no-fear-shakespeare-othello

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -101-

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This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven you to heaven. You weren’t good enough for her.
Than thou wast worthy her.
OTHELLO
OTHELLO You’d better shut up!
Peace, you were best.
EMILIA
EMILIA I can endure far more pain than you could ever
Thou hast not half that power to do me harm give me! Oh, you idiot! You stupid fool! As dumb
175 As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt! as dirt! You’ve committed a terrible evil—I’m not
As ignorant as dirt! Thou hast done a deed— afraid of your sword. I’ll tell everyone what you
I care not for thy sword, I’ll make thee known did, even if it

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 10 costs me my life twenty times over.—Help, help,
help! The Moor’s killed my mistress! Murder,
Though I lost twenty lives.—Help! Help, ho! Help! murder!
The Moor hath killed my mistress! Murder, murder!
MONTANO, GRATIANO, and IAGO enter.
Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO, and IAGO
MONTANO MONTANO
180 What is the matter? How now, general? What’s the matter? What’s going on here,
general?
EMILIA
Oh, are you come, Iago? You have done well, EMILIA
That men must lay their murders on your neck. Oh, are you here, Iago? You’ve done a good job,
GRATIANO that other men can attribute their murders to you!
What is the matter?
EMILIA GRATIANO
(to IAGO) Disprove this villain, if thou be’st a man. What’s the matter?
185 He says thou told’st him that his wife was false.
I know thou didst not, thou'rt not such a villain. EMILIA
Speak, for my heart is full. (to IAGO) Tell this villain he’s wrong, if you’re
man enough. He says you told him his wife
IAGO cheated on him. I know you didn’t. You’re not
I told him what I thought, and told no more that much of a villain. Speak, because I’m too
Than what he found himself was apt and true. emotional to say any more.
EMILIA
190 But did you ever tell him she was false? IAGO
IAGO I told him what I thought. I didn’t tell him anything
I did. that didn’t make sense or ring true to him.
EMILIA
You told a lie, an odious, damnèd lie. EMILIA
Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie. But did you tell him she cheated on him?
She false with Cassio! Did you say with Cassio?
IAGO IAGO
195 With Cassio, mistress. Go to, charm your tongue. I did.
EMILIA
I will not charm my tongue, I am bound to speak. EMILIA
My mistress here lies murdered in her bed— Then you told a lie, a sick, wicked lie. I swear on
ALL my soul it was a lie. You said she slept with
Oh, heavens forfend! Cassio. Did you say Cassio?

IAGO
Yes, with Cassio. Now be quiet.

EMILIA
I will not be quiet! I have to speak. My mistress
here lies murdered in her bed—

ALL
No, heaven forbid!

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 11

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -102-

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EMILIA EMILIA
And your reports have set the murder on. And your lies caused this murder.
OTHELLO
OTHELLO Don’t stand there gaping, everyone. It’s true.
200 Nay, stare not, masters, it is true, indeed. GRATIANO
It may be true, but it’s unbelievable.
GRATIANO MONTANO
'Tis a strange truth. Oh, what a horrible deed!
EMILIA
MONTANO Evil, evil, evil! I can smell it! I suspected it earlier.
Oh, monstrous act! I’ll kill myself out of grief! Oh, evil, evil!

EMILIA IAGO
Villainy, villainy, villainy! Are you crazy? I’m ordering you, go home.
I think upon ’t, I think I smell ’t, Oh, villainy! EMILIA
I thought so then, I’ll kill myself for grief. Good gentlemen, give me permission to speak. I
205 Oh, villainy, villainy! know I ought to obey my husband, but not now.
Maybe I’ll never go home again, Iago!
IAGO OTHELLO
What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home. Oh! Oh! Oh!
EMILIA
EMILIA Yes, go ahead and moan, because you killed the
Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak. sweetest, most innocent woman who ever lived!
'Tis proper I obey him, but not now.
Perchance, Iago, I will ne'er go home. OTHELLO
She was filthy! I barely knew you, UncleGratiano.
OTHELLO Here’s your niece lying here dead. I killed her
210 Oh! Oh! Oh! with these hands. I know this looks horrible.

EMILIA GRATIANO
Nay, lay thee down and roar, Poor Desdemona! I’m glad your father isn’t alive
to see this. Your marriage made him die of grief
For thou hast killed the sweetest innocent before his time. If he was alive now, this sight
That e'er did lift up eye. would hurt

OTHELLO
Oh, she was foul!—

I scarce did know you, uncle. There lies your niece,
Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly
215 stopped.
I know this act shows horrible and grim.

GRATIANO
Poor Desdemon! I am glad thy father’s dead,
Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
Shore his old thread in twain. Did he live now,

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 12 him terribly. It would make him curse the
heavens and be damned to hell.
This sight would make him do a desperate turn,
220 Yea, curse his better angel from his side OTHELLO
It’s sad, but Iago knows she had sex with Cassio
And fall to reprobation. a thousand times. Cassio confessed it, and she
pledged her love to him by giving him the
OTHELLO handkerchief I’d given her. I saw it in his hand.
'Tis pitiful, but yet Iago knows It was an old memento that my father gave to my
That she with Cassio hath the act of shame mother.
A thousand times committed. Cassio confessed it,
225 And she did gratify his amorous works EMILIA
With that recognizance and pledge of love
Which I first gave her. I saw it in his hand,
It was a handkerchief, an antique token
My father gave my mother.

EMILIA

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -103-

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Oh, heaven! Oh, heavenly powers! Oh, God! Dear God in heaven!

IAGO IAGO
230 Zounds, hold your peace. Damn it, shut your mouth.

EMILIA EMILIA
'Twill out, ’twill out.—I peace? No, the truth will come out—Me, shut my mouth?
No, I will speak as liberal as the north. Let heaven and men and devils tell me to shut
Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, me up. I’ll say what I have to say.
All, all cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak.
IAGO
IAGO If you’re smart, you’ll go home.
235 Be wise, and get you home.
IAGO draws his sword.
Draws his sword
EMILIA
EMILIA I won’t.
I will not.
GRATIANO
GRATIANO Shame on you! Drawing your sword on a
Fie! Your sword upon a woman? woman?

EMILIA EMILIA
O thou dull Moor! That handkerchief thou speak’st of Oh, you stupid Moor! I found that handkerchief
I found by fortune and did give my husband. by accident and gave it to my husband. He’d
240 For often, with a solemn earnestness— begged me to steal it many times.
More than indeed belonged to such a trifle—
He begged of me to steal it.

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 13

IAGO IAGO
Villainous whore! You evil whore!

EMILIA EMILIA
She give it Cassio? No, alas, I found it You think she gave it to Cassio? No, I found it
And I did give ’t my husband. and gave it to my husband.

IAGO IAGO
Filth, thou liest! You piece of filth, you’re lying!

EMILIA EMILIA
245 By heaven, I do not, I do not, gentlemen.— I swear I’m not lying. (to OTHELLO) Oh, you
murderous fool! How did you ever get such a
(to OTHELLO) good wife?
O murderous coxcomb! What should such a fool
Do with so good a wife? OTHELLO
Won’t heaven strike this Iago dead? You
OTHELLO absolute villain!
Are there no stones in heaven
OTHELLO runs at IAGO. IAGO stabs EMILIA.
But what serve for the thunder?—Precious villain!
GRATIANO
He runs at IAGO IAGO stabs EMILIA The woman’s falling down! He’s killed his wife!

GRATIANO EMILIA
250 The woman falls! Sure he hath killed his wife. Yes, yes! Lay me next to my mistress.

EMILIA IAGO exits.
Ay, ay. Oh, lay me by my mistress' side.
GRATIANO
Exit IAGO He’s gone, and his wife’s dead.

GRATIANO MONTANO
He’s gone, but his wife’s killed. He’s a wicked, horrible criminal. Take the Moor’s
sword and guard the door from the outside. Kill
MONTANO
'Tis a notorious villain. Take you this weapon,
Which I have recovered from the Moor.

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -104-

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255 Come, guard the door without. Let him not pass, him rather than let him leave this room. I’m going
But kill him rather. I’ll after that same villain, after Iago. He’s a horrid criminal.
For ’tis a damnèd slave.
MONTANO and GRATIANO exit.
Exeunt MONTANO and GRATIANO

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 14

OTHELLO OTHELLO
I am not valiant neither, I’m not that strong, if a puny nobody can grab my
sword. But why should my reputation for honor
But ever puny whipster gets my sword. last longer than my honor did? Let it all go.
But why should honor outlive honesty?
260 Let it go all. EMILIA
What did your song mean, lady? Can you hear
EMILIA me? I’ll die like a swan. They sing when they die.
What did thy song bode, lady? (singing) Willow, willow, willow.—
Moor, she never cheated on you. She loved you,
Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan. you cruel man. I swear on my soul I’m telling the
And die in music. truth, and as I say this, I die.
(singing) Willow, willow, willow—
Moor, she was chaste, she loved thee, cruel Moor. EMILIA dies.
So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true.
265 So speaking as I think, alas, I die. OTHELLO
I’ve got another weapon in the room. It’s a
Dies Spanish sword, hardened in ice cold water and
razor sharp. Here it is. Uncle, I’m coming out!
OTHELLO
I have another weapon in this chamber, GRATIANO
It was a sword of Spain, the ice-brook’s temper. (offstage) If you try that, you’ll pay for it. You’ve
Oh, here it is. Uncle, I must come forth. got no weapon, so you’ll have to suffer.

GRATIANO OTHELLO
(within) If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear. Look in on me, and talk with me, or I’ll attack
270 Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer. even without a weapon.

OTHELLO GRATIANO enters.
Look in upon me then and speak with me,
Or, naked as I am, I will assault thee. GRATIANO
What’s the matter?
Enter GRATIANO
OTHELLO
GRATIANO Look, I have a weapon, the best sword a soldier
What is the matter? could have. I’ve fought my way through
obstacles twenty times more terrifying than you
OTHELLO with this weapon. But
Behold, I have a weapon.

A better never did itself sustain
275 Upon a soldier’s thigh. I have seen the day

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 15 who can control his fate? I’m not like that now.
Don’t be afraid, even though you see me with a
That with this little arm and this good sword
I have made my way through more impediments weapon. This is the end of my journey, the end
Than twenty times your stop. But, oh, vain boast! of my life. Are you backing away in fear? There’s
Who can control his fate? ’tis not so now.
280 Be not afraid, though you do see me weaponed. no reason to be afraid. You could tap me with a
Here is my journey’s end, here is my butt, feather and I’d back away. Where would Othello
And very sea-mark of my utmost sail. go?—Oh, look at you! Such cruel luck! You’re as
Do you go back dismayed? ’tis a lost fear.
Man but a rush against Othello’s breast, pale as your nightgown! When we meet on
285 And he retires. Where should Othello go?—
Now, how dost thou look now? O ill-starred wench, Judgment Day, that look of yours will send me

from heaven to hell, where devils will grab me.
You’re cold, cold, and you were never hot with

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -105-

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Pale as thy smock! When we shall meet at compt lust. Oh you damned villain! Whip me, you
This look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven devils, so I don’t have to look at this heavenly
And fiends will snatch at it. Cold, cold, my girl, sight! Blow on me with hot winds, roast me in
290 Even like thy chastity. O cursed, cursed slave! lava, drown me in liquid fire! Oh, Desdemona!
Whip me, ye devils, Dead Desdemona! Oh, oh!
From the possession of this heavenly sight!
Blow me about in winds, roast me in sulfur, LODOVICO and MONTANO enter, followed
Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!— byCASSIO on a stretcher, and officers
295 Oh, Desdemona! Desdemona! dead! Oh! Oh! with IAGO, prisoner.
Enter LODOVICO, MONTANO, CASSIO carried in a
LODOVICO
chair, and officers with IAGO, prisoner Where is that poor rash man?
OTHELLO
LODOVICO You mean the man who used to be Othello?
Where is this rash and most unfortunate man? Here I am.
OTHELLO LODOVICO
That’s he that was Othello. Here I am. Where’s that snake? Bring the villain forward.

LODOVICO IAGO is brought forward.
Where is that viper? Bring the villain forth.

IAGO is brought forward

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 16

OTHELLO OTHELLO
I look down towards his feet, but that’s a fable. I’m looking to see if you have cloven hooves like
300 If that thou be’st a devil, I cannot kill thee. the devil. But that’s just a fairy tale. If you are a
devil, I won’t be able to kill you.
Stabs IAGO
OTHELLO stabs IAGO.
LODOVICO
Wrench his sword from him. LODOVICO
Take his sword away from him.
They take OTHELLO ’s sword
They take OTHELLO ’s sword away.
IAGO
I bleed, sir, but not killed. IAGO
I’m bleeding, but you didn’t kill me.
OTHELLO
I am not sorry neither. I’d have thee live, OTHELLO
For in my sense ’tis happiness to die. I’m not sorry, either. I want you to live, since to
me, death is happiness.
LODOVICO
O thou Othello, thou was once so good, LODOVICO
305 Fall'n in the practice of a cursèd slave, Oh Othello, you were once so good, then you
What shall be said to thee? were tricked by this villain. What can I say to
you?
OTHELLO
Why, anything. OTHELLO
Say anything. Call me an honorable murderer if
An honorable murderer, if you will, you like. I did nothing out of hate, only out of
For naught I did in hate, but all in honor. honor.

LODOVICO LODOVICO
This wretch hath part confessed his villainy. This poor guy’s partly confessed his plan. Did
310 Did you and he consent in Cassio’s death? you plan Cassio’s death with him?

OTHELLO OTHELLO
Ay. Yes.

CASSIO CASSIO
Dear general, I never gave you cause. Dear general, I never gave you any reason to
hate me.

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -106-

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OTHELLO OTHELLO
I do believe it, and I ask your pardon. I believe you, and I ask you to forgive me. Will
Will you, I pray, demand that demi-devil you please make this half-devil say why he
315 Why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body? tricked me and damned my soul?

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 17 IAGO
Don’t ask me anything. You know what you
IAGO know. From this moment on, I’ll never say
Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. another word.
From this time forth I never will speak word.
LODOVICO
LODOVICO What, not even to pray?
What, not to pray?
GRATIANO
GRATIANO Torture will make you talk.
Torments will ope your lips.
OTHELLO
OTHELLO Well, do your best.
320 Well, thou dost best.
LODOVICO
LODOVICO Sir, you’ll understand everything that has
Sir, you shall understand what hath befall'n, happened. I don’t think you know now. Here is a
Which, as I think, you know not. Here is a letter letter we found in Roderigo’s pocket. And here’s
Found in the pocket of the slain Roderigo, another. This one talks about how Roderigo
And here another. The one of them imports should kill Cassio.
325 The death of Cassio to be undertook
By Roderigo. OTHELLO
Oh, you villain!
OTHELLO
Oh, villain! CASSIO
Ungodly and monstrous!
CASSIO
Most heathenish and most gross! LODOVICO
Here’s another letter from his pocket, addressed
LODOVICO to Iago and full of complaints. We think he was
Now here’s another discontented paper going to send it to Iago, but then Iago stepped in
330 Found in his pocket too, and this, it seems, and answered his complaints by killing him.
Roderigo meant to have sent this damnèd villain
But that, belike, Iago in the interim OTHELLO
Came in and satisfied him. Oh, you wicked scoundrel! Cassio, how did you
get my wife’s handkerchief?
OTHELLO
O thou pernicious caitiff! CASSIO
335 How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief I found it in my room, and Iago just confessed
That was my wife’s? that he put it there for his own purposes.

CASSIO
I found it in my chamber,

And he himself confessed but even now
That there he dropped it for a special purpose
Which wrought to his desire.

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 18 OTHELLO
Oh, what a fool I am!
OTHELLO
O fool! fool! fool! CASSIO
Also, in his letter to Iago, Roderigo criticizes Iago
CASSIO for telling him to get me angry while I was on
340 There is besides in Roderigo’s letter guard duty, and get me demoted. And just now
he admitted it, even though he’d seemed to be
How he upbraids Iago, that he made him
Brave me upon the watch, whereon it came
That I was cast. And even but now he spake,

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -107-

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After long seeming dead—Iago hurt him, dead for a long while—Iago tricked him, Iago
345 Iago set him on. urged him to do it.

LODOVICO LODOVICO
(to OTHELLO) You must forsake this room and go (to OTHELLO)
with us. You’ll have to leave this room and come with us.
Your power and your command is taken off You’re stripped of your power and your
And Cassio rules in Cyprus. For this slave, command, and Cassio will govern Cyprus. As for
350 If there be any cunning cruelty this slave, Iago, if we can think of any torture that
That can torment him much and hold him long, will hurt him a lot but keep him alive a long time,
It shall be his. You shall close prisoner rest he’ll have it. You’ll remain a prisoner until we
Till that the nature of your fault be known bring your crimes to the Venetian government.—
To the Venetian state.—Come, bring him away. Okay, take him away.

OTHELLO OTHELLO
Soft you, a word or two before you go. Wait. A word or two before you go. I’ve given the
355 I have done the state some service, and they state of Venice a bit of help in the past, and they
know ’t. know it. But enough about that. When you record
No more of that. I pray you, in your letters, these sad events in your letters, please describe
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate, me exactly as I am. Don’t tone things down or
Speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate, exaggerate them out of hostility. If you’re being
360 Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak fair, you’ll have to describe me as someone who
Of one that loved not wisely, but too well. loved too much, but who wasn’t wise about it. I
Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought, was not easily made jealous, but once I was
Perplexed in the extreme. Of one whose hand, tricked and manipulated, I worked myself into a
Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away frenzy. Describe me as a fool who threw away a
365 Richer than all his tribe. Of one whose subdued precious pearl with his own hands, like a silly
eyes, Indian who didn’t know what it was worth. As
Albeit unused to the melting mood, someone who was not emotional, but who then
Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees cried a lot. Write all this
Their medicinal gum. Set you down this,

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 19

And say besides that in Aleppo once, down, and then say also that in Aleppo I once
Where a malignant and a turbaned Turk saw a Turk beating a Venetian, so I grabbed the
370 Beat a Venetian and traduced the state, Turk by the throat and hit him like this.
I took by the throat the circumcisèd dog,
And smote him, thus. OTHELLO stabs himself.
LODOVICO
Stabs himself Oh, what a bloody end to all this!
GRATIANO
LODOVICO Everything we’ve heard is bad.
Oh, bloody period! OTHELLO
(to DESDEMONA) I kissed you before I killed
GRATIANO you. Now, killing myself, I’m dying while I kiss
All that is spoke is marred. you again.

OTHELLO OTHELLO kisses DESDEMONA and dies.
375 (to DESDEMONA) CASSIO
I was afraid this would happen, because he was
I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, a noble, brave man, but I didn’t think he had a
Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. weapon.
LODOVICO
Kisses DESDEMONA, dies (to IAGO) You bloodthirsty dog, you’re crueler

CASSIO
This did I fear, but thought he had no weapon,
For he was great of heart.

LODOVICO
380 (to IAGO)

No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -108-

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O Spartan dog, than sadness or hunger, crueler than the sea.
More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea, Look at these dead people on this bed. You did
Look on the tragic loading of this bed. all this. He makes me sick. Take him away.
This is thy work. The object poisons sight, Gratiano, take care of the house, and take the
Let it be hid.—Gratiano, keep the house Moor’s property. You’ve inherited everything.—
385 And seize upon the fortunes of the Moor, (to CASSIO) Governor, I leave it in your hands to
For they succeed on you.—To you, lord governor, punish this evil villain: just decide the time, the
Remains the censure of this hellish villain: place and the means of torture. And then carry it
The time, the place, the torture. Oh, enforce it! out! I have to go back to Venice, and tell them
Myself will straight aboard, and to the state about these sad events.
390 This heavy act with heavy heart relate.
They all exit.
Exeunt