In depth quotes with context for each key character in William Shakespear's Othello. Written in chronological order to allow for the changes of characters to be deduced over time. Provides an expansive list of quotes that allows for an insightful citation or essay of the play.
Othello
• “An old black ram is tipping your white ewe” Iago shouting at Brabantio about Desdemona and Othello
• “Your daughter and the moor are now making the beast with two backs” yes Iago about them having sex but
focus on the beatsly imagery and how Iago portrays him with animalistic terms.
• A bunch of quotes from Brabantio regarding Othello and his daughter “thou hast enchanted her”, “chains of
magic”, “run from her guard age to the sooty bosom”, “foul charms”.
• “And your noble self” an officer who is vouching for Othello during the marriage debacle.
• “It is most true; I have married her” proud of his marriage to Desdomona.
• “I have won his daughter”.
• “Send for the lady … and let her speak before her father” Othello calling upon Desdemona to testify for
herself again emphasising his trust for her and herself assurance.
• “Her father lov’d me, oft invited me” Othello confirming his strong relationship with Brabantio and his family
• “She lov’d me for the dangers I passed, and I lov’d her that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I
have us’d” denouncing the witchcraft for their genuine connection
• “A man he is of honesty and trust” Othello talking about Iago “Honest Iago”
• “warlike Moor Othello” who takes over cyprus “’tis a worthy governor” how Othello is viewed by the public
“Brave Othello”
• “Cassio, I love thee, but never more be an officer of mine” Othello’s dismissal of Cassio after the drunk fight
and Iago’s testimony against him
• “I do love thee, and when I love thee not, chaos is come again” for shadowing for when Othello kills
Desdemona
• “I know thou’rt full of love and honesty” talking to Iago when he is advising him on Desdemona’s cheating
• “Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago” Othello making a joke that Iago is playing him when in reality
he defiantly is being played
• “think’st thou that I’d make a life of jealousy” to Iago which is exactly what Iago thinks
• “nor from mine own weak merits will I draw the smallest fear or doubt of her revolt” Othello knows his
wife’s honour and is not jealous when other people praise her because in his eyes, she is worthy of the praise
• “I do not think but Desdemona’s honest” Othello truly believes in Desdemona’s faith to him and to their
relationship
• “this fellow’s of exceeding honesty… I am abus’d and my relief must be to loathe her” irony of believing
Iago over his own wife and now being affected by Iago’s words
• “Farewell tranquil mind! Farewell content!” Othello succumbing to the paranoia and lies of Iago
• “Give me the ocular proof” and “If thou dost slander her and torture me … for nothing canst thou to
damnation add greater than that” Othello demanding to have proof or else he will never forgive Iago because
he will be lying and defaming his wife
, • “all fond love thus do I blow to heaven; tis gone” Othello has officially rebuked his belief in Desdemona and
has taken Iago’s words as truth
• “furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil [Desdemona]. Now art thou my lieutenant”
Othello gives Iag exactly what he wanted in the first place
• “by heaven, that should be my handkerchief!” After Bianca has just said that she found it in Cassio’s bedroom
• “how shall I murder him Iago?”
• “let her rot and perish, and be damned tonight, for she shall not live” Othello has decided to kill Desdemona.
“I will chop her into messes. Cuckold me!”
• “Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell” Ironic Iago is the devil incarnate and is believing his lies
• “Cunning whore of Venice” how Othello’s view of Desdemona has completely changed
• “Thy bed, lust- stained, shall with lusts blood be spotted” Now so determined that he can look past
Desdemona’s beauty and not have his love for her cloud his judgement and kill her regardless
• “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. Put out the light and then put out the light.” Othello justifies
his actions by viewing himself as an agent of justice and preventing from “cheating” on other men
• “Then murder’s out of tune, and sweet revenge grows harsh.” Finding out Cassio is not dead. Descend into
chaos
• “thy husband knew it all” …. “an honest man he is, and hates the slime that sticks on filthy deeds” Ironic
Iago creates this line
• “whip me ye devils, from the possession of this heavenly sight” Saying he deserves hell his moment of
realisation that he has wrongly murdered Desdemona
• “Tis happiness to die!” Death would grant him relief from his sin
• “Speak of me as I am” the judges in Venice must not judge him on his title and position but on his actions which
he thought were honourable in the moment – tragic hero. “of one that loved not wisely, but too well” blinded by
love but here he was blind to Desdemona’s goodness then he stabs himself.
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