William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (407 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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OTHELLO
What, not a whore?
DESDEMONA No, as I shall be saved.
OTHELLO Is’t possible?
DESDEMONA O heaven forgive us!
OTHELLO I cry you mercy then.
I took you for that cunning whore of Venice
That married with Othello.
(Calling)
You, mistress,
That have the office opposite to Saint Peter
And keeps the gate of hell,
That married with Othello.
(Calling)
You, mistress,
That have the office opposite to Saint Peter
And keeps the gate of hell,
Enter Emilia
you, you, ay, you.
We ha’ done our course. (
Giving money
) There’s
money for your pains.
I pray you, turn the key and keep our counsel.
We ha’ done our course. (
Giving money
) There’s
money for your pains.
I pray you, turn the key and keep our counsel.
Exit
EMILIA
Alas, what does this gentleman conceive?
How do you, madam? How do you, my good lady?
How do you, madam? How do you, my good lady?
DESDEMONA Faith, half asleep.
EMILIA
Good madam, what’s the matter with my lord?
DESDEMONA
With who?
EMILIA
Why,
with my lord, madam.
Why,
with my lord, madam.
DESDEMONA
Who is thy lord?
EMILIA He that is yours, sweet lady.
DESDEMONA
I ha’ none. Do not talk to me, Emilia.
I cannot weep, nor answers have I none
But what should go by water. Prithee tonight
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets, remember.
And call thy husband hither.
I cannot weep, nor answers have I none
But what should go by water. Prithee tonight
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets, remember.
And call thy husband hither.
EMILIA Here’s a change indeed.
Exit
DESDEMONA
‘Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.
How have I been behaved, that he might stick
The small’st opinion on my least misuse?
How have I been behaved, that he might stick
The small’st opinion on my least misuse?
Enter Iago and Emilia,
IAGO
What is your pleasure, madam? How is’t with you?
DESDEMONA
I cannot tell. Those that do teach young babes
Do it with gentle means and easy tasks.
He might ha’ chid me so, for, in good faith,
I am a child to chiding.
Do it with gentle means and easy tasks.
He might ha’ chid me so, for, in good faith,
I am a child to chiding.
IAGO What is the matter, lady?
EMILIA
Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her,
Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,
That true hearts cannot bear it.
Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,
That true hearts cannot bear it.
DESDEMONA Am I that name, Iago?
IAGO What name, fair lady?
DESDEMONA
Such as she said my lord did say I was.
EMILIA
He called her whore. A beggar in his drink
Could not have laid such terms upon his callet.
Could not have laid such terms upon his callet.
IAGO Why did he so?
DESDEMONA
I do not know. I am sure I am none such.
IAGO
Do not weep, do not weep. Alas the day!
EMILIA
Hath she forsook so many noble matches,
Her father and her country and her friends,
To be called whore? Would it not make one weep?
Her father and her country and her friends,
To be called whore? Would it not make one weep?
DESDEMONA
It is my wretched fortune.
IAGO Beshrew him for’t.
How comes this trick upon him?
DESDEMONA Nay, heaven doth know.
EMILIA
I will be hanged if some eternal villain,
Some busy and insinuating rogue,
Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,
Have not devised this slander. I will be hanged else.
Some busy and insinuating rogue,
Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,
Have not devised this slander. I will be hanged else.
IAGO
Fie, there is no such man. It is impossible.
DESDEMONA
If any such there be, heaven pardon him.
EMILIA
A halter pardon him, and hell gnaw his bones!
Why should he call her whore? Who keeps her
company?
What place, what time, what form, what likelihood?
The Moor’s abused by some most villainous knave,
Some base, notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.
O heaven, that such companions thou’dst unfold,
And put in every honest hand a whip
To lash the rascals naked through the world,
Even from the east to th’ west!
Why should he call her whore? Who keeps her
company?
What place, what time, what form, what likelihood?
The Moor’s abused by some most villainous knave,
Some base, notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.
O heaven, that such companions thou’dst unfold,
And put in every honest hand a whip
To lash the rascals naked through the world,
Even from the east to th’ west!
IAGO Speak within door.
EMILIA
O, fie upon them. Some such squire he was
That turned your wit the seamy side without,
And made you to suspect me with the Moor.
That turned your wit the seamy side without,
And made you to suspect me with the Moor.
IAGO
You are a fool. Go to.
DESDEMONA O God, Iago,
What shall I do to win my lord again?
Good friend, go to him; for by this light of heaven,
I know not how I lost him.
Good friend, go to him; for by this light of heaven,
I know not how I lost him.
She kneels
Here I kneel.
If e‘er my will did trespass ’gainst his love,
Either in discourse of thought or actual deed,
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense
Delighted them in any other form,
Or that I do not yet, and ever did,
And ever will—though he do shake me off
To beggarly divorcement—love him dearly,
Comfort forswear me. Unkindness may do much,
And his unkindness may defeat my life,
But never taint my love.
If e‘er my will did trespass ’gainst his love,
Either in discourse of thought or actual deed,
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense
Delighted them in any other form,
Or that I do not yet, and ever did,
And ever will—though he do shake me off
To beggarly divorcement—love him dearly,
Comfort forswear me. Unkindness may do much,
And his unkindness may defeat my life,
But never taint my love.
[
She rises
]
I cannot say ‘whore’.
It does abhor me now I speak the word.
To do the act that might the addition earn,
Not the world’s mass of vanity could make me.
It does abhor me now I speak the word.
To do the act that might the addition earn,
Not the world’s mass of vanity could make me.
IAGO
I pray you, be content. ’Tis but his humour.
The business of the state does him offence,
And he does chide with you.
The business of the state does him offence,
And he does chide with you.
DESDEMONA If ’twere no other!
IAGO It is but so, I warrant.
Flourish within
Hark how these instruments summon you to supper.
The messengers of Venice stays the meat.
Go in, and weep not. All things shall be well.
The messengers of Venice stays the meat.
Go in, and weep not. All things shall be well.
Exeunt Desdemona and Emilia
Enter Roderigo
How now, Roderigo?
RODERIGO
I do not find that thou deal’st justly with me.
IAGO What in the contrary?
RODERIGO Every day thou daff‘st me with some device, Iago, and rather, as it seems to me now, keep’st from me all conveniency than suppliest me with the least advantage of hope. I will indeed no longer endure it, nor am I yet persuaded to put up in peace what already I have foolishly suffered.
IAGO Will you hear me, Roderigo?
RODERIGO Faith, I have heard too much, for your words and performances are no kin together.
IAGO You charge me most unjustly.
RODERIGO With naught but truth. I have wasted myself out of my means. The jewels you have had from me to deliver Desdemona would half have corrupted a votarist. You have told me she hath received ’em, and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden respect and acquaintance, but I find none. 195
IAGO Well, go to, very well.
RODERIGO ‘Very well’, ‘go to’! I cannot go to, man, nor ’tis not very well. Nay, I think it is scurvy, and begin to find myself fopped in it.
IAGO Very well.
RODERIGO I tell you ’tis not very well. I will make myself known to Desdemona. If she will return me my jewels, I will give over my suit and repent my unlawful solicitation. If not, assure yourself I will seek satisfaction of you.
IAGO You have said now.
RODERIGO Ay, and said nothing but what I protest intendment of doing.
IAGO Why, now I see there’s mettle in thee, and even from this instant do build on thee a better opinion than ever before. Give me thy hand, Roderigo. Thou hast taken against me a most just exception, but yet I protest I have dealt most directly in thy affair.
RODERIGO It hath not appeared.
IAGO I grant, indeed, it hath not appeared, and your suspicion is not without wit and judgement. But, Roderigo, if thou hast that in thee indeed which I have greater reason to believe now than ever—I mean purpose, courage, and vatour—this night show it. If thou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona, take me from this world with treachery, and devise engines for my life.
RODERIGO Well, what is it? Is it within reason and compass?
IAGO Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice to depute Cassio in Othello’s place.
RODERIGO Is that true? Why then, Othello and Desdemona return again to Venice.
IAGO O no, he goes into Mauritania, and takes away with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered here by some accident, wherein none can be so determinate as the removing of Cassio.
RODERIGO How do you mean‘removing’ of him?
IAGO Why, by making him uncapable of Othello’s place—knocking out his brains.
RODERIGO And that you would have me to do.
IAGO Ay, if you dare do yourself a profit and a right. He sups tonight with a harlotry, and thither will I go to him. He knows not yet of his honourable fortune. If you will watch his going thence, which I will fashion to fall out between twelve and one, you may take him at your pleasure. I will be near, to second your attempt, and he shall fall between us. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along with me. I will show you such a necessity in his death that you shall think yourself bound to put it on him. It is now high supper-time, and the night grows to waste. About it.
RODERIGO I will hear further reason for this.
IAGO And you shall be satisfied.
Exeunt
4.3Enter Othello, Desdemona, Lodovico, Emilia, and attendants
LODOVICO
I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.
OTHELLO
O, pardon me, ’twill do me good to walk.
LODOVICO (
to Desdemona
)
to Desdemona
)
Madam, good night. I humbly thank your ladyship.
DESDEMONA
Your honour is most welcome.
OTHELLO Will you walk, sir?
O, Desdemona!
DESDEMONA My lord?
OTHELLO Get you to bed on th’instant. I will be returned forthwith. Dismiss your attendant there. Look’t be done.
DESDEMONA I will, my lord.
Exeunt Othello, Lodovico, and attendants
EMILIA How goes it now? He looks gentler than he did.
DESDEMONA
He says he will return incontinent.
He hath commanded me
to go to
bed,
And bid me to dismiss you.
He hath commanded me
to go to
bed,
And bid me to dismiss you.
EMILIA Dismiss me?
DESDEMONA
It was his bidding. Therefore, good Emilia,
Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu. is
We must not now displease him.
Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu. is
We must not now displease him.
EMILIA I would you had never seen him.
DESDEMONA
So would not I. My love doth so approve him
That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns—
Prithee unpin me—have grace and favour in them.
That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns—
Prithee unpin me—have grace and favour in them.
Emilia helps Desdemona to undress
EMILIA
I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed.
DESDEMONA
All’s one. Good faith, how foolish are our minds!
If I do die before thee, prithee shroud me
In one of these same sheets.
If I do die before thee, prithee shroud me
In one of these same sheets.
EMILIA Come, come, you talk.
DESDEMONA
My mother had a maid called Barbary.
She was in love, and he she loved proved mad
And did forsake her. She had a song of willow.
An old thing ’twas, but it expressed her fortune,
And she died singing it. That song tonight
Will not go from my mind. I have much to do
But to go hang my head all at one side
And sing it, like poor Barbary. Prithee, dispatch.
She was in love, and he she loved proved mad
And did forsake her. She had a song of willow.
An old thing ’twas, but it expressed her fortune,
And she died singing it. That song tonight
Will not go from my mind. I have much to do
But to go hang my head all at one side
And sing it, like poor Barbary. Prithee, dispatch.
EMILIA
Shall I go fetch your nightgown?
DESDEMONA No. Unpin me here.
This Lodovico is a proper man.
EMILIA
A very handsome man.
DESDEMONA He speaks well.
EMILIA I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip.
DESDEMONA (
sings
)
sings
)
‘The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree,
Sing all a green willow.
Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,
Sing willow, willow, willow.
The fresh streams ran by her and murmured her
moans,
Sing willow, willow, willow.
Her salt tears fell from her and softened the stones,
Sing willow’—
Lay by these.—
‘willow, willow.’
Prithee, hie thee. He’ll come anon.
‘Sing all a green willow must be my garland.
‘Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve’—
Nay, that’s not next. Hark, who is’t that knocks?
Sing all a green willow.
Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,
Sing willow, willow, willow.
The fresh streams ran by her and murmured her
moans,
Sing willow, willow, willow.
Her salt tears fell from her and softened the stones,
Sing willow’—
Lay by these.—
‘willow, willow.’
Prithee, hie thee. He’ll come anon.
‘Sing all a green willow must be my garland.
‘Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve’—
Nay, that’s not next. Hark, who is’t that knocks?
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