The Complete Othello: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play

By Donald J. Richardson

It is probably natural that a reader feel sympathy for Desdemona; falsely accused, she suffers some of the most offensive name-calling in all of Shakespeare. But it is also appropriate to sympathize with Othello. He becomes malleable in the hands of Iago who molds him to his own vindictive purpose, never disclosing his reasons. Additionally, one should admire Emilia who is truly heroic in her denial of the accusations against Desdemona, her resistance to her husbands subjugation of her, and in her triumphant realization of justice and punishment for wrongdoing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491867853

Donald J. Richardson

Although he has long been eligible to retire, Donald J. Richardson continues to (try to) teach English Composition at Phoenix College in Arizona. He defines his life through his teaching, his singing, his volunteering, and his grandchildren.

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© 2014 by Donald J. Richardson. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 03/03/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-6786-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-6784-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-6785-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014903751

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Table of Contents

About the Book

About the Author

ACT I

ACT II

ACT III

ACT IV

ACT V

Works Cited

Other Books by Donald J. Richardson

Dust in the Wind, 2001

Rails to Light, 2005

Song of Fools, 2006

Words of Truth, 2007

The Meditation of My Heart, 2008

The Days of Darkness, 2009

The Dying of the Light, 2010

Between the Darkness and the Light, 2011

The Days of Thy Youth, 2012

Those Who Sit in Darkness¸ 2013

Just a Song at Twilight, 2014

The Complete Hamlet, 2012

The Complete Macbeth, 2013

The Complete Romeo and Juliet, 2013

The Complete King Lear, 2013

The Complete Julius Caesar, 2013

The Complete Merchant of Venice, 2013

The Complete Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2013

The Complete Much Ado About Nothing, 2013

The Complete Twelfth Night, 2014

The Complete Taming of the Shrew, 2014

The Complete Tempest, 2014

For Shakespeare aficionados everywhere

About the Book

It is probably natural that a reader feel sympathy for Desdemona; falsely accused, she suffers some of the most offensive name-calling in all of Shakespeare. But it is also appropriate to sympathize with Othello. He becomes malleable in the hands of Iago who molds him to his own vindictive purpose, never disclosing his reasons. Additionally, one should admire Emilia who is truly heroic in her denial of the accusations against Desdemona, her resistance to her husband’s subjugation of her, and in her triumphant realization of justice and punishment for wrongdoing.

About the Author

Donald J. Richardson is still trying to teach English Composition at Phoenix College.

Othello, the Moor of Venice

ACT I

SCENE I. Venice. A street

Enter RODERIGO and IAGO

RODERIGO

1 Tush! never tell me; I take it much unkindly     Tush: an expression of impatience (Mowat, 6)

2 That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse     Who… thine: i.e., who have had complete access to my money; purse: bag or pouch; strings: i.e., the purse string that closes the pouch (Mowat, 6)

3 As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.     Strings: ‘to hold the purse strings (Honigmann, 115); this: i.e. Othello’s marriage to Desdemona

(Riverside, 1,251)

IAGO

4 ‘Sblood, but you will not hear me:     ’Sblood: by God’s (Christ’s) blood (Riverside, 1,251); hear: listen to (Mowat, 6)

5 If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me.     If . . . matter: he never dreamed of it; abhor: shrink from me in horror (Honigmann, 115)

RODERIGO

6 Thou told’st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.     Him: Othello (Honigmann, 115)

IAGO

7 Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,     Great ones of the city: Venetian nobles (Mowat, 6)

8 In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,     Suit: petition; lieutenant: i.e., second in command (Mowat, 6)

9 Off-capp’d to him: and, by the faith of man,     Off-capp’d: i.e., removed their hats (Mowat, 6)

10 I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:     Price: value; place: position, rank (Mowat, 6)

11 But he; as loving his own pride and purposes,     As loving: i.e., loving (Mowat, 6)

12 Evades them, with a bumbast circumstance     Bumbast: "bombast, a cotton material used for padding; here, inflated. The figure is continued in stuff’d (line 13); (Riverside, 1,251); i.e., wordy, pompous" (Mowat, 6); circumstance: circumlocution, rigmarole (Riverside, 1,251)

13 Horribly stuff’d with epithetes of war;     Stuff’d: "filled’ (Mowat, 6); epithetes of war: "military jargon (epithites, a variant spelling of epithets, = expressions, terms)" (Riverside, 1,251)

14 And, in conclusion,

15 Nonsuits my mediators; for, Certes, says he,     Nonsuits my mediators: i.e., fails to grant the suit (request) of my petitioners; Certes: certainly (Mowat, 6)

16 I have already chose my officer.

17 And what was he?     He: i.e., the officer (Cassio) chosen by Othello (Mowat, 6)

18 Forsooth, a great arithmetician,     Forsooth: in truth (Mowat, 6); arithmetician: i.e., one adept at figures, not at fighting; cf. line 30) (Riverside, 1,251); one who studied the art of war out of books, instead of in actual battle (Asimov, 611)

19 One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,     Florentine: Florence, in Shakespeare’s time, was renowned for trade, rather than war. (Asimov, 611)

20 A fellow almost damn’d in a fair wife;     Almost… wife: Unexplained. Perhaps Shakespeare originally intended to follow his source Cinthio in giving Cassio a wife. There is no evidence that Cassio has yet met Bianca. (Riverside, 1,251)

21 That never set a squadron in the field,     Set a squadron: i.e., stationed even so much as a small detachment of men; field: i.e., battlefield (Mowat, 8); squadron: a body of troops, not necessarily of cavalry (Ridley, 4)

22 Nor the division of a battle knows     Division: arrangement; battle: battalion (Riverside, 1,251)

23 More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,     Spinster: i.e. housewife (one of whose duties was spinning) (Riverside, 1,251); not necessarily feminine (Ridley, 5); unless: except for; theoric: theory (Mowat, 8); bookish: "commonly glossed as ‘erudite’; but surely it has a derogatory connotation of mere book-learning" (Ridley, 5)

24 Wherein the toged consuls can propose     Toged: wearing togas (dressed for the council- chamber, not the battlefield); consuls: senators; propose: talk (Riverside, 1,251); set out (Ridley, 5)

25 As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice,

26 Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:     Had the election: i.e., was the one chosen (Mowat, 8)

27 And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof     His: i.e. Othello’s (Riverside, 1,251)

28 At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds     Rhodes, Cyprus: embattled islands that were part of the Venetian empire (Mowat, 8); on… grounds: in… lands (Honigmann, 117)

29 Christian and heathen, must be belee’d and calm’d     Belee’d and calm’d: stopped in my progress (nautical terms in which Cassio and Iago are compared to sailing ships, Cassio coming between Iago and the wind [putting Iago in the lee] and thereby stopping him) (Mowat, 8); calm’d: becalmed (Honigmann, 117)

30 By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,     Debitor and creditor: i.e. bookkeeper; counter- caster: accountant; literally, one who calculates with the aid of metal counters (Riverside, 1,251)

31 He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,     In good time: ironic (Riverside, 1,251); i.e., ‘to be sure’ (Mowat, 8)

32 And I—God bless the mark!—his Moorship’s ancient.     God bless the mark: an expression of impatient scorn; his Moorship’s: i.e., Othello’s (a sarcastic racial slur by analogy with the title ‘his Worship’; ancient: i.e., ensign, standard-bearer (the lowest-ranking commissioned officer in the infantry) (Mowat, 8)

RODERIGO

33 By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.     His hangman: the one to hang him

(Riverside, 1,251)

IAGO

34 Why, there’s no remedy; ’tis the curse of service,     There’s no remedy: a common colloquialism… usually… with the implication, ‘there’s no way out’ (Ridley, 6); service: military service (Mowat, 8)

35 Preferment goes by letter and affection,     Preferment: advancement; letter and affection: private recommendation and favoritism (Riverside, 1,251); personal preference (Mowat, 8)

36 And not by old gradation, where each second     Old gradation: seniority, as in the good old days (Riverside, 1,251)

37 Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself,

38 Whether I in any just term am affin’d     Term: respect; affin’d: bound (Riverside, 1,252); i.e., bound, obliged (literally, related) (Mowat, 8)

39 To love the Moor.

RODERIGO

40 I would not follow him then.     Follow: serve (Honigmann, 118)

IAGO

41 O, sir, content you;     Content you: calm yourself

(Riverside, 1,252)

42 I follow him to serve my turn upon him:     Serve… him: i.e., use him for my own ends (Mowat, 8)

43 We cannot all be masters, nor all masters

44 Cannot be truly follow’d. You shall mark     Truly: faithfully (Honigmann, 118); mark: observe (Mowat, 8)

45 Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,     Duteous: subservient (Honigmann, 118); knee- crooking knave: bowing menial (Mowat, 8)

46 That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,     Obsequious: "obedient, dutiful, cringing (OED, 1, 2)"; bondage: "slavery, subjection (OED 2, 3)" (Honigmann, 118)

47 Wears out his time, much like his master’s ass,     Wears out: passes spends ; time: "life-time (OED 7)" (Honigmann, 118)

48 For nought but provender, and when he’s old, cashier’d:     Provender: food; fodder (for animals) (Honigmann, 118); cashier’d: dismissed (Riverside, 1,252)

49 Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are     Whip me: i.e., I’d have them whip (Mowat, 8); here apparently just contemptuous (Ridley, 7)

50 Who, trimm’d in forms and visages of duty,     Trimm’d… duty: wearing the manners and countenance of humble service (Riverside, 1,252); trimm’d: dressed (Mowat, 8); visages: almost = visors = masks (Ridley, 7)

51 Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,

52 And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,     Throwing: "directing (OED 15, 16)" (Honigmann, 119)

53 Do well thrive by them and when they have lined     Lined their coats: i.e., lined their pockets, gotten rich (Mowat, 10); often with implication of strengthening, backing (Ridley, 7)

54 their coats

55 Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;     Do themselves homage: show respect to themselves alone, rather than to their masters (Mowat, 10); soul: i.e. spirit (Honigmann, 119)

56 And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,

57 It is as sure as you are Roderigo,

58 Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:

59 In following him, I follow but myself;     I… myself: i.e., I serve my own interest (Mowat, 10)

60 Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,     Heaven… judge: God (Heaven) is my judge (Honigmann, 119); not I… seeming so: i.e., I do not follow him out of love and duty though I seem to (Mowat, 10)

61 But seeming so, for my peculiar end:     Peculiar: private (Riverside, 1,252); personal (Kernan, 5)

62 For when my outward action doth demonstrate

63 The native act and figure of my heart     Native act and figure: natural activity and form (i.e., what I really feel) (Mowat, 10)

64 In complement extern, ’tis not long after     Complement extern: external show corresponding to these hidden motives (Riverside, 1,252); ’tis… But: i.e., soon afterward (Mowat, 10)

65 But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve     Wear… sleeve: Servants wore their master’s badge on their sleeve. (Honigmann, 120)

66 For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.     Daws: proverbially stupid birds; I am not what I am: i.e., I am not what I seem to be (Contrast God’s words in Exodus 3.14: ‘I am that I am.’)

(Mowat, 10)

RODERIGO

67 What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe     Full: swelling (Ridley, 8); thick-lips: i.e. Othello; owe: own (Riverside, 1,252)

68 If he can carry’t thus!     Carry’t thus: carry this off (Riverside, 1,252)

IAGO

69 Call up her father,     Call up: i.e., arouse from bed (Mowat, 10)

70 Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,     Make after him: i.e., go after Othello (Mowat, 10)

71 Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,     Proclaim him: i.e., identify him publicly as a rebel or outlaw

(Mowat, 10)

72 And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,     Though… flies: "i.e., even though he is now fortunate (in a fertile climate), torment (plague) him with minor vexations" (Mowat, 10)

73 Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,     Flies: i.e. petty annoyances

(Riverside, 1,252)

74 Yet throw such changes of vexation on’t,     Changes of vexation: vexatious changes (Riverside, 1,252); possibilities (Mowat, 10)

75 As it may lose some color.     As it may lose some color: i.e., that his joy may pale or be diminished (Mowat, 10)

RODERIGO

76 Here is her father’s house; I’ll call aloud.

IAGO

77 Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell     Timorous: terrifying (Riverside, 1,252); accent: tone, voice (Honigmann, 120)

78 As when, by night and negligence, the fire     By… negligence: at night and as the result of negligence

(Riverside, 1,252)

79 Is spied in populous cities.

RODERIGO

80 What, ho, Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho!

IAGO

81 Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves!

82 Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!     Bags: i.e., money bags (Mowat, 12)

83 Thieves! thieves!

BRABANTIO appears above, at a window     Above: i.e., in the gallery above the stage (Mowat, 12)

BRABANTIO

84 What is the reason of this terrible summons?     Of: for; terrible: terrifying (Mowat, 12); terrible: stronger than today: terrifying (Honigmann, 121)

85 What is the matter there?     What is the matter: not ‘What’s wrong?’, but ‘What is your business?’ (Ridley, 9)

RODERIGO

86 Signior, is all your family within?

IAGO

87 Are your doors lock’d?

BRABANTIO

88 Why, wherefore ask you this?     Wherefore ask you: why do you ask (Mowat, 12)

IAGO

89 ‘Zounds, sir, you’re robb’d; for shame, put on     ’Zounds: by God’s (Christ’s) wounds (Riverside, 1,252); a strong oath (Mowat, 12)

90 your gown;     Gown: coat; or, senator’s gown (Honigmann, 121)

91 Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;     Burst: broken (Honigmann, 121)

92 Even now, now, very now, an old black ram     Very now: i.e., at this very moment (Mowat, 12); old black ram: Othello (Asimov, 613); ram: rammish: lustful, lascivious

(Honigmann, 121)

93 Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise;     Tupping: copulating with (used, as here, in reference to sheep) (Mowat, 12); white: "pure, unstained, precious, beloved (OED 7, 9)" (Honigmann, 122)

94 Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,     Snorting: snoring (Mowat, 12); bell: alarm bell (Honigmann, 122)

95 Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:

96 Arise, I say.

BRABANTIO

97 What, have you lost your wits?

RODERIGO

98 Most reverend signior, do you know my voice?     Reverend: respected; know my voice: It is too dark to see him. (Honigmann, 122)

BRABANTIO

99 Not I; what are you?

RODERIGO

100 My name is Roderigo.

BRABANTIO

101 The worser welcome:

102 I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:     Charged: ordered (Mowat, 12)

103 In honest plainness thou hast heard me say

104 My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,

105 Being full of supper and distemp’ring draughts,     Distemp’ring draughts: unsettling drinks (Kernan, 7); exciting (Ridley, 9)

106 Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come     Upon malicious bravery: with hostile intent to defy me (Riverside, 1,252); bravery: impertinence, defiance (Mowat, 12)

107 To start my quiet.     Start: disrupt (Kernan, 7); startle (Ridley, 10)

RODERIGO

108 Sir, sir, sir,—

BRABANTIO

109 But thou must needs be sure     But… sure: You had better be clear about this. (Honigmann, 122)

110 My spirit and my place have in them power     Place: rank, i.e., of senator (Kernan, 7)

111 To make this bitter to thee.     Bitter: painful (Honigman, 122)

RODERIGO

112 Patience, good sir.

BRABANTIO

113 What tell’st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;

114 My house is not a grange.     Grange: a house in the country isolated and therefore easily robbed (Mowat, 14)

RODERIGO

115 Most grave Brabantio,     Grave: respected (Honigmann, 123)

116 In simple and pure soul I come to you.     Simple: sincere (Riverside, 1,252); pure: unblemished, sincere (Honigmann, 123)

IAGO

117 Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not     Zounds: i.e., Christ’s wounds (a strong oath) (Mowat, 12)

118 serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to

119 do you service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll

120 have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse;     Have… horse: i.e., allow your daughter to couple with an animal (‘Covered,’ like ‘tupping,’ refers to the copulation of animals; ‘Barbary’ is a region of Africa, and thus suggests Othello’s homeland.) (Mowat, 14)

121 you’ll have your nephews neigh to you; you’ll