Othello Quotes

Question 1

“I am what I am”

Answer 1

Iago (on stage: Iago, Roderigo) - A1 S1

• Hidden blasphemy - God’s statement in the Bible ‘I am what I am’ - juxtaposes Iago against God, introducing his devilish character to the audience - impacts the Christians that would have been in the audience
• Iago has not become his true devious self yet

Question 2

“You’re robbed… an old black ram is tupping your white ewe!”

Answer 2

Iago to Brabantio at his window (on stage with Roderigo and Brabantio, outside Brabantio’s house) - A1 S1

• “you’re robbed” - patriarchy - Desdemona is an item to be taken
• “black ram” - dark, evil undertones - proleptic irony, audience knows that Iago is the villain yet Brabantio believes it is Othello
• “white ewe” - purity and innocence to contrast Desdemona with Othello
• This quote encapsulates the racist and misogynistic undertones of the play

Question 3

“What tell’st thou me of robbing? This is Venice”

Answer 3

Brabantio (on stage with Roderigo and Iago) - A1 S1

• Venice was a safe, well-respected city in this era

Question 4

“Trust not your daughters’ minds”

Answer 4

Brabantio to Roderigo (on stage with Roderigo and servants with torches, about to find Othello) - A1 S1

• Patriarchal - women (specifically Desdemona) can’t be trusted
• Foreshadows Othello not trusting or believing Desdemona

Question 5

“Thou hast enchanted her… if she in chains of magic”

Answer 5

Brabantio to Othello, after ambushing him at his lodgings (on stage with Othello, Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Attendants and Officers) - A1 S2

Accusing Othello of using witchcraft to attract Desdemona
- associated with black people in the Elizabethan era - Witchcraft Act 1604
- belittling Othello as Desdemona had many other options - it is impossible that she would voluntarily choose a black man
- highlights the racist divide - Brabantio is interested in hearing Othello’s stories, but this fascination is disposed once Othello has ‘infiltrated’ and is almost on the same level as Brabantio - there will always be a racism undertone

Question 6

“The duke does greet you, general, and he requires your haste-post-appearance”

Answer 6

Cassio to Othello at his lodgings (on stage with Othello, Iago and Officers) - A1 S2

• The Duke has requested Othello’s presence

Question 7

“Thou hast practised on her with foul charms”

Answer 7

Brabantio to Othello, after ambushing him at his lodgings (on stage with Othello, Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Attendants and Officers) - A1 S2

• dramatic irony - Othello here is painted as the villain, however, it is Iago who has ‘cast a spell’ on the characters, to make them believe he is “honest Iago”

Question 8

“She is abused, stolen from me and corrupted by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks”

Answer 8

Brabantio to the Duke and Senator 1 (on stage with the Duke, Senators, Sailor, Messanger, Othello, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• Reiterating his hatred for Othello
• “mountebanks” - con artists

Question 9

Start of A1 S3 ab the war progressing

Question 10

“Did you… poison this young maid’s affections?”

Answer 10

Senator 1 to Othello (on stage with Othello, Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Sailor, Messanger, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• asks if Othello poisoned/interfered with Desdemona’s affections and deformed the natural
• it was natural inclination for a white woman to marry a white man in the Elizabethan era

Question 11

“How I did thrive in this fair lady’s love and she in mine… Her father loved me, oft invited me, still questioned me the story of my life”

Answer 11

Othello to the Duke/the room (on stage with Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Cassio and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• Othello and Brabantio were friends and Othello would tell him his life stories, however Brabantio still saw Othello as inferior
• Shows Iago’s power of manipulation, to turn people against one another
• Othello recounting his life stories are the ‘charms’ that attracted Desdemona

Question 12

“Being… sold to slavery”

Answer 12

Othello to the Duke/the room (on stage with Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Cassio and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• Othello had a tough life and worked his way up to have power - admiration and sympathy from Desdemona
• Sparks catharsis in audience

Question 13

“She loved me for the dangers I had passed and I loved that she did pity them”

Answer 13

Othello to the Duke/the room (on stage with Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Cassio and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• Othello and Desdemona’s relationship is based on pity, with no grasp on reality or the repercussions of their love
• implies that you have to go through struggle to be a man - gender roles in Othello
• Desdemona’s lack of exposure to the world - eager to marry Othello as she will gain freedom - no grasp on reality

Question 14

“This is the only witchcraft I have used”

Answer 14

Othello to the Duke/the room (on stage with Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Cassio and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• denying the witchcraft allegations from Brabantio

Question 15

“So much duty my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father… I may profess due to the Moor”

Answer 15

Desdemona to Brabantio (on stage with Othello, Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Cassio, Iago, Attendants and Roderigo) - A1 S3- A1 S3

• shifts her alliance to Othello instead of Brabantio
• irony - she gains freedom by marrying Othello, yet this leads to her downfall

Question 16

“For your sake, jewel, I am glad at soul I have no other child”

Answer 16

Brabantio to Desdemona (on stage with Othello, Desdemona, Duke, Senators, Officers, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• poor treatment of women
• “jewel” - objectifying Desdemona to a high value asset to flaunt and trade/be in possession of

Question 17

“I humbly beseech you”

Answer 17

Brabantio to the Duke (on stage with Othello, Desdemona, Duke, Senators, Officers, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo) - A1 S3

• in rhyming couplets - depicts high class - the Duke has his asserted power over Brabantio

Question 18

“That I did love the Moor to live with him - My downright violence and scorn of fortunes”

Answer 18

Desdemona to the Duke (on stage with Othello, Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Officers, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo)- A1 S3

• Desdemona is aware that Othello is viewed as ‘different’
• “violence” - foreshadows her violent death
• “scorn of fortunes” - by choosing free will and challenging fate, Desdemona will be punished - irony in that she believed she was gaining freedom

Question 19

“I saw Othello’s visage in his mind”

Answer 19

Desdemona to the Duke (on stage with Othello, Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Officers, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo)- A1 S3

• fascination in Othello’s stories

Question 20

“A moth of peace, and he go to the war, the rites for which I love him are bereft me”

Answer 20

Desdemona to the Duke (on stage with Othello,Brabantio, Duke, Senators, Officers, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo)- A1 S3

• “a moth of peace” - a moth (Desdemona) is attracted to the light (Othello) - she believes he is good - if Othello goes to war, Desdemona will be a moth left in the dark (without freedom and light)
• “the rites” - a practice within religion - her love for Othello is intense

Question 21

“Your son-in-law is far more fair than black”

Answer 21

The Duke to Brabantio (on stage with Othello, Desdemona, Brabantio, Senators, Officers, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo)- A1 S3

• Othello is good despite racial stereotypes
• racism is a consistent undertone - Othello has to be separated from his race in order to be perceived as “fair” and good

Question 22

“She has deceived her father, and may thee”

Answer 22

Brabantio to Othello (on stage with Othello, Desdemona, Duke, Senators, Officers, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo)- A1 S3

• Desdemona could betray Othello - plants doubt in Othello

Question 23

“If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poison another of sensuality, the blood and baseless of our natures would conduct us to most preposterous conclusions”

Answer 23

Iago to Roderigo (on stage with Roderigo) - A1 S3

• balance of reason and sensuality (logic vs emotions) - foreshadows Othello’s hamartia as he lacked reason/logic
• Iago is speaking in prose, which he uses comically and when he is lying

Question 24

“These Moors”

Answer 24

Iago to Roderigo (on stage with Roderigo) - A1 S3

• groups black people together - ignorance - Othello is defined by the ‘negative’ connotations of black people in the Elizabethan era

Question 25

“Therefore, put money in thy purse”

Answer 25

Iago to Roderigo - A1 S3

• Roderigo has wealth to gain what he wants (Desdemona)
• Iago can exploit this

Question 26

“There are many events in the womb of time, which will be delivered”

Answer 26

Iago to Roderigo - A1 S3

• once Desdemona and Othello have had sex a few times, Desdemona will get bored and Roderigo can have her - objectifying women for men’s possession

Question 27

“Abuse Othello’s ear that he is too familiar with his wife”

Answer 27

Iago in a soliloquy - end of A1 S3

• reveals his plan of filling Othello’s ear with lies after gaining his trust

Question 28

“I hate the Moor… I know not if’s be true, but I for mere suspicion in that kind will do as if for surety”

Answer 28

Iago in a soliloquy - end of A1 S3

• Iago thinks Othello may have had an affair with Emilia, but he knows this may not be true

Question 29

“The Moor is of a free and open nature that thinks men honest that seem to be so”

Answer 29

Iago in a soliloquy - end of A1 S3

• Iago plans to exploit Othello’s good nature to succeed in his plan to destroy Othello

Question 30

“Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light”

Answer 30

Iago in a soliloquy - end of A1 S3

• Emphasizes Iago’s satanic character
• Iago will bring out the villainy in Othello