Othello: Act 1 scene 2

8/10/2019 Othello: Act 1 scene 2

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Othello

Please see the bottom of this page for full explanatory notes.

ACT ISCENE II

Another street.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendantswith torches.

IAGO Though in the trade of war I have slainmen,

Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience

To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity

Sometimes to do me service: nine or tentimes

I had thought to have yerk'd him hereunder the ribs.

OTHELLO 'Tis better as it is.

IAGO Nay, but he prated,

And spoke such scurvy and provokingterms

Against your honour

That, with the little godliness I have,

I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray you,sir,

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Are you fast married? Be assured of this,

That the magnifico is much beloved,

And hath in his effect a voice potential

As double as the duke's: he will divorceyou;

Or put upon you what restraint andgrievance

The law, with all his might to enforce it on,

Will give him cable.

OTHELLO Let him do his spite:

My services which I have done the

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signiory

Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet toknow,--

Which, when I know that boasting is anhonour,

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I shall promulgate--I fetch my life andbeing

From men of royal siege, and mydemerits

May speak unbonneted to as proud afortune

As this that I have reach'd: for know, Iago,

But that I love the gentle Desdemona,

I would not my unhoused free condition

Put into circumscription and confine

For the sea's worth. But, look! what lightscome yond?

IAGO Those are the raised father and hisfriends:

You were best go in.

OTHELLO Not I I must be found: 30

My parts, my title and my perfect soul

Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?

IAGO By Janus, I think no.

Enter CASSIO, and certain Officers withtorches.

OTHELLO The servants of the duke, and mylieutenant.

The goodness of the night upon you,friends!

What is the news?

CASSIO The duke does greet you, general,

And he requires your haste-post-haste

appearance,

Even on the instant.

OTHELLO What is the matter, think you?

CASSIO Something from Cyprus as I may divine:


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It is a business of some heat: the galleys 40

Have sent a dozen sequent messengers

This very night at one another's heels,

And many of the consuls, raised and met,

Are at the duke's already: you have been

hotly call'd for;

When, being not at your lodging to befound,

The senate hath sent about three severalguests

To search you out.

OTHELLO 'Tis well I am found by you.

I will but spend a word here in the house,

And go with you.

Exit

CASSIO Ancient, what makes he here?

IAGO 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a landcarack:

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If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever.

CASSIO I do not understand.

IAGO He's married.

CASSIO To who?

Re-enter OTHELLO.

IAGO Marry, to--Come, captain, will you go?

OTHELLO Have with you.

CASSIO Here comes another troop to seek foryou.

IAGO It is Brabantio. General, be advised;

He comes to bad intent.

Enter BRABANTIO, RODERIGO, and

Officers with torches and weapons.

OTHELLO Holla! stand there!

RODERIGO Signior, it is the Moor.

BRABANTIO Down with him, thief!


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They draw on both sides

IAGO You, Roderigo! come, sir, I am for you.

OTHELLO Keep up your bright swords, for the dewwill rust them.

Good signior, you shall more commandwith years

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Than with your weapons.BRABANTIO O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd

my daughter?

Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchantedher;

For I'll refer me to all things of sense,

If she in chains of magic were not bound,

Whether a maid so tender, fair and happy,

So opposite to marriage that she shunned

The wealthy curled darlings of our nation,

Would ever have, to incur a generalmock,

Run from her guardage to the sootybosom

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Of such a thing as thou, to fear, not todelight.

Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross insense

That thou hast practised on her with foulcharms,

Abused her delicate youth with drugs or

minerals

That weaken motion: I'll have't disputedon;

'Tis probable and palpable to thinking.

I therefore apprehend and do attach thee

For an abuser of the world, a practiser

Of arts inhibited and out of warrant.

Lay hold upon him: if he do resist, 80

Subdue him at his peril.

OTHELLO Hold your hands,


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Both you of my inclining, and the rest:

Were it my cue to fight, I should haveknown it

Without a prompter. Where will you that Igo

To answer this your charge?

BRABANTIO To prison, till fit timeOf law and course of direct session

Call thee to answer.

OTHELLO What if I do obey?

How may the duke be therewith satisfied,

Whose messengers are here about myside,

Upon some present business of the state 90

To bring me to him?

First Officer 'Tis true, most worthy signior;

The duke's in council and your noble self,

I am sure, is sent for.

BRABANTIO How! the duke in council!In this time of the night! Bring him away:

Mine's not an idle cause: the dukehimself,

Or any of my brothers of the state,

Cannot but feel this wrong as 'twere theirown;

For if such actions may have passagefree,

Bond-slaves and pagans shall ourstatesmen be.

Exeunt

Othello, Act 1, Scene 3

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Explanatory Notes for Act 1, Scene 2

From Othello. Ed. Brainerd Kellogg. New York: Clark & Maynard.
http://plays/othello_1_3.html


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Abbreviations. A.-S. = Anglo-Saxon: M.E. = Middle English (fromthe 13th to the 15th century) ; Fr. = French ; Ger. = German ; Gr. =Greek ; Cf. = compare (Lat. confer) ; Abbott refers to the excellentShakespearean Grammar of Dr. Abbott; Schmidt, to Dr. Schmidt'sinvaluable Shakespeare Lexicon.

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2. Stuff, the essential point.

5.Yerk'd, to strike. Derived possibly fromjerk.

9. I scarcely tolerated him.

12. The magnifico i.e., Brabantio has practically twice as muchinfluence as the Doge.

17. Cable, from capere to hold; through Low Latin caplum, aholding-rope.

19. To know. Act. inf. for passive.

21. I am of high birth.

22. Demerits. A negative word, used in both senses. Cf. "Opinionshall of his demerits rob Cominius." Coriolanus, i.I. 276.

26, 27. I, now free, would not tie myself.

31. Parts, disposition or talents.

41. Sequent, one after another.

43. Consuls, counsellors.

50. Carack, or carrack, O.F. carraque, a ship of burden.

52. To who?In the Elizabethan period there was much confusion

respecting the case-forms of the interrogative and. other pronouns.

53. Marry, by the Virgin Mary. The pun is probably intentional,though Shakespeare was dropping the habit.

60. Your words, as those of an old man, will do more than yourweapons.

71. Fear and delight. Possibly nouns, but more probably, asAbbott, "Thou a thing (fit) to fear, not to delight."

73. The use of philtres, or drugs, to produce feelings of love, wascommon among the ancients.

75. Readings vary between weakenand waken. The latter is theeasier to understand, and therefore less likely to have been altered.


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76. Probable, in its more strict sense, admitting proof. Palpable,that can be felt.

82. Of my inclining, who lean towards me.

83. Cue, derived from French queue, a tail. A stage word, the endof one speech waited for by the actor who has to carry on thedialogue without interrupting.

91. The officer addresses Brabantio.

98. If we tolerate such an offence against our dignity, we shall soonlose it.

How to cite the explanatory notes:

Shakespeare, William. Othello. Ed. Brainerd Kellogg.New York: Clark & Maynard, 1892. Shakespeare

Online. 20 Feb. 2010. (date when you accessed theinformation) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/othello_1_2.html >.

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Othello: Act 1 scene 2

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