Othello: key quotes

"I know my price: I am worth no worse a place"

Act I Sc I (Iago) - Introduces Iago as a confident and self-aware villain. Iago suggests that Othello was wrong to pick Cassio as his lieutenant instead of himself.

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"your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs"

Act I Sc I (Iago) - Moor = derogatory and racist term. Animalistic metaphor. Presents Othello to the audience as a sexual predator and Desdemona as just the daughter of Brabantio.

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"I must be found My parts, my title and my perfect soul Shall manifest me rightly"

Act I Sc II (Othello) - Presents Othello's potential hamartia (fatal flaw), his hubris. Juxtaposes his state in Act IV after he suspects Desdemona has had an affair with Cassio.

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"Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, My very noble and approved good masters"

Act I Sc III (Othello) - Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter to emphasise Othello's eloquence in speech to the Duke and Senator.

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"I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband"

Act I Sc III (Desdemona) - Desdemona chooses Othello over Brabantio. By Brabantio asking her 'to whom she owes obedience to' Shakespeare presents the gender norm of women in society being controlled by the male figures in their lives.

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"Let her have your voice"

Act I Sc III (Othello) - An insight into the dynamics of Othello and Desdemona's relationship. Shakespeare subverts social constructs of husbands speaking for their wives, and lets Desdemona have her own voice.

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"And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets. He's done my office"

Act I Sc III (Iago) - Iago suspects Emilia has slept with Othello (one of the motives for his plotting against Othello?)

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"O behold, the riches of the ship is come on shore!"

Act II Sc II (Cassio) - Describes Desdemona as the 'riches of the ship' when she reaches the port of Cyprus. Shows Cassio to be very admirable of Desdemona and hints of his view of women as possessions/objects. Foreshadows Iago's plot against him.

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"Iago is most honest"

Act II Sc III (Othello) - Exposes Othello's hamartia = too trusting and naive towards Iago's dual nature.

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"Cassio, I love thee; But never more be an officer of mine"

Act II Sc III (Othello) - Cassio has been demoted by Othello. Othello's trust in Iago strengthens after Cassio betrays his trust.

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"And what's he then, that says I play the villain"

Act II Sc III (Iago) - Iago shows that he is self-aware and knows that he is the villain of the play. Perhaps Iago exposes Othello's hamartia of naivety by knowing his place.

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"give me the ocular proof"

Act III Sc III (Othello) - Iago provides Othello with 'ocular proof' soon after = the handkerchief.

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"I'll tear her all to pieces"

Act III Sc III (Othello) - Aggressive and unintelligent language which juxtaposes Othello's use of iambic pentameter in Act I. His relationship with Desdemona has turned volatile.

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"She, dying, gave it to me, And bid me, when my fate would have me wive, To give it to her"

Act III Sc IV (Othello) - A simple handkerchief has a large sentimental value to Othello. Implies the fragility of Desdemona and Othello's reationship.

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"[he falls in a trance]"

Act IV Sc I (Stage directions) - Othello is so overwhelmed with emotions after Iago describes an image of Cassio and Desdemona's affair that he is implied to have a seizure.

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"Get me some poison, Iago"

Act IV Sc I (Othello) - Othello seems to still hold remorse for Desdemona since poison is a less painful way of killing than the methods he has described earlier in the act.

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"Devil! [He strikes her."

Act IV Sc I (Othello + stage directions) - A public demonstration of their relationship downfall. Othello strikes Desdemona with no 'ocular proof' that she has had an affair but only Iago's 'honest' words.

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"She had a song of willow,,, And she died singing it"

Act IV Sc III (Desdemona) - Song of willow acts an emblem for forsaken lovers. Foreshadowing how their relationship ends with sudden death.

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"Now, whether he kill Cassio, Or Cassio kill him, or each do kill the other, Every way makes my gain"

Act V Sc I (Iago) - Foreshadowing. The audience is now aware that the play will only end with success for Iago's plot.

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"[He kisses her] O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade"

Act V Sc II (Othello) - The kiss almost stops Othello from killing her, he shows some remorse (implies that he doesn't entirely trust Iago's words/ doesn't believe she would do that?)

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"My wife, my wife: what wife? I have no wife"

Act V Sc II (Othello) - Othello doesn't view Desdemona as his 'equal' or his wife anymore since he suspects she has had an affair. He calls her a 'strumpet' instead.

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"Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell!"

Act V Sc II (Desdemona) - Submissive. Isn't telling the truth so Othello doesn't take responsibility for her death.

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"I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak"

Act V Sc II (Emilia) - Emilia subverts gender norms of women being submissive (much like Desdemona before she dies) and uses her voice to go against her husband.

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"I never will speak word"

Act V Sc II (Iago) - Iago's last words. Refuses to talk and doesn't give closure to the other characters.

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"Speak of me as I am: nothing extenuate"

Act V Sc II (Othello) - Othello's soliloquy tells us that he wants to be recognized for who he really was and not who he became because of Iago's manipulation.

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Othello: key quotes

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