Othello Act 5

“I have no great devotion to the deed,And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons.” Speaker: RoderigoAudience: Soliloquy (very short)Explication: Roderigo says that he doesn’t really want to do this (go kill Cassio), but he is given him good reasons.
“I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense,And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,Every way makes my gain.” Speaker: IagoAudience: Aside (audience)Explication: I’ve rubbed this young pimple until he’s ready to pop and now he’s angry. Whether he kills Cassio or Cassio kills him, or they kill each other, it all works in my favor.
“O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!” Speaker: RoderigoAudience: IagoExplication: Damned Iago! You inhuman dog. Roderigo realizes how villainy he is.
“Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trashTo be a party in this injury.” Speaker: IagoAudience: Gratiano/Lodovico Explication: Sir, I believe this piece of trash, Bianca, has something to do with all of this trouble.
“I am no strumpet, but of life as honestAs you that thus abuse me.” Speaker: BiancaAudience: IagoExplication: She is explaining to Othello that she is not a *****, and that she is honest and is being framed.
“This is the night that either makes me or fordoes me quite” Speaker: IagoAudience: Aside (Audience)Explication: He is saying that tonight his whole plan will finally come together and he will feel accomplished, or everything will fall apart and he will be destroyed.
“Put out the light, and then put out the light” Speaker: OthelloAudience: SoliloquyExplication: The first light refers to the candle in the room, and the second refers to Desdemona’s life, indicating that Othello is going to kill Desdemona.
“It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul.” Speaker: OthelloAudience: SoliloquyExplication: Othello is convincing himself that he has to kill her in order to get his revenge on her cheating on him. He makes it sounds like it’s the only way, he can take the pain away
“O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade justice to break her sword!” Speaker: Othello Audience: Soliloquy (to self) or to DesdemonaExplication: Oh that sweet breath almost convinces me to not kill you and carry out justice.
“That handkerchief which I so loved, and gave thee, thou gav’st to Cassio.” Speaker: OthelloAudience: DesdemonaExplication: You gave the handkerchief that I loved and gave to you, to Cassio.
“Not Cassio killed? Then murder’s out of tune, and sweet revenge grows harsh.” Speaker: OthelloAudience: EmiliaExplication: Cassio’s not dead? The wrong man is dead and my plan of revenge has gone wrong.
“If he say so, may his pernicious soulRot half a grain a day! He lies to th’ heart!She was too fond of her most filthy bargain.” Speaker: EmiliaAudience: OthelloExplication: Desdemona is too fond of her husband, says that it was a filthy bargain, says that she loved him too much.
“I look down towards his feet; but that’s a fable.–If that thou be’st a devil, I cannot kill thee.” Speaker: OthelloAudience: IagoExplication: Referring to the devil, and referring to him having the devil feet. That Iago is the devil. Wants to stab him to see if he still lives.
“Demand me nothing. What you know, you know.From this time forth I never will speak word.” Speaker: IagoAudience: EveryoneExplication: He will not tell them the plan. He won’t talk again.
“There is besides, in Roderigo’s letter,How he upbraids Iago, that he made himBrave me upon the watch, whereon it cameThat I was cast. And even but now he spake,After long seeming dead: Iago hurt him,Iago set him on.” Speaker: CassioAudience: OthelloExplication: Also in his letter to Iago, Roderigo criticizes Iago for telling him to get me angry while I was still on guard duty and get me demoted. And just now he admitted it, even though he’d seemed to be dead for a long while, Iago tricked him, Iago urged him to do it.
“O Spartan dog,More feel than anguish, hunger, or the sea,Look on the tragic loading of this bed.This is thy work” Speaker: LodovicoAudience: IagoExplication: Says that he sucks, caused deaths. He caused all of this.
July 29, 2019