| “I am not what I am” (I.I.) | S: IagoL: RoderigoC: Opening scene where Iago is saying how much he hates Othello so Roderigo tells him to quit so he gives a speech on how he’s using Othello |
| “Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters’ minds By what you see them act.” (I.I) | S: BarbantioL: RodergioC: Barbantio finds out Desdemona really did leave so he’s frazzeled and upset and even says he wishes Roderigo had married Desdemona before they go off to find Othello |
| “Good signor, you shall more command with yearsThan with your weapons.” (I.II) | S: OthelloL: BarbantioC: Barbantio finds Othello and tries to get him faught/kidnapped and calls him a thief for marrying Desdemona |
| “So please your Grace, my Ancient,A man he is of honesty and trust.To his conveyance I assign my wife.” (I.III) | S: OthelloL: Duke of VeniceC: The atter of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage is settled and it’s been discussed how Othello must go to Cyprus so he’s arranging for Desdemona to go with him |
| “Your son-in-law is far more fair than black.” (I.III) | S: Duke of VeniceL: BarbantioC: Everyone is leaving from the meeting as everything’s settled to the Duke makes this comment as he’s going |
| “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see.She has deceived her father, and may thee.” (I.III) | S: BarbantioL: OthelloC: Everyone’s leaving after the matter is settled and Desdemona is leaving with Othello so Barbantio makes this comment |
| “The Moor is of a free and open natureThat thinks men honest that but seem to be so,And will as tenderly be led by the noseAs asses are.” (I.III) | S: IagoL: SoliloquyC: Just convinced Roderigo to collect money in his purse and is now speaking about how he’ll trick everyone and how Othello will believe in his plan |
| “Oh, you are well tuned now,But I’ll set down the pegs that make this music,As honest as I am.” (II.I) | S: IagoL: An asideC: Othello states how happy he is so Iago then says this |
| “Provoke him, that he may, for even out of that will I cause these of Cyprus to mutiny, whose qualification shall come into no true taste again but by the displanting of Cassio.” (II.I) | S: IagoL: RodergioC: Convinced Roderigo that Desdemona loves Cassio so they plot for Roderigo to start a fight with Cassio so he won’t be in Othetllo’s favor |
| “….yet that I put the MoorAt least into a jealousy so strongThat judegement cannot cure.” (II.I) | S: IagoL: SoliloquyC: Roderigo left so Othello so Iago is reflecting on his hatred for Othello, how Othello possibly slept with his wife, and how he plans to make him jealous by using Cassio |
| “And ’tis great pity that the noble MoorShould hazard such a place as his own secondWith one of an ingraft infirmity.” (II.III) | S: MontanoL: IagoC: Cassio got drunk and Roderigo was sent off to initiate the plan so Iago is having a casual conversation and pretending to be worried about Cassio |
| “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouthThan it should do offense to Michael Cassio.Yet I persuade myself to speak the truthShall nothing wrong with him.” (II.III) | S: IagoL: Montano & OthelloC: Roderigo and Cassio fights so Othello comes and asks Iago what’s wrong so he’s pretending to hesitate before answering |
| ” I know, IagoThy honesty and love doth mince this matter,Making it light to Cassio.” (II.III) | S: OthelloL: IagoC: Iago tells Othello about the fight and what he wants him to think happened |
| ” Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!” (II.IIII) | S: CassioL: IagoC: Othello just took Cassio’s lieutenant position away |
| ” Our General’s wife is now the General.” (II.III) | S: IagoL: CassioC: Cassio is upset about his position and reputation being lost so Iago is giving him advice to ask Desdemona to plead his case for him |
| ” Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again.” (II.III) | S: IagoL: CassioC: After his reputation and position is lost it’s just more of his advice to get Desdemona’s help to get them back |
| “So will I turn her virtue into pitch,And out of her won goodness makes the netThat shall enmesh them all.” (II.III) | S: IagoL: It’s a soliloquyC: Cassio just left and so he’s speaking about his hatred and his plan |
| “Men should be what they seem,Or those that be not, would they might seem none!” (III.IIII) | S: IagoL: OthelloC: They’re discussing what happened with Cassio so Iago is pretending to be innocent and take both sides |
| “No, Iago,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!” (III. III) | S: OthelloL: IagoC: Iago is planting the seeds of doubt into Othello’s mind and he’s slowly starting to fall for it |
| “Do not chide, I have a thing for you.” | S: EmiliaL: IagoC: Emilia just found Desdemona’s dropped hankerchief and is giving it to Iago for his plan |
| “Trifles light as airAre to the jealous confirmations strongAs proofs of Holy Writ.” (III.III) | S: IagoL: An asideC: He just got the handkerchief so he’s commenting on how he’ll use it and how it’ll be useful |
| “They are not ever jealous for the cause,But jealous for they are jealous. ‘Tis a monster Begot upon itself, born on itself.” (III.IV) | S: EmiliaL: DesdemonaC: Desdemona is trying to figure out and get Emilia’s input as to why Othello might be upset and if it’s possible that he’s jealous |
| “Work on,My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught,And many worthy and chaste dames even thus,All guiltless, meet reproach.” (IV.I) | S: IagoL: Othello is present but not listening C: Othello works himself up over Iago’s news that Cassio slept with Desdemona and had a seizure |
| “For I will make him tell the tale anew,Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and whenHe hath and is again to cope your wife.” (IV.I) | S: IagoL: OthelloC: He’s plotting for Othello to hide so he can over hear what Cassio has to say about his relationship with Desdemona |
| “If that the earth could teem with a woman’s teas, Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.” (IV.I) | S: OthelloL: Lodovico/DesdemonaC: Desdemona brings up Cassio and argues with Othello who slaps her and Lodovico is shocked and says no one in Venice will believe it |
| “The world is a huge thing. It is a great priceFor a small vice…. The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.” (IV. II) | S: EmiliaL: DesdemonaC: They’re talking about marriage and Desdemona’s problems and Emilia disagrees and says it’s a man’s fault if his wife cheats |
| “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.Put out the light, and then put out the light.If I quench thee, thou flaming monster,I can again thy former light restore,Should I repent me.” (V.II) | S: OthelloL: Desdemona is present but asleepC: He’s having a soliloquy as he talks about how and why he’s going to kill her |
| “I would not kill thy unprepared spirit.” (V.II) | S: OthelloL: DesdemonaC: Desdemona’s awake and knows Othello is going to kill her but he wants her to confess her sins first |
| “Nobody, I myself. Farewell.” (V. II) | S: DesdemonaL: Emilia/OthelloC: Emilia discovers her body and asks who killed her |
| “I told him what I thought, and told no moreThan what he found himself was apt and true.” (V.II) | S: IagoL: Emilia/Othello/Montano/GratianoC: Iago’s plot is discovered so everyone is trying to clarify what happened |
| “For naught did I in hate, but all in honor.” (V.II) | S: OthelloL: Iago/Cassio/Lodovico/MontanoC: Iago’s plot is uncovered so Othello stabs him then defends himself before preparing to stab himself |
Othello Test Quotes: Speaker, Listener, Context
September 11, 2019