Don Gagnon’s Kindle Notes & Highlights for Othello

Thus do I ever make my fool my purse. 426 For I mine own gained knowledge should profane

And it is thought abroad that ’twixt my sheets 430 ’Has done my office.

The Moor is of a free and open nature 442 That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, 443 And will as tenderly be led by th’ nose 444 As asses are.

IAGO . . . The Moor is of a free and open nature 442 That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, 443 And will as tenderly be led by th’ nose 444 As asses are. 445 . . .

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Hell and night 446 Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.

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That paragons description and wild fame, 68 One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens, 69 And in th’ essential vesture of creation 70 Does tire the <ingener.>

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Make love’s quick pants

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Come on, come on! You are pictures out of door, 122 bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchens, 123 saints in your injuries, devils being offended, play- 124 ers in your huswifery, and huswives in your beds.

IAGO Come on, come on! You are pictures out of door, 122 bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchens, 123 saints in your injuries, devils being offended, play-124 ers in your huswifery, and huswives in your beds. 125

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O, gentle lady, do not put me to ’t, 133 For I am nothing if not critical.

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IAGO I am about it, but indeed my invention comes 140 from my pate as birdlime does from frieze: it 141 plucks out brains and all. But my muse labors, and 142 thus she is delivered: 143 If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit, 144 The one’s for use, the other useth it. 145 DESDEMONA Well praised! How if she be black and witty? 146 IAGO If she be black, and thereto have a wit, 147 She’ll find a white that shall her blackness ⟨hit.⟩ 148 DESDEMONA Worse and worse. 149 EMILIA How if fair and foolish? 150 IAGO She never yet was foolish that was fair, 151 For even ...more

IAGO I am about it, but indeed my invention comes 140 from my pate as birdlime does from frieze: it 141 plucks out brains and all. But my muse labors, and 142 thus she is delivered: 143 If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit, 144 The one’s for use, the other useth it. 145 DESDEMONA Well praised! How if she be black and witty? 146 IAGO If she be black, and thereto have a wit, 147 She’ll find a white that shall her blackness ⟨hit.⟩ 148 DESDEMONA Worse and worse. 149 EMILIA How if fair and foolish? 150 IAGO She never yet was foolish that was fair, 151 For even her folly helped her to an heir. 152 DESDEMONA These are old fond paradoxes to make 153 fools laugh i’ th’ alehouse. What miserable praise 154 hast thou for her that’s foul and foolish? 155 IAGO There’s none so foul and foolish thereunto, 156 But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do. 157

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IAGO She that was ever fair and never proud, 163 Had tongue at will and yet was never loud, 164 Never lacked gold and yet went never gay, 165 Fled from her wish, and yet said “Now I may,” 166 She that being angered, her revenge being nigh, 167 Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly, 168 She that in wisdom never was so frail 169 To change the cod’s head for the salmon’s tail, 170 She that could think and ne’er disclose her mind, 171 [See suitors following and not look behind,] 172 She was a wight, if ever such ⟨wight⟩ were— 173 DESDEMONA To do what? 174 IAGO To suckle fools and ...more

IAGO She that was ever fair and never proud, 163 Had tongue at will and yet was never loud, 164 Never lacked gold and yet went never gay, 165 Fled from her wish, and yet said “Now I may,” 166 She that being angered, her revenge being nigh, 167 Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly, 168 She that in wisdom never was so frail 169 To change the cod’s head for the salmon’s tail, 170 She that could think and ne’er disclose her mind, 171 [See suitors following and not look behind,] 172 She was a wight, if ever such ⟨wight⟩ were—173 DESDEMONA To do what? 174 IAGO To suckle fools and chronicle small beer. 175

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If after every tempest come such calms, 201 May the winds blow till they have wakened death,

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If it were now to die, 205 ’Twere now to be most happy, for I fear 206 My soul hath her content so absolute 207 That not another comfort like to this 208 Succeeds in unknown fate.

OTHELLO It gives me wonder great as my content 199 To see you here before me. O my soul’s joy! 200 If after every tempest come such calms, 201 May the winds blow till they have wakened death, 202 And let the laboring bark climb hills of seas 203 Olympus high, and duck again as low 204 As hell’s from heaven! If it were now to die, 205 ’Twere now to be most happy, for I fear 206 My soul hath her content so absolute 207 That not another comfort like to this 208 Succeeds in unknown fate. 209

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O, you are well tuned now, 218 But I’ll set down the pegs that make this music, 219 As honest as I am.

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They met so near with their lips that their breaths 281 embraced together.

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But partly led to diet my revenge 316 For that I do suspect the lusty Moor 317 Hath leaped into my seat—the thought whereof 318 Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards, 319 And nothing can or shall content my soul 320 Till I am evened with him, wife for wife, 321 Or, failing so, yet that I put the Moor 322 At least into a jealousy so strong 323 That judgment cannot cure.

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But men are men; the best sometimes forget.

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men in rage strike those that wish them best,

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Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have 281 lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of 282 myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, 283 Iago, my reputation!

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Reputation is an idle and 287 most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost 288 without deserving.

IAGO As I am an honest man, I thought you had 285 received some bodily wound. There is more sense 286 in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and 287 most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost 288 without deserving. . . .

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O 308 ⟨God,⟩ that men should put an enemy in their 309 mouths to steal away their brains!

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And what’s he, then, that says I play the villain, 356 When this advice is free I give and honest, 357 Probal to thinking,

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How am I then a villain 368 To counsel Cassio to this parallel course 369 Directly to his good?

IAGO . . . How am I then a villain 368 To counsel Cassio to this parallel course 369 Directly to his good? Divinity of hell! 370 When devils will the blackest sins put on, 371 They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, 372 As I do now. For whiles this honest fool 373 Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune, 374 And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor, 375 I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear: 376 That she repeals him for her body’s lust; 377 And by how much she strives to do him good, 378 She shall undo her credit with the Moor. 379 So will I turn her virtue into pitch, 380 And out of her own goodness make the net 381 That shall enmesh them all. 382 Enter Roderigo. How now, Roderigo? 383

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When devils will the blackest sins put on, 371 They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, 372 As I do now.

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So will I turn her virtue into pitch, 380 And out of her own goodness make the net 381 That shall enmesh them all.

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How poor are they that have not patience! 391 What wound did ever heal but by degrees?

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CASSIO Dost thou hear, mine honest friend? 22 CLOWN No, I hear not your honest friend. I hear you. 23 CASSIO Prithee, keep up thy quillets. 24

Musicians exit. CASSIO Dost thou hear, mine honest friend? 22 CLOWN No, I hear not your honest friend. I hear you. 23 CASSIO Prithee, keep up thy quillets. 24 < Giving money. >

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Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul 100 But I do love thee! And when I love thee not, 101 Chaos is come again.

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thou echo’st me 121 As if there were some monster in thy thought 122 Too hideous to be shown.

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thou ’rt full of love and honesty 136 And weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them 137 breath,

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Men should be what they seem;

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speak to me as to thy thinkings, 152 As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of 153 thoughts 154 The worst of words.

IAGO Why then, I think Cassio’s an honest man. 150 OTHELLO Nay, yet there’s more in this. 151 I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings, 152 As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of 153 thoughts 154 The worst of words. 155

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Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, 182 Is the immediate jewel of their souls. 183 Who steals my purse steals trash. ’Tis something, 184 nothing; 185 ’Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to 186 thousands. 187 But he that filches from me my good name 188 Robs me of that which not enriches him 189 And makes me poor indeed.

IAGO Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, 182 Is the immediate jewel of their souls. 183 Who steals my purse steals trash. ’Tis something, 184 nothing; 185 ’Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to 186 thousands. 187 But he that filches from me my good name 188 Robs me of that which not enriches him 189 And makes me poor indeed. 190

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O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! 195 It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock 196 The meat it feeds on.

IAGO] O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! 195 It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock 196 The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss 197 Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; 198 But O, what damnèd minutes tells he o’er 199 Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet ⟨strongly⟩ loves! 200

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Poor and content is rich, and rich enough; 202 But riches fineless is as poor as winter 203 To him that ever fears he shall be poor. 204 Good ⟨God,⟩ the souls of all my tribe defend 205 From jealousy!

IAGO Poor and content is rich, and rich enough; 202 But riches fineless is as poor as winter 203 To him that ever fears he shall be poor. 204 Good ⟨God,⟩ the souls of all my tribe defend 205 From jealousy! 206

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For she had eyes, and chose me.

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Away at once with love or jealousy.

OTHELLO Why, why is this? 207 Think’st thou I’d make a life of jealousy, 208 To follow still the changes of the moon 209 With fresh suspicions? No. To be once in doubt 210 Is ⟨once⟩ to be resolved. Exchange me for a goat 211 When I shall turn the business of my soul 212 To such exsufflicate and ⟨blown⟩ surmises, 213 Matching thy inference. ’Tis not to make me jealous 214 To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company, 215 Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances ⟨well.⟩ 216 Where virtue is, these are more virtuous. 217 Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw 218 The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, 219 For she had eyes, and chose me. No, Iago, 220 I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove; 221 And on the proof, there is no more but this: 222 Away at once with love or jealousy. 223

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Haply, for I am black 304 And have not those soft parts of conversation 305 That chamberers have, or for I am declined 306 Into the vale of years—yet that’s not much— 307 She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief 308 Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage, 309 That we can call these delicate creatures ours 310 And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad 311 And live upon the vapor of a dungeon 312 Than keep a corner in the thing I love 313 For others’ uses. Yet ’tis the plague ⟨of⟩ great ones; 314 Prerogatived are they less than the base. 315 ’Tis destiny unshunnable, like death.

OTHELLO . . . Haply, for I am black 304 And have not those soft parts of conversation 305 That chamberers have, or for I am declined 306 Into the vale of years—yet that’s not much—307 She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief 308 Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage, 309 That we can call these delicate creatures ours 310 And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad 311 And live upon the vapor of a dungeon 312 Than keep a corner in the thing I love 313 For others’ uses. Yet ’tis the plague ⟨of⟩ great ones; 314 Prerogatived are they less than the base. 315 ’Tis destiny unshunnable, like death.

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I am glad I have found this napkin. 334 This was her first remembrance from the Moor.

EMILIA, < picking up the handkerchief > I am glad I have found this napkin. 334 This was her first remembrance from the Moor. 335 My wayward husband hath a hundred times 336 Wooed me to steal it. But she so loves the token 337 (For he conjured her she should ever keep it) 338 That she reserves it evermore about her 339 To kiss and talk to. I’ll have the work ta’en out 340 And give ’t Iago. What he will do with it 341 Heaven knows, not I. 342 I nothing but to please his fantasy. 343

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Trifles light as air 370 Are to the jealous confirmations strong 371 As proofs of holy writ.

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He that is robbed, not wanting what is stol’n, 394 Let him not know ’t, and he’s not robbed at all.

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Who, he? I think the sun where he was born 31 Drew all such humors from him.

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There’s magic in the web

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’Tis not a year or two shows us a man. 120 They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; 121 They eat us hungerly, and when they are full 122 They belch us.

EMILIA ’Tis not a year or two shows us a man. 120 They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; 121 They eat us hungerly, and when they are full 122 They belch us. 123 Enter Iago and Cassio. Look you—Cassio and my husband. 124

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But jealous souls will not be answered so. 180 They are not ever jealous for the cause, 181 But jealous for they’re jealous. It is a monster 182 Begot upon itself, born on itself.

EMILIA But jealous souls will not be answered so. 180 They are not ever jealous for the cause, 181 But jealous for they’re jealous. It is a monster 182 Begot upon itself, born on itself. 183 DESDEMONA Heaven keep ⟨that⟩ monster from Othello’s mind! 184