ACT 4
[Enter OTHELLO and EMILIA]
OTHELLO
You have seen nothing then?
You have seen nothing then?
EMILIA
Nor ever heard, nor ever did suspect.
Nor have I heard or ever had suspicions.
OTHELLO
Yes, you have seen Cassio and she together.
But you’ve seen her with Cassio together.
EMILIA
But then I saw no harm, and then I heard
But there was nothing wrong there, then I heard
Each syllable that breath made up between them.
Each word that they have said to one another.
OTHELLO
What, did they never whisper?
What, did they never whisper?
EMILIA
Never, my lord.
Never, my lord.
OTHELLO
Nor send you out o' the way?
Nor ask you leave the room?
EMILIA
Never.
Never.
OTHELLO
To fetch her fan, her gloves, her mask, nor nothing?
To fetch her fan, her gloves, her mask, or something?
EMILIA
Never, my lord.
Never, my lord.
OTHELLO
That's strange.
That’s strange.
EMILIA
I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest,
My lord, I dare to bet that she is honest,
Lay down my soul at stake: if you think other,
And bet my life; if you think otherwise,
Remove your thought; it doth abuse your bosom.
Then wipe it from your mind; it’s poisonous.
If any wretch have put this in your head,
If some godawful person’s made you think this,
Let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse!
Then God should curse him like he cursed Eve’s serpent!
For, if she be not honest, chaste, and true,
For if she isn’t moral and quite faithful,
There's no man happy; the purest of their wives
Then no man can be happy, when the best wife
Is foul as slander.
Is criticised with slander.
OTHELLO
Bid her come hither: go.
Have her come here.
[Exit EMILIA]
She says enough; yet she's a simple bawd
She says the right things; but a brothelkeeper
That cannot say as much. This is a subtle whore,
Could say the same thing. She’s a sneaky hooker
A closet lock and key of villainous secrets
Who hides her secrets well so one can’t see them,
And yet she'll kneel and pray; I have seen her do't.
But yet she kneels to pray; I’ve seen her do it.
[Enter DESDEMONA with EMILIA]
DESDEMONA
My lord, what is your will?
My lord, what do you want?
OTHELLO
Pray, chuck, come hither.
Please, dear, come here.
DESDEMONA
What is your pleasure?
How can I help you?
OTHELLO
Let me see your eyes;
Let me see your eyes;
Look in my face.
Look at my face.
DESDEMONA
What horrible fancy's this?
What hateful thoughts consume you?
OTHELLO
[To EMILIA]
Some of your function, mistress;
Conduct your brothelkeeper’s role, now mistress:
Leave procreants alone and shut the door;
Leave us philanderers, and shut the door;
Cough, or cry 'hem,' if any body come:
If someone’s coming, cough or shout ‘ahem’;
Your mystery, your mystery: nay, dispatch.
That is your job; your job! Get out of here.
[Exit EMILIA]
DESDEMONA
Upon my knees, what doth your speech import?
I beg of you, what is it you’re suggesting?
I understand a fury in your words.
I see by how you’re talking you are angry,
But not the words.
But don’t know what you mean.
OTHELLO
Why, what art thou?
Well, who are you?
DESDEMONA
Your wife, my lord; your true
Your wife, my lord; your faithful
And loyal wife.
And loyal wife.
OTHELLO
Come, swear it, damn thyself
Then damn yourself by swearing
Lest, being like one of heaven, the devils themselves
For fear that, as you’re so angelic, devils
Should fear to seize thee: therefore be double damned:
Will be too scared to grab you. So, you’re damned twice:
Swear thou art honest.
Swear that you’re being honest.
DESDEMONA
Heaven doth truly know it.
Heaven knows it.
OTHELLO
Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell.
Heaven knows that you are as false as hell.
DESDEMONA
To whom, my lord? With whom? How am I false?
With whom, my lord? With whom? How am I cheating?
OTHELLO
O Desdemona! Away! Away! Away!
Oh, Desdemona! Get away from me!
DESDEMONA
Alas the heavy day! Why do you weep?
Oh no, this awful day! Why are you crying?
Am I the motive of these tears, my lord?
Am I the reason for your tears, my lord?
If haply you my father do suspect
If you suspect my father is the reason
An instrument of this your calling back,
For your recall back home to Venice, then
Lay not your blame on me: If you have lost him,
You must not blame me: for, if you have lost him,
Why, I have lost him too.
Well, then I’ve lost him too.
OTHELLO
Had it pleased heaven
If it is God’s will
To try me with affliction; had they rained
To test me with an illness; if he’d cursed me
All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head,
With sores and ugly boils upon my bald head,
Steeped me in poverty to the very lips,
Made me live destitute in poverty,
Given to captivity me and my utmost hopes,
Locked me away with no hope of reprieve,
I should have found in some place of my soul
I would have found a way within my heart
A drop of patience: but, alas, to make me
To tolerate it. But, by God, to make me
A fixed figure for the time of scorn
A laughing-stock that everyone makes fun of,
To point his slow unmoving finger at!
Pointing a mocking finger slowly at me!
Yet could I bear that too; well, very well:
Yet I could bear that too; I’d bear it well;
But there, where I have garnered up my heart,
But when it is affairs of my own heart,
Where either I must live, or bear no life;
Upon which my own very life depends,
The fountain from the which my current runs,
The organ that pumps blood around my body,
Or else dries up; to be discarded thence!
Or else I die; for that to be discarded!
Or keep it as a cistern for foul toads
Or turned into a bowl for ugly toads
To knot and gender in! Turn thy complexion there,
To copulate in! Even with your sweet face,
Patience, thou young and rose-lipped cherubin,--
You God of Patience, youthful and pink-lipped,
Ay, there, look grim as hell!
Would darken seeing this!
DESDEMONA
I hope my noble lord esteems me honest.
I hope my noble husband thinks I’m honest.
OTHELLO
O, ay; as summer flies are in the shambles,
Oh, yes, like flies on warm meat at the butchers
That quicken even with blowing. O thou weed,
That scatter when you blow on them. You weed,
Who art so lovely fair and smell'st so sweet
As beautiful and sweet as any flower
That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst
That makes me yearn for you, I wish that you
ne'er been born!
had never been born!
DESDEMONA
Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed?
Oh no, what have I done that I don’t know of?
OTHELLO
Was this fair paper, this most goodly book,
Was this beautiful lady made a book
Made to write 'whore' upon? What committed!
Entitled ‘Whore’? “What have I done? What have
Committed! O thou public commoner!
I DONE!” You lowbred, grubby prostitute!
I should make very forges of my cheeks,
My breath would make a furnace in my mouth
That would to cinders burn up modesty,
To burn up every ounce of modesty
Did I but speak thy deeds. What committed!
If I described what you did. “What have I done!”
Heaven stops the nose at it and the moon winks,
Angels don’t breathe, the moon closes its eyes,
The bawdy wind that kisses all it meets
The violent wind that blows across our land
Is hushed within the hollow mine of earth,
Is silenced, hidden in the caves on earth,
And will not hear it. What committed!
So they can’t hear your deeds. “What have I done!”
Impudent strumpet!
You disrespectful whore!
DESDEMONA
By heaven, you do me wrong.
By God, you’re wrong!
OTHELLO
Are you not a strumpet?
So, you are not a whore?
DESDEMONA
No, as I am a Christian:
I swear to God, no:
If to preserve this vessel for my lord
If I just share my body with my husband
From any other foul unlawful touch
And do not dally with another man
Be not to be a strumpet, I am none.
Means I am not a whore, then I am not one.
OTHELLO
What, not a whore?
What, you are not a whore?
DESDEMONA
No, as I shall be saved.
No, on my life.
OTHELLO
Is't possible?
Can this be really true?
DESDEMONA
O, heaven forgive us!
Oh, heaven, please forgive us!
OTHELLO
I cry you mercy, then:
I beg your pardon:
I took you for that cunning whore of Venice
I thought you were that crafty whore from Venice
That married with Othello.
Who was Othello’s wife.
[Raising his voice]
You, mistress,
You, prostitute,
That have the office opposite to Saint Peter,
Whose brothel is besides Saint Peter’s church,
And keep the gate of hell!
You are the whorehouse keeper!
[Re-enter EMILIA]
You, you, ay, you!
You, yes, you!
We have done our course; there's money for your pains:
We’ve done our sex; here’s money for the privilege:
I pray you, turn the key and keep our counsel.
Please, shut the door and don’t tell anyone.
[Exit]
EMILIA
Alas, what does this gentleman conceive?
Oh no, what does this man think might have happened?
How do you, madam? How do you, my good lady?
How are you, madam? How are you, my lady?
DESDEMONA
'Faith, half asleep.
In truth, I’m in a daze.
EMILIA
Good madam, what's the matter with my lord?
Dear lady, what’s the matter with my lord?
DESDEMONA
With who?
With who?
EMILIA
Why, with my lord, madam.
Well, with my lord, madam.
DESDEMONA
Who is thy lord?
Who is your lord?
EMILIA
He that is yours, sweet lady.
The man who is your husband.
DESDEMONA
I have none: do not talk to me, Emilia;
I don’t have one: don’t talk to me, Emilia;
I cannot weep; nor answer have I none,
I cannot cry, nor do I have an answer
But what should go by water. Prithee, tonight
That wouldn’t make me cry. So, please, tonight
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets: remember;
Prepare my wedding sheets upon my bed;
And call thy husband hither.
And ask your husband come to me.
EMILIA
Here's a change indeed!
So much has changed!
[Exit]
DESDEMONA
'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.
It’s right that I’m abused like this; so right.
How have I been behaved, that he might stick
What have I done to him that’s made him think
The small'st opinion on my least misuse?
So little of me when I’ve done so little?
[Re-enter EMILIA with IAGO]
IAGO
What is your pleasure, madam? How is't with you?
How can I help you, madam? How are you?
DESDEMONA
I cannot tell. Those that do teach young babes
I do not know. When adults teach their children,
Do it with gentle means and easy tasks:
They do it gently, and with easy tasks:
He might have chid me so; for, in good faith,
He could have scolded me like that, for truly
I am a child to chiding.
I am unused to being scolded.
IAGO
What's the matter, lady?
What’s wrong?
EMILIA
Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her.
I am afraid my lord called her a whore.
Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,
He called her such appalling, horrid names,
As true hearts cannot bear.
Fair people couldn’t handle.
DESDEMONA
Am I that name, Iago?
Am I that name, Iago?
IAGO
What name, fair lady?
What name, dear lady?
DESDEMONA
Such as she says my lord did say I was.
That name she said my husband said I was.
EMILIA
He called her whore: a beggar in his drink
He said she was a whore: a drunken beggar
Could not have laid such terms upon his callat.
Would never call his prostitute that name.
IAGO
Why did he so?
Why did he call you that?
DESDEMONA
I do not know; I am sure I am none such.
I do not know; but I know that I’m not one.
IAGO
Do not weep, do not weep. Alas the day!
Don’t cry, don’t cry. Oh, what an awful day!
EMILIA
Hath she forsook so many noble matches,
Did she turn down so many noble suitors,
Her father and her country and her friends,
Reject her father, country and her friends,
To be called whore? Would it not make one weep?
To be called whore? Would that make everyone cry?
DESDEMONA
It is my wretched fortune.
It is my dreadful fate.
IAGO
Beshrew him for't!
Damn him for that!
How comes this trick upon him?
What’s made him act like this?
DESDEMONA
Nay, heaven doth know.
Well, heaven knows.
EMILIA
I will be hanged, if some eternal villain,
I bet my life that some habitual villain,
Some busy and insinuating rogue,
Some scheming and manipulative lowlife,
Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,
Some cheating scumbag, to win a promotion,
Have not devised this slander; I'll be hanged else.
Has come up with this slur; I’ll bet my life.
IAGO
Fie, there is no such man; it is impossible.
Good grief, there’s no such man; that is impossible.
DESDEMONA
If any such there be, heaven pardon him!
If there is such a man, then God forgive him!
EMILIA
A halter pardon him! And hell gnaw his bones!
Let gallows pardon him! Hell eat his bones!
Why should he call her whore? Who keeps her company?
Why would he call her “whore”? Who could she sleep with?
What place? What time? What form? What likelihood?
And where? And when? And how? How likely is that?
The Moor's abused by some most villainous knave,
Othello’s mind’s corrupted by a scoundrel,
Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.
Some dreadful scallywag, some rancid man.
O heaven, that such companions thou'ldst unfold,
Oh God, if you could tell us who they were
And put in every honest hand a whip
And hand out whips to every honest person
To lash the rascals naked through the world
So they could lash the naked rascals worldwide,
Even from the east to the west!
From east to west!
IAGO
Speak within door.
Go speak your mind in private.
EMILIA
O, fie upon them! Some such squire he was
Oh, damn them! It was such a man as this
That turned your wit the seamy side without,
That put these sordid thoughts within your mind,
And made you to suspect me with the Moor.
And made you fear that I’d slept with Othello.
IAGO
You are a fool; go to.
You’re such a fool; clear off.
DESDEMONA
O good Iago,
Oh, dear Iago,
What shall I do to win my lord again?
What must I do to win my husband back?
Good friend, go to him; for, by this light of heaven,
Dear friend, please go and see him for me; I swear
I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel:
I don’t know how I’ve lost him. I am praying:
If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love,
If ever I have sinned against his love,
Either in discourse of thought or actual deed,
In what I’ve said, or thought, or really done,
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense,
Or that my eyes, my ears, or any sense
Delighted them in any other form;
Has taken pleasure from another person;
Or that I do not yet, and ever did,
Or if I do not now, or never did,
And ever will--though he do shake me off
Or never will – although he’s leaving me
To beggarly divorcement--love him dearly,
To get divorced – love him adoringly,
Comfort forswear me! Unkindness may do much;
Then take away my luxuries! Unkindness
And his unkindness may defeat my life,
Is powerful, and it may even kill me,
But never taint my love. I cannot say 'whore':
But it won’t stop my love. I can’t say “whore”:
It does abhor me now I speak the word;
Just speaking it leaves me feeling disgusted;
To do the act that might the addition earn
I would not do the acts that earn that title
Not the world's mass of vanity could make me.
For all the lovely treasures of the world.
IAGO
I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humour:
I tell you, don’t be worried; he’s just angry:
The business of the state does him offence,
Affairs of state are proving rather tricky,
And he does chide with you.
And he is venting on you.
DESDEMONA
If 'twere no other--
If that’s all…
IAGO
'Tis but so, I warrant.
That’s all it is, I’m sure.
[Trumpets within]
Hark, how these instruments summon to supper!
Now, listen – trumpets sound, announcing supper!
The messengers of Venice stay the meat;
The messengers from Venice wait to dine;
Go in, and weep not; all things shall be well.
Go in, but do not cry; all will be fine.
[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA]
[Enter RODERIGO]
How now, Roderigo!
What’s up, Roderigo!
RODERIGO
I do not find that thou dealest justly with me.
I don’t think you are fairly treating me.
IAGO
What in the contrary?
What makes you say that?
RODERIGO
Every day thou daffest me with some device, Iago;
Each day you fob me off with some excuses, Iago;
and rather, as it seems to me now, keepest from me
and it seems to me now that you are withholding information
all conveniency than suppliest me with the least
that might help me meet Desdemona instead of sharing
advantage of hope. I will indeed no longer endure
anything to help me. I will not take it any longer,
it, nor am I yet persuaded to put up in peace what
nor am I willing to quietly suffer what
already I have foolishly suffered.
thus far I have foolishly endured.
IAGO
Will you hear me, Roderigo?
Will you listen to me, Roderigo?
RODERIGO
'Faith, I have heard too much, for your words and
In truth, I’ve heard too much, for what you say and
performances are no kin together.
and what you do are unrelated.
IAGO
You charge me most unjustly.
Your accusations are grossly unfair.
RODERIGO
With nought but truth. I have wasted myself out of
They’re nothing but the truth. I have spent everything
my means. The jewels you have had from me to
that I have. The jewels you took from me to
deliver to Desdemona would half have corrupted a
give to Desdemona would have partly corrupted a
votarist: you have told me she hath received them
zealous worshipper; you told me she took them
and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden
and led me to believe that she was interested and
respect and acquaintance, but I find none.
keen to meet me, but nothing has happened.
IAGO
Well; go to; very well.
Well, wait a bit. Very well.
RODERIGO
Very well! Go to! I cannot go to, man; nor 'tis
Very well! Wait a bit! I cannot wait, man; nor are things
not very well: nay, I think it is scurvy, and begin
“very well”. No, I think this is a scam, and I’m beginning
to find myself fobbed in it.
to think I’m being fobbed off.
IAGO
Very well.
Very well.
RODERIGO
I tell you 'tis not very well. I will make myself
I tell you, things are not “very well.” I will introduce myself
known to Desdemona: if she will return me my
to Desdemona: if she will give me back my
jewels, I will give over my suit and repent my
jewels, I will stop chasing her and seek forgiveness for my
unlawful solicitation; if not, assure yourself I
unlawful approaches. If she doesn’t give them back, be sure
will seek satisfaction of you.
that I will make you pay up.
IAGO
You have said now.
You’ve made your point.
RODERIGO
Ay, and said nothing but what I protest intendment of doing.
Yes, and I’ve said nothing that I do not intend to do.
IAGO
Why, now I see there's mettle in thee, and even from
Well, now I see you’ve got some fight in you, and from
this instant to build on thee a better opinion than
this moment I have formed a better opinion of you than I’ve
ever before. Give me thy hand, Roderigo: thou hast
ever had before. Give me your hand, Roderigo: you’ve made
taken against me a most just exception; but yet, I
a reasonable accusation against me; but still, I must
protest, I have dealt most directly in thy affair.
protest, I have been very fair in how I’ve treated you.
RODERIGO
It hath not appeared.
It doesn’t seem so.
IAGO
I grant indeed it hath not appeared, and your
I admit that it might not seem so, and your
suspicion is not without wit and judgment. But,
suspicions are not without well-considered merit. But,
Roderigo, if thou hast that in thee indeed, which I
Roderigo, if you have within you that which
have greater reason to believe now than ever, I mean
I now have more reason to believe you have – I’m talking of
purpose, courage and valour, this night show it:
purpose, courage and bravery – tonight is the night to show it:
if thou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona,
and if you are not in bed with Desdemona the following night,
take me from this world with treachery and devise
then lead me away in shame and come up with
engines for my life.
a way to end my life.
RODERIGO
Well, what is it? Is it within reason and compass?
Well, what do I have to do? Is it reasonable and doable?
IAGO
Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice
Sir, there is a special commission arrived from Venice
to depute Cassio in Othello's place.
who will appoint Cassio in charge in Othello’s absence.
RODERIGO
Is that true? Why, then Othello and Desdemona
Really? Well then Othello and Desdemona
return again to Venice.
must be returning to Venice.
IAGO
O, no; he goes into Mauritania and takes away with
Oh, no; he is going to Mauritania and is taking
him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be
his beautiful Desdemona with him, unless some
lingered here by some accident: wherein none can be
freak accident occurred to keep him here…and nothing could
so determinate as the removing of Cassio.
be more effective than the removal of Cassio.
RODERIGO
How do you mean, removing of him?
How do you mean, the removal of him?
IAGO
Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place;
Well, by making him incapable of taking Othello’s place;
knocking out his brains.
by knocking his brains out.
RODERIGO
And that you would have me to do?
And that is what you’re suggesting I do?
IAGO
Ay, if you dare do yourself a profit and a right.
Yes, if you are brave enough to do something to help yourself.
He sups to-night with a harlotry, and thither will I
He is dining tonight with a prostitute, and soon I will
go to him: he knows not yet of his horrorable
go and see him: he doesn’t yet know of his fortunate
fortune. If you will watch his going thence, which
promotion. If you will wait until he walks past here, which
I will fashion to fall out between twelve and one,
I reckon will be between twelve and one,
you may take him at your pleasure: I will be near
you can take him out with ease. I will be nearby
to second your attempt, and he shall fall between
to back you up, and he will fall down between
us. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along with
us. Come on, don’t stand there gawping, but join with
me; I will show you such a necessity in his death
me; I will show you that it’s so essential that he dies
that you shall think yourself bound to put it on
so you will feel yourself obligated to kill
him. It is now high suppertime, and the night grows
him. They’re having supper now, and the night is
to waste: about it.
passing: let’s get on with it.
RODERIGO
I will hear further reason for this.
I will listen further to your arguments for doing this.
IAGO
And you shall be satisfied.
And you’ll be satisfied I’m right.
[Exeunt]
