AP Literature: Othello Quotes

I am not what I am. (I, i, 63)

Context: Iago and Roderigo discussing their mutual hatred for Othello.

Meaning: Iago is saying that he is false and is only pretending to be Othello’s ally for revenge.

Deeper: Not only stating his deceit towards Othello, but towards Roderigo and the audience as well.

Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds

By what you see them act. (I, i, 167-168)

Context: Barbantio is speaking to the senators and the duke after Desdemona secretly married Othello.

Meaning: Barbantio says to look at your daughters’ actions rather than trust their judgement.

Deeper: Barbantio feels betrayed by Desdemona by keeping her marriage a secret. Highlights the significance of trust in the play.

Your son-in-law is far more fair than black. (I, iii, 285-286)

Context: The duke says this to Barbantio when heading out of the door of the meeting.

Meaning: Othello is more than the color of his skin and has good faith.

Deeper: Demonstrates the societal views of Black people and how Othello is only accepted because of his skills as a general.

Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see.

She has deceived her father, and may thee. (I, iii, 288-289)

Context: Barbantio is talking with Othello after being forced to bless his and Desdemona’s marriage.

Meaning: He says that if Desdemona was willing to lie to her father, she would be willing to lie to Othello too.

Deeper: Makes Othello doubt the security of his relationship and reinforces the beliefs he inherits about his wife later on.

The Moor is of a free and open nature

That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,

And will as tenderly be led by the nose

As asses are. (I, iii, 391-394)

Context: Iago is monologuing to himself and the audience.

Meaning: Othello believes in the honesty and chivalry of men, so he will be easily manipulated. Iago finds Othello’s faith amusing.

Deeper: Sets up the audience’s understanding of Iago’s character and his underlying motives.

Oh, you are well tuned now,

But I'll set down the pegs that make this music,

As honest as I am. (II, i, 195-197)

Context: Iago is talking to the audience (and himself) about Othello and Desdemona.

Meaning: Othello and Desdemona’s marriage is fine now, but Iago is planning to ruin it. He will make their relationship “as honest as he is”, which isn’t very honest at all.

Deeper: Iago uses music as a metaphor and compares himself to a composer that will control Othello and Desdemona’s lives.

Knavery's plain face is never seen till used. (II, i, 308)

Context: Iago says this after conversing with Roderigo, who is unsure about pursuing Desdemona.

Meaning: Othello won’t know that he’s being stabbed in the back until it finally hits him.

Deeper: “Knavery’s plain face” alludes to Iago’s true dishonest self, developing the traits of his character and his true intentions.

Our General's wife is now the General. (II, iii, 307)

Context: Iago and Cassio are talking after Cassio lost his job for getting into a drunken fight with Roderigo.

Meaning: Since Desdemona is Othello’s love, she is the one that is in charge; Othello will listen to her.

Deeper: Iago convinces Cassio to talk to Desdemona so that he can frame their interactions to be an affair, making Othello jealous.

Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again. (II, iii, 311-

312)

Context: Iago is persuading Cassio to ask Desdemona for help about his job.

Meaning: Beg Desdemona for help so that you can get your job back.

Deeper: Iago wants Cassio to constantly bug Desdemona so that they seem suspicious to Othello. Their conversations will further play into Othello’s insecurity.

So will I turn her virtue into pitch,

And out of her own goodness make the net

That shall enmesh them all. (II, iii, 351-353)

Context: Iago is speaking about Desdemona.

Meaning: He will use Desdemona’s one mistake of marrying Othello in secret and use it against her to turn her good into evil. Iago will ruin everyone he is jealous of in the process.

Deeper: Iago is playing with the minds of people for fun; he has an evil nature and no real reason for carrying out his plans.

No, sure, I cannot think it,

That he would steal away so guilty-like,

Seeing you coming. (III, iii, 37-39)

Context: Iago is talking to Othello after they had both saw Cassio with Desdemona.

Meaning: Iago is implying that Cassio looks guilty because something is going on between him and Desdemona.

Deeper: Cassio only looks guilty because he is embarrassed that he got fired. Iago is manipulating Othello into thinking that his wife is being unfaithful.

Men should be what they seem,

Or those that be not, would they might seem none! (III, iii, 127-128)

Context: Iago is speaking to Othello about Cassio.

Meaning: Men should act the way they look and be honest with who they are. Iago is implying that Cassio is a dishonest man.

Deeper: What Iago says is ironic because he is being a liar and isn’t following his own advice. Iago shifts the blame onto Cassio even though he has been faithful to Othello.

Trifles light as air

Are to the jealous confirmations strong

As proofs of Holy Writ. (III, iii, 319-321)

Context: Iago is speaking to himself and the audience.

Meaning: The handkerchief in Cassio’s hands is going to be the tiny piece of evidence he needs to convince Othello that Desdemona is having an affair.

Deeper: “Holy writ” refers to the bible, meaning Othello will without a doubt believe Desdemona is messing with Cassio once he sees him with the handkerchief.

They are all but stomachs, and we all but food.

To eat us hungerly, and when they are full,

They belch us. (III, iv, 105-107)

Context: Emilia and Desdemona are having a conversation about men.

Meaning: Men use women in the same way that they use use.

Deeper: Reflects Emilia’s relationship with her husband Iago and the social structure between men and women during the time period.

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, 160-162)

Context: Emilia is speaking to Desdemona about men.

Meaning: Men are jealous by nature; their jealousy feeds itself and just exists within them.

Deeper: Refers to the major topic of the play (jealousy) and in what ways people try to combat against it.

Work on,

My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught,

And many worthy and chaste dames even thus,

All guiltless, meet reproach. (IV, i, 45-48)

Context: Iago says this while Othello is having a seizure.

Meaning: Iago’s plans are working and he will successfully destroy the lives of Othello and Desdemona.

Deeper: Iago ironically uses the word “medicine” despite being the cause of Othello’s seizure.

If any wretch have put this in your head,

Let Heaven requite it with the serpent's curse! (IV, ii, 15-16)

Context: Emilia says this Othello after he asks her if Desdemona has been faithful or not.

Meaning: If anybody is putting the idea that Desdemona is unfaithful into Othello’s head, God should punish them.

Deeper: What Emilia says is ironic because she doesn’t know that she is talking about her own husband.

Oh, thou weed,

Who art so lovely and fair and smell'st so sweet

That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne'er been born! (IV, ii, 67-69)

Context: Othello is angrily speaking to Desdemona and venting his frustrations onto her.

Meaning: Othello calls Desdemona a “weed”, meaning he believes her to be the devil and that she isn’t important.

Deeper: Othello simultaneously compliments Desdemona while insulting her, revealing that he is still in love with her despite believing that she has cheated on him.

If any such there be, Heaven pardon him!

A halter pardon him! And Hell gnaw his bones! (IV, ii, 134-135)

Context: Desdemona says the first line and Emilia says the second. Both of them are talking about the person who is telling Othello lies, not knowing that it is actually Iago.

Meaning: Desdemona is forgiving to Iago and asks that Heaven forgives him too. On the other hand, Emilia believes that Iago should be hanged and go to hell.

Deeper: Demonstrates the contrast between the two women, as well as their unawareness about Iago being the one to plant the false information about Desdemona into Othello’s mind.

The ills we do, their ills instruct us so. (IV, iii, 103)

Context: Emilia is speaking to Desdemona.

Meaning: Any mistakes that women make are through the enforcement of men.

Deeper: In this moment, Emilia’s words are ironic since she is practically speaking about her own husband.

Now, whether he kill Cassio,

Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,

Every way makes my gain. (V, i, 12-14)

Context: Iago is talking to himself and the audience when Roderigo and Cassio are fighting with one another.

Meaning: No matter what happens between the two of them, Iago will be better off in the end.

Deeper: If Cassio dies, Iago fulfills Othello’s request, and if Roderigo dies, he won’t have to pay off his debts. Iago doesn’t care who dies, as long as he gets his revenge.

Minion, your dear lies dead,

And your unblest fate hies. Strumpet, I come.

Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted.

Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust’s blood be spotted. (V, i, 34-37)

Context: Othello is talking to himself, the audience, and Desdemona while she is in their bedchamber.

Meaning: Desdemona is a demon and her death is coming near. He is taking all the things he loves about her out of his heart so that he is no longer in love with her.

Deeper: Othello calls Desdemona a strumpet because he is convinced she had an affair. He compares the affair’s “liquid of love” on the bed to the blood that he is going to spill in the same place.

Put out the light, and then put out the light.

If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,

I can again thy former light restore, (V, ii, 7-9)

Context: Othello is talking to himself and the audience.

Meaning: Othello is going to put out the light of the candle, as well as the light of Desdemona (kill her) to restore her honor (light).

Deeper: Repetition of light with different meanings. Othello believes he is killing Desdemona for the sake of her own, but he is really only doing it for himself.

For naught did I in hate, but all in honor. (V, ii, 294)

Context: Othello says this after killing Desdemona.

Meaning: Othello excuses his behavior by saying he killed in honor instead of head.

Deeper: In Venetian society, honor triumphed everything, influencing the way Othello think about his actions. Othello’s upbringing as a slave and general twisted his logic and played a factor in Desdemona’s death.

Then must you speak

Of one that loved not wisely but too well,

Of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought,

Perplexed in the extreme, of one whose hand,

Like the base Judean, threw a pearl away

Richer than all his tribe -- (V, ii, 342-347)

Context: Othello says these final words before killing himself.

Meaning: Othello wants his story to be told, but he wants it to be told wisely. His whole life was about loving Desdemona; Othello wasn’t jealous, but was manipulated into killing her.

Deeper: Despite Othello insists that he spent his whole life loving Desdemona, he didn’t take the time to communicate with or believe in her. He refers to himself as a “base Judean”, calling himself a dumb person who stupidly threw away something valuable (his wife, Desdemona).