Othello Flashcards
1
Q
How is Iago’s resentment over not being promoted shown?
A
- ‘great arithmetician’, ‘bookish theoric’, ‘more than a spinster’
- I know my price
- three great ones of the city in personal suit to make me his lieutenant
2
Q
How is Iago presented as a villain at the start of the play?
A
- I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot all be masters nor all masters cannot be truly followed.
- In following him I follow but myself. Heaven is my judge not I for love and duty
- I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at: I am not what I am
- There are many events in the womb of time which will be delivered.
- The moor is of a free and open nature that thinks men honest and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are
- Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light
- I re-tell thee again and again I hate the Moor
- our wills are garderners … sterile with idleness or manured with industry
- with as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio
- you are well tuned now but I’ll set down the pegs that make this music as honest as I am
- very good, well kissed and excellent courtesy
3
Q
How does Iago and Roderigo rouse Brabantio?
A
- rouse him, make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the streets … he in a fertile climate dwell plague him with flies
- Thieves, thieves, thieves. Look to your house, your daughter and your bags
4
Q
How does Brabantio react?
A
- O unhappy girl O treason of the blood
- run from her guardage to the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou
- enchanted her, foul charms, chains of magic, abused her delicate youth
- O thou foul thief where hast thou stowed my daughter
- abused, stolen from me and corrupted
- Look to her Moor if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father and may thee
- it engluts and swallows other sorrows and it is still itself
5
Q
How is Othello portrayed negatively at the beginning?
A
- nephews neigh to you, you’ll have coursers for cousins and jennets for germans
- even now, now, very now an old black ram is tupping your white ewe
- horribly stuffed with epithets of war
- what a full fortune does the thicklips owe
- your daughter and the moor are now making the beasts with two backs
- trying her duty, beauty wit and fortunes in an extravagent and wheeling stranger
- gross clasps of a lascivious Moor
6
Q
How is Othello introduced to make him appear honourable?
A
- keep up your bright swords for the dew will rust them … you’ll more command with years than with your weapons
- Hold your hands … were it my cue to fight I should have known it without a prompter
- let him do his spite my service shall out-tongue his complaints
- I must be found. My parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly
- most potent, grave and reverend signoirs, my very noble and approved good masters
- rude am I in my speech and little blest with the soft phrase of peace
7
Q
How is Othello’s love for Desdemona shown at the start?
A
- I love the gentle Desdemona + O my fair warrior
- if after every tempest come such calms may the winds blow till they have wakened death
- If it were now to die twere not to be most happy for I fear my soul hath her content so complete
- our generals wife is now the general … he hath devoted and given up himself
- is of a content loving noble nature and I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona a most dear husband
- I will deny thee nothing
- I do love thee and when I love thee not chaos is come again
8
Q
How does Desdemona reciprocate her love?
A
- a moth of peace and he go to the war. The rites of which I love him are bereft me. Let me go with him
- My noble father I do perceive here a divided duty. You are the lord of duty but here’s my husband
- the heavens forbid but that our love and comforts should increase
9
Q
How is Othello and Desdemona’s falling in love described?
A
- She loved me for the dangers I had passed and I loved her that she did pity them
- She gave me for my pains a world of sighs she swore in faith twas strange, twas passing strange twas pitiful
- She wished she had not heard it yet she wished that heaven had made her such a man. She thanked me
- haste dispatch she’d come again and with a greedy ear devour up my discourse
10
Q
How is Othello’s love of Iago presented throughout?
A
- My ancient: a man he is of honesty and trust
- Your honesty and love doth mince this matter making it light to Cassio. Cassio I love thee but never more be officer of mine
- Honest Iago that look’st dead with grieving … Speak. On thy love I charge thee
11
Q
How is Othello described as militaristic?
A
- disastrous chances, imminent deadly breach, battles, sieges, fortunes
- hath made the flinty and steel couch of war my thrice-driven bed of down
- Our wars are done. The Turks are drowned.
- let the heavens give him defence … lost him on a dangerous sea
- man commands like a full soldier + throw out our eyes for brave Othello
- tis the soldier’s life to have their balmy slumbers wakened with strife
- this fortification gentleman, shall we see’t.
12
Q
How is Cassio’s feelings for Desdemona described?
A
- our great captain’s captain left in the conduct of the bold Iago
- make love’s quick pants in Desdemona’s arms + divine Desdemona
- bring all Cyprus comfort
- the riches of the ship is come on shore … let her have your knees
- they met so near with their lips, that their breaths embraced together
- most exquisite lady + most fresh and delicate creature + indeed perfection
- never anything but your true servant
- he hath achieved a maid that paragons description and wild fame
13
Q
How does Iago’s villainy intensify?
A
- most pregnant and unforced position
- her eye must be fed and what delight shall she have to look upon the devil + fresh appetite
- her delicate tenderness will find itself abused
- make the Moor thank me, love me reward me for making him egregiously an ass
- Nothing can or shall content my soul till I am evened with him wife for wife
- suspect the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat the thought whereof doth like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards
- And what’s he then that says I play the villain? When this advice is free I give and honest
- make the net that shall enmesh them all
- when devils will the blackest sins put on they do suggest at first heavenly shows as I do now
14
Q
The brawl:
A
- silence those whom this vile brawl distracted + barbarous brawl
- men are men the best sometimes forget
- very elements of this warlike isle have I tonight flustered with flowing cups
- he’ll be as full as quarrel and offence as my young mistress’ dog
- if consequence do but approve my dream my boat sails freely both with wind and stream
- I fear the trust Othello puts him in … will shake this island
15
Q
Cassio’s loss of reputation:
A
- that we should with joy, pleasure revel and applause transform ourselves into beasts
- reputation is an idle and most false imposition. You have lost no reputation at all.
- reputation, reputation, reputation. O I have lost my reputation
- she is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blest a disposition that she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than one is requested.
- in wholesome wisdom he might not but refuse you: but he protests he loves you
16
Q
Desdemona’s appeal for Cassio:
A
- I mean to touch your love indeed it shall be full of poise and difficult weight and fearful to be granted
- rather die than give thy cause away
- I will have my lord and you again
- My lord shall never rest. His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift … I’ll intermingle everything he does with Cassio’s suit
- If I have any grace or power to you
17
Q
How does Iago make Othello question Desdemona?
A
- Utter my thoughts? Why say they are vile and false?
- Who dotes yet doubts, suspects yet strongly loves
- thou echo’st me as if there were some monster in thy thought too hideous to be shown + if thou had’st shut up in thy brain some horrible conceit
- I cannot think it that he would steal away so guilty like seeing you coming
- Oh grace. Oh heaven forgive me. Are you a man? Have you a soul, or sense?
- you are eaten up with passion
- many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion and degree
18
Q
Quotes about jealousy
A
- the knave is handsome, young and hath all those requisities in him that folly and green minds look after
- put the Moor at least into a jealousy so strong that judgement cannot cure
- Oh beware my lord of jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on
- souls of all my tribe defend from jealousy
- exchange me for a goat … away at once with love or jealousy
- Heaven keep that monster from Othello’s mind
- my noble Moor is true of mind and made of such no baseness as jealous creatures are
- The sun where he was born drew all such humours from him
- jealous for they’re jealous. It is a monster begot upon itself born on itself
- trifles light as air are to the jealous confirmations strong as proofs of holy writ. Moor already changes with my poison. little art upon the blood burn like the mines of sulphur
19
Q
How does Othello’s language and behaviour change?
A
- prove my love a whore
- I think my wife be honest and thinks she is not … her name that was as fresh as Dian’s visage is now begrimed and black as mine own face.
- arise black vengeance from the hollow hell. yield up. O love thy crown and hearted throne to tyrannous hate
- I will withdraw to furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil.
- farewell the tranquil mind, farewell content
- Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless knows more
- O blood blood blood. O monstrous monstrous
- this argues fruitfulness and liberal heart. Hot, hot and moist: young and sweating devil.
- she’s gone, I am abused and my relief must be to loathe her.
20
Q
How does Othello’s change progress?
A
- No my heart is turned to stone. I strike it and it hurts my hand
- I will chop her into messes
- O devil, devil. If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.
- Pish noses ears and lips. Is’t possible? Confess. Handkerchief. O devil.
- O well painted passion
- Sir, she can turn, and turn, and yet go on and turn again. And she can weep sir, weep, and she’s obedient
21
Q
Public reaction to Othello:
A
- this would not be believed in Venice though I should swear I saw’t
- Are his wits safe? Is he not light of brain?
- Is this the noble moor whom our senate call all in all sufficient?
- truly an obedient lady
22
Q
Desdemona’s confusion about Othello’s change in character?
A
- Why do you speak so startingly and rash?
- (striking her) I have not deserved this
- To whom my lord? With whom? How am I false?
23
Q
Desdemona’s unwavering love:
A
- I am a child to chiding
- tonight lay on my bed my wedding sheets
- your wife my lord: your true and loyal wife
- unkindness may do much and his unkindness may defeat my life but never taint my love
- even his stubbornness, his cheeks, his frowns have grace and favour
24
Q
Othello’s attack on Desdemona’s virtue:
A
- I took you for that cunning whore of Venice that married with Othello. You. Mistress.
- this is a subtle whore, a closet lock and key of villainous secrets: and yet she’ll kneel and pray
- Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell
- O thou weed who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet
- thy bed lust stained, shall with lusts blood be spotted
25
Desdemona's death:
1. When I have plucked the rose I cannot give it vital growth again
2. it is the cause, it is the cause, my soul
3. I will kill thee and love thee after
4. I'll not shed her blood nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow and smooth as alabaster
5. put out the light and then put out the light
6. they are cruel tears. This sorrows heavenly, it strikes where it doth love.
7. My wife, my wife. What wife? I have no wife?
8. had all his hairs been lives my great revenge had stomach for them all
9. makest me call what I intend to do a murder, which I thought a sacrifice
26
Desdemona's last words:
1. Alas he is betrayed and I undone
2. Why I should fear I know not, since guiltiness I know not but yet I feel I fear
3. death's unnatural that kills for loving
4. falsely falsely murdered
5. Nobody. I myself. Farewell commend me to my kind lord.
27
Public opinion on Desdemona's death:
1. to the state this heavy act with heavy heart relate
2. Poor desdemon, I am glad thy father's death; thy match was mortal to him
4. more fell than anguish, hunger or the sea; look on the tragic loading of this bed
28
Emilia's contribution at the end of the play:
1. the moor's abused my some most villainous knave
2. for if she not be honest, chaste and true there's no man happy: the purest of their wives is foul as slander
3. eternal villain, some busy and insinuating rogue, some cogging, cozening slave
4. O the more angel she and you the blacker devil
5. thou art rash as fire to say that she was false O she was heavenly true
6. let heaven and men and devils let them all all all cry shame against me
7. you told a lie an odious damned lie
8. I will not charm my tongue I am bound to speak
9. Ill kill myself for grief. O villainy, villainy
29
Iago's contribution at the end of the play:
1. overwhelmed with your grief - a passion most unsuiting such a man
2. work on my medicine work
3. he foams at mouth and by and by breaks out to savage madness
4. do it not with poison, strangle her in her bed even the bed she hath contaminated
5. this is the night that either makes me or fordoes me quite
6. If Cassio do remain he hath a daily beauty in his life that makes me ugly
7. every way makes my gain
8. demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word
30
Othello last words:
1. I say thy husband. Dost understand the word? My friend, thy husband, honest honest Iago.
2. Not Cassio killed? Then murder's out of tune and sweet revenge grows harsh.
3. She's like a liar gone to burning hell. Twas I that killed her.
4. I'd have thee live: for in my sense tis happiness to die
5. must you speak of one that loved not wisely but too well, of one not easily jealous.
6. threw a pearl away
7. nought I did in hate, but all in honour
31
Roderigo quotes:
1. then have we a prescription to die when death is our physician?
2. my sick fool Roderigo
3. no longer endure it + foolishly suffered + wasted myself out of my means
4. I have no great devotion to the deed ... tis but a man gone
5. O damned Iago. O inhuman dog
32
Bianca quotes:
1. I'm no strumpet but of life as honest as you that thus abuse me
2. Oh my dear Cassio. My sweet Cassio. O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio.
33
Ideas of women and marriage:
1. he tonight hath boarded a land carrack if it prove lawful prize he's made forever
2. you rise to play and go to bed to work
3. you are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlours, wildcats in your kitchens and housewives in your beds
4. well: happiness to their sheets
5. You have a thing for me? It is a common thing to have a foolish wife
6. I nothing but to please his fantasy
7. They are all but stomachs and we all but food: they eat us hungerly and when they are full they belch us.
8. a creature that dotes on Cassio - as tis the strumpets plague to beguile many and be beguiled by one
9. And have we not affections? Desires for sport? And fratility as men have?
10. Let husbands know their wives have sense like them
11. we have galls and though we have some grace yet have we some revenge
12. tis proper I obey him: but not now
