you
187 to
227 of
IV.3
20 in them
23 thee
71 it
V.2
52 Yes
85 DESDEMONA O Lord, Lord, Lord
143 Nay
238 here
333 him
3 Readings Accepted from Quarto, with Rejected Folio Reading
I.1
25 togèd] Tongued
30 Christian] Christen’d
67 full] fall
thick-lips] Thicks-lips
101 bravery] knauerie
104 them] their
147 produced] producted
183 night] might
I.2
10 pray] pray you
15 and] or
16 That] The
21 provulgate] promulgate
68 darlings] Deareling
84 Where] Whether
I.3
1 these] this
4 and forty] forty
35 injointed] inioynted
them
45 wish] to
93 proceedings] proceeding
99 maimed] main’d
107 overt] ouer
122 till] tell
129 fortunes] Fortune
138 travels’] Trauellours
140 and hills] Hills
heads] head
141 the] my
142 other] others
144 Do grow] Grew
This] These things
146 thence] hence
154 intentively]
instinctiuely
158 sighs] kisses
182 lord of all my] the Lord
of
217 ear] eares
237–8 If … father’s.] Why at
her Fathers?
239 Nor I: I would not] Nor
would I
244 you? Speak.] you
Desdemona?
245 did love] loue
254 which] why
265 For] When
267 instruments] Instrument
274–5 You … night]
Sen. You must away to night
279 With] And
296 matters] matter
306 we have] haue we
310 a man] man
327 our (after stings)]
or
338–9 be … continue] be long
that Desdemona should continue
191 a thousand, thousand
times] a thousand, a thousand times
214 Come … him] this,
comes from the Duke. See, your wife’s with him
216 Senators] the Senators
238 By my troth] Trust me
278 this] his
281 denote] deonte
IV.2
23 Pray] Pray you
29 Nay] May
30 knees] knee
54 unmoving] and mouing
91 keep] keepes
116 As … bear] That
… beare it
125 all] and
140 heaven] Heauens
147 O good] Alas
154 in] or
169 stay] staies
223 takes] taketh
IV.3
12 He] And
17 I would] I, would
22 faith] Father
24 those] these
74 Ud’s pity] why
V.1
1 bulk] Barke
25 think’st] know’st
35 Forth] For
38 cry] voyce
42 It is a] ’Tis
49 Did] Do
50 heaven’s] heauen
60 here] there
90 O heaven] Yes, ’tis
93 you] your
104 out o’th’] o’th’
111 ’Las … What’s] Alas,
what is … what is
116 fruit] fruits
123 Foh! Fie] Fie
V.2
15 it] thee
19 this] that’s
32 heaven] Heauens
35 say so] say
57 Then Lord] O Heauen
102 Should] Did
118 O Lord] Alas
151 that she] she
227 steal it] steal’t
249 I die, I die] alas, I
dye
289 damnèd] cursed
292 did I] I did
312 to have] t’haue
313 nick] interim
314 the] thou
317 but] it but
343 Indian] Iudean
4 Some Rejected Quarto Variants
I.1
33 Moorship’s] Worships
39 affined] assign’d
66 daws] Doues
73 chances … on’t]
changes … out
141 thus deluding you] this
delusion
146 place] pate
166 she deceives] thou
deceiuest
173 maidhood] manhood
I.2
22 siege] height
41 sequent] frequent
46 hath sent about] sent
aboue
I.3
6 the aim] they aym’d
122 truly] faithfull
138 portance in] with it all
165 hint] heate
175 on my head] lite on me
246 storm] scorne
248 very quality] vtmost
pleasure
257 Let … voice] Your
voyces Lords: beseech you let her will] Have a free way
266 Of … seel] And …
foyles
267 officed] actiue
271 estimation] reputation
280 import] concerne
289 if thou hast eyes] haue a
quicke eye
347 Therefore] shee must haue
change, she must.
Therefore
362 conjunctive]
communicatiue
387 plume] make
II.1
8 mountains melt on them] the
huge mountaine meslt
12 chidden] chiding
15 ever-fixèd] euer fired
20 lads] Lords
68 high] by
72 mortal] common
80 Make … in] And swiftly
come to
95 See for the news] So speakes
this voyce
167 gyve] catch
179 calms] calmenesse
235 slipper and subtle] subtle
slippery
286 lusty] lustfull
II.3
51 else] lads
129 Prizes the virtue] Praises
the vertues
143 twiggen-bottle] wicker
bottle
187 mouths] men
200 collied] coold
313 broken joint] braule
357–8 and so … Venice] as
that comes to, and no money at all, and with that wit returne to Venice
III.1
41 sure] soone
III.2
2 senate] State
III.3
70 mammering] muttering
114 conceit] counsell
122 dilations] denotements
124 be sworn] presume
153 What dost thou mean]
Zouns
352 rude] wide
353 dread clamours] great clamor
358 mine] mans
373 lov’st] liuest
463 execution] excellency
III.4
51 sorry] sullen
62 loathèd] lothely
145 observancy]
obseruances
174 continuate] conuenient
IV.1
80 return] retire
82 fleers] Ieeres
213 I … Lodovico]
Something from Venice sure, tis Lodouico
IV.2
17 their wives] her sex
46 I have lost] Why I haue
left
47 they rained] he ram’d
169 The … meat] And the
great Messengers of Venice stay
190 acquaintance]
acquittance
207 exception] conception
232 harlotry] harlot
IV.3
103 uses] vsage
V.1
7 stand] sword
8 deed] dead
11 quat] gnat
14 gain] game
34 unblest fate hies] fate
hies space
76–7 my sweet Cassio,] O
Cassio, Cassio, Cassio]
O my sweete Cassio!]
Cassio, Cassio
86 be … injury] beare a
part in this
105 gentlemen] Gentlewoman
106 gastness] ieastures
V.2
10 thy light] thine
13 relume] returne
15 needs must] must needes
55 conception] conceit
70 hath used thee] hath – vds
death
111 nearer] neere the
149 iterance] iteration
208 reprobance]
reprobation
217 ’Twill … peace?]
’Twill out, ’twill, I hold my peace sir, no.
218 I will speak as …
north] Ile be in speaking … ayre
285 Wrench] wring
347 med’cinable] medicinal
359 loading] lodging
5 Emendations
I.1
30 leed] be-leed F; led Q
152 stand] stands Q, F
155 hell pains] hell apines F;
hells paines Q
I.2
11 For be assured] Be assur’d
F; For be sure Q
50 carack] Carract F; Carrick
Q
I.3
58 yet] it Q, F
87 feats of broil] Feats of
Broiles F; feate of broyle Q
177 company] noble company Q,
F
217 piecèd] pierced Q, F
228 couch] Cooch Q; Coach F
232 war] Warres Q, F
261 In me] In my Q, F
323 beam] ballance Q; braine
F
336 thou these] thou the F;
these Q
II.1
13 mane] Maine Q, F
65 tire the ingener] tyre the
Ingeniuer F; beare all excellency Q
67 He’s] He has Q; Ha’s F
70 enscarped] ensteep’d F;
enscerped Q
108 of doors] of doore F; adores
Q
195 let’s] let vs Q, F
294 I leash] I trace F; I crush
Q
II.2
5 addiction] addition F; minde
Q
II.3
112 well] well then Q, F
121 in him] him in Q, F
161 sense of place] place of
sense Q, F
212 leagued] league Q, F
221 following] following him Q,
F
260 of sense] sence F; offence
Q
308 denotement] deuotement Q,
F
III.1
25 General’s wife] Ceneral’s
wife Q; General F
III.2
6 We’ll] Well F; We Q
III.3
119 affright me more] fright
me the more F; affright me the more Q
147 that … then] that
your wisedome F; I intreate you then Q
168 fondly] soundly F;
strongly Q
180 exsufflicate] exufflicate
Q, F
182 fair, loves] faire, feeds
well, loues Q, F
202 keep’t] kept F; keepe
Q
209 to] too Q, F
347 make] makes Q, F
403 circumstance]
circumstances Q, F
437 any that] any it Q, F
452 feels] keepes F
III.4
42 there’s] heere’s Q, F
82 an] and Q, F
112 sorrow] sorrowes Q, F
143 Our] our other Q, F
IV.1
73 shall] she shall Q, F
87 gestures] ieasture Q,
F
101 construe] conster Q; conserue F
123 win] winnes Q, F
IV.2
63 Ay, there] I heere Q,
F
79 hear it] hear’t Q, F
167 It is so] It is but so F;
Tis but so Q
175 daff’st] dafts F; doffts
Q
IV.3
38 sighing] singing F
V.1
22 But … hear] But so
… heard F; be’t so … hear Q
114 quite] quite dead F; dead
Q
V.2
107 murder] Murthers Q, F
216 O God! O heavenly Powers]
Oh Heauen! Oh heauenly Powres F; O God, O heauenly God Q
233 serve] serues Q, F
288 wast] wert Q; was F
346 Drop] Drops Q, F
6 Stage Directions
I.1
82 above] F; at a
window Q
145 Exit above]
Exit F; not in Q
160 in his night-gown]
not in F
I.2
33 Enter …
torches] Enter Cassio, with Torches F; Enter Cassio with
lights, Officers and Torches Q (both at line 27)
49 Exit] not
in Q, F
53 Enter Othello]
not in Q, F
I.3
0 The Duke …
attendants] Enter Duke, Senators, and Officers
F; Enter Duke, and Senators set at a Table, with lights and Attendants
Q
121 Exit …
attendants] Exit two or three Q; not in F
291 Exeunt …
attendants] Exit F; Exeunt Q
297 Exeunt … Desdemona] Exit Moore and Desdemona Q;
Exit F
II.1
55 Salvo] not
in F; A shot Q
82 and attendants]
not in Q, F
99 He kisses Emilia]
not in Q, F
121 (aside)] not
in Q, F
164 (aside)] not
in Q, F
173 Trumpet]
Trumpets within Q; not in F
174 (aloud)] not
in Q, F
191 They kiss] not
in F
206 Exeunt …
Roderigo] Exit Q; Exit Othello and Desdemona F
II.3
11 and attendants]
not in Q, F
59 and servants with
wine] not in Q, F
132 Exit Roderigo]
not in F
139 (Cry within)]
not in F
145 He strikes
Roderigo] not in Q, F
154 Bell rings] not
in Q, F
247 Montano is led
off] Lead him off Q, F
251 Exeunt …
Cassio] Exit Moore, Desdemona, and attendants Q; Exit
F
III.3
239 (going)] not
in Q, F
284 He … it]
not in Q, F
312 (snatching it)]
not in Q, F
III.4
34 (Aside)] not
in Q, F
IV.1
43 He falls]
Falls in a Traunce F; he fals downe Q
58 Exit Cassio]
not in Q, F
92 Othello retires]
not in Q, F
109, 112, 114 etc. (aside)]
not in Q, F
168 Exit Cassio]
not in F
169 (coming forward)]
not in Q, F
212 Trumpet sounds]
not in Q, F
216 He …
letter] not in Q, F
217 He …
letter] not in Q, F
240 He strikes her] not in Q,
F
262 Exit Desdemona]
not in Q, F
IV.2
89 (Calling)]
not in Q, F
IV.3
9 Othello …
attendants] not in Q, F
38 etc. (sings)]
not in Q, F
44 etc. (She
speaks)] not in Q, F
V.1
7 He retires]
not in Q, F
26 He wounds
Roderigo] not in Q, F
Iago … exit] not in
Q, F
27 above] not
in Q, F
46 with a light]
not in F
61 He stabs
Roderigo] not in Q, F
62 He faints]
not in Q, F
64 Lodovico …
forward] not in Q, F
98 Enter …
chair] not in Q, F
104 Cassio …
removed] not in Q, F
110 Enter Emilia]
not in F
128 (Aside)] not
in Q, F
V.2
0 with a light]
not in F
Desdemona in her bed]
not in Q
15 He kisses her]
not in F
85 smothers] Q;
stifles F
106 (He unlocks
door)] not in Q, F
120 She …
curtains] not in Q, F
197 (falling on bed)]
Oth, fals on the bed Q; not in F
199 (rising)] not
in Q, F
233 He … exit]
not in F; The Moore runnes at Iago.
Iago kils
his wife Q
249 She dies] not
in F
269 He goes to the
bed] not in Q, F
279 in a chair]
not in F
352 He stabs himself]
not in F
355 falls on the bed
and] not in Q, F
361 The …
drawn] not in Q, F
Other titles by William
Shakespeare
All’s Well That Ends Well Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Coriolanus Cymbeline Hamlet Henry IV, Part I Henry IV, Part II Henry V Henry VI, Part I Henry VI, Part II Henry VI, Part III Henry VIII Julius Caesar King John King Lear Love’s Labour’s Lost Macbeth Measure for Measure The Merchant of Venice The Merry Wives of Windsor A Midsummer Night’s Dream Much Ado About Nothing Othello Pericles Richard II Richard III Romeo and Juliet The Sonnets and A Lover’s Complaint The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night The Two Gentlemen of Verona The Two Noble Kinsmen The Winter’s Tale
I.1 Enter
Roderigo and Iago
RODERIGO
Tush, never tell me! I take it much
unkindly
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
As if the strings were thine, shouldst know
of this.
IAGO
’Sblood, but you will not hear me!
If ever I did dream of such a matter,
Abhor me.
RODERIGO
Thou told’st me thou didst hold him in thy
hate.
IAGO
Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of
the city,
In personal suit to make me his
Lieutenant,
10 Off-capped to him: and by the
faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a
place.
But he, as loving his own pride and
purposes,
Evades them with a bombast circumstance
Horribly stuffed with epithets of war,
And in conclusion
Non-suits my mediators. For ‘Certes,’ says he,
‘I have already chose my officer.’
And what was he?
Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
20 One Michael Cassio, a
Florentine –
A fellow almost damned in a fair wife –
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster – unless the bookish
theoric,
Wherein the togèd consuls can propose
As masterly as he. Mere prattle without
practice
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had
th’election:
And I, of whom his eyes had seen the
proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other
grounds
30 Christian and heathen, must be leed and calmed
By debitor and creditor; this counter-caster,
He in good time must his Lieutenant be,
And I – God bless the mark! – his Moorship’s
Ancient.
RODERIGO
By heaven, I rather would have been his
hangman.
IAGO
Why, there’s no remedy. ’Tis the curse of
service:
Preferment goes by letter and affection,
And not by old gradation, where each second
Stood heir to th’first. Now sir, be judge
yourself
Whether I in any just term am affined
40 To love the Moor.
RODERIGO
I would not follow him then.
IAGO
O, sir, content you:
I follow him to serve my turn upon him.
We cannot all be masters, nor all
masters
Cannot be truly followed. You shall mark
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave
That, doting on his own obsequious
bondage,
Wears out his time, much like his master’s
ass,
For naught but provender, and when he’s old
– cashiered!
Whip me such honest knaves. Others there
are
50 Who, trimmed in forms and
visages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on
themselves,
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
Do well thrive by them; and when they have
lined their
coats,
Do themselves homage: these fellows have
some soul,
And such a one do I profess myself.
For, sir,
It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:
In following him, I follow but myself.
60 Heaven is my judge, not I for
love and duty,
But seeming so for my peculiar end:
For when my outward action doth
demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, ’tis not long after,
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at – I am not what I am.
RODERIGO
What a full fortune does the thick-lips
owe
If he can carry’t thus!
IAGO
Call up her father,
Rouse him, make after him, poison his
delight,
70 Proclaim him in the streets;
incense her kinsmen,
And, though he in a fertile climate
dwell,
Plague him with flies: though that his joy
be joy,
Yet throw such chances of vexation on’t,
As it may lose some colour.
RODERIGO
Here is her father’s house; I’ll call
aloud.
IAGO
Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell,
As when, by night and negligence, the
fire
Is spied in populous cities.
RODERIGO
What, ho, Brabantio! Signor Brabantio,
ho!
IAGO
80 Awake! What, ho, Brabantio!
Thieves, thieves!
Look to your house, your daughter, and your
bags!
Thieves, thieves!
Enter Brabantio above, at a window
BRABANTIO
What is the reason of this terrible
summons?
What is the matter there?
RODERIGO
Signor, is all your family within?
IAGO
Are your doors locked?
BRABANTIO
Why, wherefore ask you this?
IAGO
Zounds, sir, you’re robbed; for shame, put on your gown;
Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul.
Even now, now, very now, an old black
ram
90 Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise,
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you.
Arise, I say!
BRABANTIO
What, have you lost your wits?
RODERIGO
Most reverend signor, do you know my
voice?
BRABANTIO
Not I: what are you?
RODERIGO
My name is Roderigo.
BRABANTIO
The worser welcome!
I have charged thee not to haunt about my
doors.
In honest plainness thou hast heard me
say
My daughter is not for thee. And now in
madness,
100 Being full of supper and distempering
draughts,
Upon malicious bravery dost thou come
To start my quiet.
RODERIGO
Sir, sir, sir –
BRABANTIO
But thou must needs be sure
My spirit and my place have in them power
To make this bitter to thee.
RODERIGO
Patience, good sir.
BRABANTIO
What tell’st thou me of robbing? This is
Venice:
My house is not a grange.
RODERIGO
Most grave Brabantio,
In simple and pure soul I come to you
…
IAGO Zounds, sir, you
are one of those that will not serve
110 God if the devil bid you. Because we come to
do you
service, and you think we are ruffians,
you’ll have your
daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you’ll
have your
nephews neigh to you, you’ll have coursers
for cousins,
and jennets for germans.
BRABANTIO What
profane wretch art thou?
IAGO I am one, sir,
that comes to tell you, your daughter
and the Moor are now making the beast with two
backs.
BRABANTIO
Thou art a villain.
IAGO
You are a Senator.
BRABANTIO
120 This thou shalt answer. I know thee,
Roderigo.
RODERIGO
Sir, I will answer anything. But I beseech
you
If’t be your pleasure and most wise
consent,
As partly I find it is, that your fair
daughter,
At this odd-even and dull watch o’th’night,
Transported with no worse
nor better guard
But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,
To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor –
If this be known to you, and your allowance,
We then have done you bold and saucy
wrongs;
130 But if you know not this, my manners
tell me
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not
believe
That from the sense of all civility
I thus would play and trifle with your
reverence.
Your daughter, if you have not given her
leave,
I say again hath made a gross revolt,
Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and
fortunes
In an extravagant and wheeling stranger
Of here and everywhere. Straight satisfy
yourself:
If she be in her chamber or your house,
140 Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.
BRABANTIO
Strike on the tinder, ho!
Give me a taper; call up all my people!
This accident is not unlike my dream:
Belief of it oppresses me already.
Light, I say, light!
Exit above
IAGO
Farewell, for I must leave you.
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
To be produced – as if I stay, I shall –
Against the Moor. For I do know the
state,
However this may gall him with some check,
150 Cannot with safety cast him; for he’s embarked
With such loud reason to the Cyprus
wars,
Which even now stand
in act, that for their
souls
Another of his fathom they have none
To lead their business. In which
regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell pains,
Yet for necessity of present life
I must show out a flag and
sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign. That you shall
surely find him,
Lead to the Sagittary the raisèd search;
160 And there will I be with him. So
farewell.
Exit
Enter Brabantio in his
night-gown with
servants and torches
BRABANTIO
It is too true an evil. Gone she is,
And what’s to come of my despisèd time
Is naught but bitterness. Now,
Roderigo,
Where didst thou see her? – O unhappy girl!
–
With the Moor, say’st thou? – Who would be
a father? –
How didst thou know ’twas she? – O, she deceives me
Past thought! – What said she to you? – Get
more tapers.
Raise all my kindred. – Are they married,
think you?
RODERIGO
Truly I think they are.
BRABANTIO
170 O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the
blood!
Fathers, from hence trust not your
daughters’ minds
By what you see them act. Is there not charms
By which the property of youth and maidhood
May be abused? Have you not read,
Roderigo,
Of some such thing?
RODERIGO
Yes, sir, I have indeed.
BRABANTIO
Call up my brother – O would you had had
her!
Some one way, some another. Do you know
Where we may apprehend her and the
Moor?
RODERIGO
I think I can discover him, if you
please
180 To get good guard and go along with me.
BRABANTIO
Pray you, lead on. At every house I’ll call
–
I may command at most. Get
weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night.
On, good Roderigo, I’ll deserve your
pains.
Exeunt
I.2 Enter Othello, Iago,
attendants with torches
IAGO
Though in the trade of war I have slain
men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff o’th’conscience
To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity
Sometimes to do me service. Nine or ten
times
I had thought t’have yerked him here under the ribs.
OTHELLO
’Tis better as it is.
IAGO
Nay, but he prated
And spoke such scurvy and provoking
terms
Against your honour,
That with the little godliness I have,
10 I did full hard forbear him. But I pray, sir,
Are you fast married? For be assured of this,
That the Magnifico is much beloved,
And hath in his effect a voice potential
As double as the Duke’s. He will divorce
you,
Or put upon you what restraint and
grievance
That law, with all his might to enforce it
on,
Will give him cable.
OTHELLO
Let him do his spite:
My services, which I have done the signory,
Shall out-tongue his complaints. ’Tis yet to know –
20 Which, when I know that boasting
is an honour,
I shall provulgate – I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege, and my demerits
May speak, unbonneted, to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reached. For know,
Iago,
But that I love the gentle
Desdemona,
I would not my unhousèd free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the seas’ worth. But look, what lights
come yond!
IAGO
Those are the raisèd father and his
friends:
You were best go in.
OTHELLO
30 Not I: I must be found.
My parts, my title, and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?
IAGO
By Janus, I think no.
Enter Cassio, with men
bearing torches
OTHELLO
The servants of the Duke and my
Lieutenant!
The goodness of the night upon you,
friends.
What is the news?
CASSIO
The Duke does greet you, General,
And he requires your haste-post-haste
appearance
Even on the instant.
OTHELLO
What is the matter, think you?
CASSIO
Something from Cyprus, as I may divine:
40 It is a business of some heat. The galleys
Have sent a dozen sequent messengers
This very night at one another’s heels;
And many of the consuls, raised and
met,
Are at the Duke’s already. You have been hotly called for,
