Othello Quotes

“Excellent wretch, perdition catch my soulBut I do love thee! And when I love thee not,Chaos is come again.” Act: 3Scene: 3Who to Who: Othello to IagoModern Translation: “What a wonderful girl! God help me, I love you! And when I stop loving you, the universe will fall back into the chaos that was there when time began.”Own Words: I love Desdemona so much that if I stopped loving her there would be a huge commotion.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Othello is very in love. Othello will be distraught if he finds out that Desdemona doesn’t love him or is cheating on him. Chaos will break out if this happens.2 Literary Devices: Theme: Order vs ChaosForeshadow: Chaos will break out when Othello finds out Desdemona doesn’t love him.
“Good name in man – and woman – dear my lord,Is the immediate jewel of their souls:Who steals my purse, steals trash; ’tis something, nothing;’Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands:But he that filches from me my good nameRobs me of that which not enriches him,And makes me poor indeed.” Act: 3Scene: 3Who to Who: Iago to OthelloModern Translation: “A good reputation is the most valuable thing we haveā€”men and women alike. If you steal my money, you’re just stealing trash. It’s something, it’s nothing: it’s yours, it’s mine, and it’ll belong to thousands more. But if you steal my reputation, you’re robbing me of something that doesn’t make you richer, but makes me much poorer.”Own Words: The way people view you is the most important thing for both men and women. Even if you steal money from me it is not as bad as stealing my reputation because it doesn’t make you any better, it only makes me worse.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Iago changes his beliefs just to appear different to Othello. This advances the plot by revealing that people’s reputations are very important to them and they will make decisions based on maintaining their good reputation. This can cause conflict because some people try to ruin other’s reputations.2 Literary Devices: Irony: Iago when talking to Cassio in the past said that reputation wasn’t as important as Cassio thought it was but here he says the opposite when talking to Othello.Theme: Reputation
‘O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;It is the green-eyed monster which doth mockThe meat it feeds on.’ Act: 3Scene: 3Who to Who: Iago to OthelloModern Translation: Beware of jealousy, my lord! It’s a green-eyedmonster that makes fun of the victims it devours. Own Words: Be careful of jealousy because it is just like a monster that makes fun of and doesn’t care about the people that it eats.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Iago is telling Othello to beware of jealousy because it will create chaos but at the same time is pushing Othello into being jealous of Cassio. This angers Othello and pushes him to want to kill both Cassio and Desdemona.2 Literary Devices: Irony: Iago is jealous of Cassio’s position (lieutenant)Theme: Jealousy
‘I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;And on the proof, there is no more but this:Away at once with love or jealousy!’ Act: 3Scene: 3Who to Who: Othello to IagoModern Translation: I’ll have to see some real evidencebefore I start suspecting her of anything bad, andwhen I suspect her, I’ll look for proof, and ifthere’s proof, that’s when I’ll let go of my loveand my jealousy.Own Words: Before I lose all my love for Desdemona and act on it I have to see some real evidence that she has done something bad.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Othello needs to see solid proof that Desdemona is cheating before he will act. He will have no hesitation after seeing evidence. This advances the plot because Iago needs to plan to have Othello see evidence which will then trigger Othello. When Othello sees the evidence he will be very angry.2 Literary Devices: Theme: IntegrityForeshadow: Othello will stop loving Desdemona when he sees proof.
‘O, that the slave had forty thousand lives -One is too poor, too weak for my revenge!Now do I see ’tis true. Look here, Iago:All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven – ’tis gone!Arise, black Vengeance from thy hollow hell,Yield up, O Love, thy crown and hearted throneTo tyrannous Hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,For ’tis of aspics’ tongues.’ Act: 3 Scene: 3Who to Who: Othello to IagoModern Translation: Oh, I’d kill that bastard Cassio forty thousandtimes if I could! Killing him once is not enoughrevenge. Now I see it’s true. Oh, Iago, all thelove I felt is gone, vanished in the wind.Welcome, hatred and vengeance! Get out of myheart, love! My heart feels like it’s full ofpoisonous snakes!Own Words: Killing Cassio one time is not enough for revenge. All my love for Desdemona is gone and to fill that hole is hatred and vengeance. I don’t want to love anymore, I just want revenge.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Othello is revealed to not love Desdemona anymore and have true hatred towards Cassio. Advances plot by showing that he wants to kill Cassio now and is planning with Iago to kill him.2 Literary Devices: Theme: Jealousy, Chaos vs OrderImagery: Black Vengeance from thy hollow hell
“Tis not a year or two shows us a man:They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;To eat us hungrily; and when they are fullThey belch us.’ Act: 3Scene: 4Who to Who: Emilia to DesdemonaModern Translation: Men are all the same, but it takes longer than a year or two to see how bad they are. They’re likestomachs and we’re just the food. They eat us uphungrily, and when they’re full, they vomit us up. Own Words: All men act the same even if they take a while to show it. They use us until they are done with us and then they get rid of us.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Emilia reveals that she is prejudice towards men just like Iago is prejudice towards women. Desdemona thinks Othello is just angry because of political matters but doesn’t know that he is angry because of his suspicions. Emilia thinks the reason Othello is angry because he is tired of Desdemona already. Advances the plot because Othello now has proof that Desdemona is suspiscious and is angry but Desdemona doesn’t know what’s going on which is what Iago wants.2 Literary Devices: Theme: PrejudiceImagery: They are all but stomachs, we all but food
“I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at; I am not what I am.” Act: 1Scene: 1Who to Who: Iago to RoderigoModern Translation: I’d be wearing my heart on my sleeve for birds topeck at. No, it’s better to hide it. I’m not who Iappear to be.Own Words: It is better to hide my true intentions and not express myself openly. My appearance is not my true self.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: The quote reveals that Iago is deceptive and that he is not who he appears to be. The quote also reveals that he will not be what he appears to be too many people throughout the plot to get his way.2 Literary Devices: Imagery: Heart on sleeve for birds to peck atTheme: Appearance vs Reality
“My noble father,I do perceive here a divided duty.To you I am bound for life and education.My life and education both do learn meHow to respect you. You are the lord of my duty,I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband,And so much duty as my mother showedTo you, preferring you before her father,So much I challenge that I may professDue to the Moor my lord.” Act: 1Scene: 3Who to Who: Desdemona to Brabantio Modern Translation: Father, this isn’t easy for me. I’m torn. I owe yourespect because you gave me life and education.You’re the one I have to obey. I’m your daughter.But this man here is my husband now, and I owehim as much as my mother owed you, just asshe preferred you to her own father. So I have togive my obedience to the Moor, my husband.Own Words: Father even though you have done all these good things for me such as taking care of me and my education, Othello’s love overcomes it all.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Desdemona loves Othello as much as he loves her and was willing to betray her father. Reveals plot by creating a solid relationship between Othello and her that everyone in the play knows about now. Reveals conflict by showing that Desdemona may betray her loved ones.2 Literary Devices: Foreshadow: Desdemona might betray Othello.Theme: Betrayal
“Let him do his spite. My services which I have done the signiory Shall out-tongue his complaints.” Act: 1 Scene: 2Who to Who: Othello to IagoModern Translation: Let him do his worst. The services I have done forthe Venetian government will count for more thanhis complaints will. Own Words: Let Brabantio accuse me of a crime but the Duke will not punish me because of the services I have done for the city.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Othello is a very respected man in the city because he is the general and he is not afraid of the consequences he may face because he think he hasn’t committed a crime. Reveals plot because he knows that he can be married to Desdemona without consequences and have a happy relationship with her without being in secrecy. Reveals conflict because Iago’s first plan to get Othello in trouble has failed.2 Literary Devices: Theme: ReputationForeshadow: Othello will not get into trouble for marrying Desdemona.
“With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do, I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. “ Act: 2Scene: 1Who to Who: Iago to himselfModern Translation: That’s right, goahead and whisper together. This is all I need toget Cassio. Yes, keep smiling at her, Cassio.Your fine manners around women will be yourdownfall. Own Words: Cassio’s kindness and attitude towards women will be his downfall and I will use it to my advantage.Character/Plot/Conflict Reveal: Iago is observant of how Cassio acts and clever in the way that he’s going to manipulate Cassio for his own intentions. Reveals Iago’s next attempt at Othello for the plot and Iago’s attempt to create conflict between Cassio, Desdemona and Othello.2 Literary Devices: Imagery: Web and flyTheme: Jealousy,