Othello (34 page)
Authors: William Shakespeare
347
preposterous
perverse/illogical/monstrous
conclusions
outcomes
348
motions
impulses, emotions
carnal stings
sexual urges (with phallic connotations)
349
unbitted
unbridled, unrestrained
350
sect or scion
cutting or shoot
353
will
personal inclination/ sexual desire
355
knit
tied firmly, committed
perdurable
indestructible
356
stead
help, support
357
defeat…beard
disfigure your face with a false beard (or perhaps “by growing a beard”)
362
answerable sequestration
corresponding separation
364
locusts
fruit of the carob tree
365
coloquintida
colocynth, a
bitter
apple
366
change for youth
exchange Othello for a younger man/because she’s young (and therefore changeable)
368
delicate
enjoyable/elegant/ingenious
369
Make
raise
370
sanctimony
holiness
erring
roving/blundering/sinful
barbarian
person from Barbary/uncivilized savage
371
supersubtle
extremely refined/supremely cunning
373
pox of
plague on
pox
plague, venereal disease
clean…way
entirely the wrong measure to take
374
in
for
compassing
achieving/sexually embracing
joy
sexual pleasure/Desdemona
376
fast
reliable/constant
377
issue
outcome
378
art
i.e. may be
380
hearted
grounded in the heart
381
conjunctive
united
382
cuckold him
make him a cuckold (i.e. a man with an unfaithful wife)
384
Traverse
move (a military command)
388
betimes
early
389
Go to
expression of dismissive impatience
392
profane
abuse/treat irreverently
393
snipe
fool, dupe/type of bird
394
But
except
395
abroad
i.e. widely
396
done my office
performed my role (i.e. had sex with my wife)
397
in that kind
of that nature
398
do…surety
proceed as if it were a certainty
holds me well
has a good opinion of me
400
proper
handsome/fine/accomplished
401
plume up
glorify/put a feather in the cap of
404
he
i.e. Cassio
405
person
presence/appearance
dispose
disposition/manner
406
framed
formed
false
unfaithful (to their husbands)
407
free
frank/generous
409
tenderly
easily
411
engend’red
conceived
412
monstrous
unnatural, deformed
1
cape
headland
2
high-wrought flood
agitated sea
3
main
sea
4
Descry
catch sight of
7
ruffianed
behaved as a ruffian, i.e. raged
8
ribs
strengthening timbers in the framework of a ship mountains mountainous waves
9
hold the mortise
keep their joints secure
10
segregation
dispersal
12
chidden
rebuked, repelled (by the shore) billow ocean swell
13
mane
puns on “main” (i.e. sea)
14
burning bear
the constellation Ursa Minor (used for navigation)
15
guards
the two stars in Ursa Minor that were second in brightness to the Pole Star pole the Pole Star or North Star
16
like molestation
similar turbulence
17
enchafèd
furious, roused
19
embayed
sheltered in a bay
23
designment
enterprise
24
sufferance
damage
28
Veronesa
ship from or built in Verona (city in northern Italy)
31
in…here
on his way here with full delegated authority
34
Touching
regarding sadly serious, grave
35
pray
i.e. prays
39
full
complete, perfect
42
the…regard
the blueness of the sea and the sky one indistinguishable sight
46
arrivancy
people arriving
48
approve
praise, testify to the worth of
52
bark
ship pilot ship’s captain
53
Of… allowance
acknowledged to be a man of proven expertise
54
not…cure
not being fatally overindulged, remain confident of a good outcome (medical metaphor: “surfeit” refers to the gastrointestinal problems that result from too much food and drink)
58
brow o’th’sea
i.e. a cliff top
60
shape him for
imagine it to be
61
shot of courtesy
welcoming cannon shot
67
achieved
won
68
paragons
excels wild unrestrained/excited fame report
69
quirks
clever conceits/verbal tricks blazoning praising/proclaiming/vividly descriptive
70
th’essential…creation
the innate God-given beauty of body or soul vesture clothing
71
tire the engineer
exhaust the writer trying to describe her (tire, picking up on vesture, puns on “attire”) engineer author
72
put in
i.e. arrived at the harbor
74
speed
haste/good fortune
76
guttered
jagged congregated sands massed sands, i.e. sandbanks
77
ensteeped
immersed in water enclog obstruct
78
As
as if omit neglect
79
mortal
deadly
83
in…of
to be escorted by
84
footing
landing anticipates…speed occurs a week earlier than we had expected
85
sennight’s
week’s Jove supreme Roman god
87
tall
brave/fine/tall-masted
88
quick
lively/rapid/burning
89
extincted
extinguished
95
Enwheel
encircle
102
fellowship
company, i.e. group of ships
104
citadel
fortress (where a garrison would have been stationed)
108
gall
vex, irritate
109
breeding
upbringing
112
tongue
i.e. in speaking incessantly/in kissing
114
has no speech
is not a great talker/has been rendered silent with embarrassment at Iago’s words
116
still
always leave a free moment/permission
117
before
in the presence of
119
chides
scolds
121
pictures
i.e. silent/attractive in appearance
122
bells
i.e. noisy and jangling parlours nods at the original meaning of the word: “room set aside for conversation”
123
players
triflers as opposed to serious workers
124
housewifery
housekeeping housewives hussies, whores
126
Turk
i.e. an infidel, not to be trusted
127
play
with sexual connotations work do chores/have sex
133
assay
try/put me to the test
135
beguile
divert attention from
138
invention
inventiveness
139
pate
head/brains birdlime sticky substance spread on twigs to catch birds frieze coarse woolen cloth
140
muse
inspiring goddess labours toils/is in the process of giving birth (a sense continued with delivered)
142
fair
beautiful/fair-haired wit intelligence, perhaps playing on a “genital” sense
143
The…it
i.e. wisdom will make use of fairness; use plays on sense of “sexual employment”
144
black
dark-haired and/or complexioned
145
thereto
in addition
146
white
fair-complexioned person (puns on “wight,” meaning “person,” and possibly “wit,” witty fellow) blackness plays on sense of “vagina”
fit
suit/fit into during sex
150
folly
foolishness/lewdness
to an heir
to marry an heir/get pregnant
151
fond
foolish
153
foul
ugly/black
154
thereunto
in addition
155
foul pranks
lewd acts
156
heavy
grievous/burdensome
158
one…itself
one whose virtue is so powerful that it rightfully compels the approving testimony of malice itself
161
tongue
i.e. speech, plays on sense of “oral sex”
at will
when she wanted, plays on sense of “will”—carnal desire/penis
162
gay
showily dressed
163
Fled…may
denied her own wishes even when she knew she might indulge them/denied her lover until she chose
167
change…tail
i.e. have (adulterous) sex
cod’s head
penissalmon’s tail vagina
170
wight
person, plays on “white” meaning “target” (vagina)
172
suckle
breastfeed
chronicle small beer
concern herself with trivial matters
175
liberal
freely spoken/licentious
176
home
directly
177
in the
in the role of a
180
gyve
shackle
181
courtship
courtly manners (plays on sense of “wooing”)
You…indeed
Iago mockingly pretends to speak to Cassio tricks fashionable mannerisms, courtly practices
183
kissed…fingers
a gesture of courtesy to a lady
184
sir
i.e. well-bred gentleman
185
courtesy
bow, courteous gesture
186
clyster-pipes
tubes used for anal administration of medicine or enemas
