Desdemona Flashcards
Introduction
“the sweetest innocent that e’er did lift up an eye”
Virtue
“for if she be honest, chaste and true, there’s no man happy”
Iago describes Desdemona as “so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition that she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested”
Natural tendency to generosity and supererogation (virtue)
Pleads repeatedly on Cassio’s behalf
“Good love, call him back”
“If i do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it to the last article”
Professes Othello’s innocence even after the has killed her. Emilia asks who killed her and she says”nobody, I myself, farewell”
Innocence
Possesses a child-like innocence. When Othello confronts her in a furry she describes herself as “child chiding”
Unable to believe women can have an affair “That there be women do abuse their husbands in such gross kind”
“I do not think there is such women”
too modest to utter the word “whore”
“Am I that name Iago such as she she says my Lord did say I was”
Purity
utterly devoted to her husband “my heart’s subdued to the utmost pleasure of my lord”
remains loyal to him “his unkindness may defeat my life but never taint my love”
Pure and uncorrupted “I am a Christian”
“preserve this vessel from any hated, foul, unlawful touch”
