No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -28-
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Does challenge much respect.—Come, Desdemona,
Once more, well met at Cyprus.
Exeunt OTHELLO, DESDEMONA, and attendants
OTHELLO, DESDEMONA, and attendants exit.
IAGO
Do thou meet me presently at the harbor.—Come
hither. If thou be’st valiant, as they say base men
being in love have then a nobility in their natures
more than is native to them, list me. The lieutenant
tonight watches on the court of guard. First, I must
tell thee this: Desdemona is directly in love with him.
IAGO
Meet me down at the harbor.—Come here. They
say love makes cowards brave. So if you’re
brave, listen to me. Lieutenant Cassio will be on
guard duty tonight. But first, I have to tell you that
Desdemona’s completely in love with him.
Act 2, Scene 1, Page 11
RODERIGO
With him? Why, ’tis not possible.
RODERIGO
With Cassio? That’s impossible.
IAGO
Lay thy finger thus, and let thy soul be instructed.
Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor,
but for bragging and telling her fantastical lies. To
love him still for prating? Let not thy discreet heart
think it. Her eye must be fed, and what delight shall
she have to look on the devil? When the blood is
made dull with the act of sport, there should be a
game to inflame it and to give satiety a fresh
appetite, loveliness in favor, sympathy in years,
manners and beauties. All which the Moor is
defective in. Now for want of these required
conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itself
abused, begin to heave the gorge, disrelish and
abhor the Moor. Very nature will instruct her in it and
compel her to some second choice. Now sir, this
granted—as it is a most pregnant and unforced
position—who stands so eminent in the degree of
this fortune as Cassio does? A knave very voluble,
no further conscionable than in putting on the mere
form of civil and humane seeming, for the better
compassing of his salt and most hidden loose
affection. Why, none, why, none! A slipper and
subtle knave, a finder of occasions that has an eye,
can stamp and counterfeit advantages, though true
advantage never present itself. A devilish knave.
Besides, the knave is handsome, young, and hath all
those requisites in him that folly and green minds
look after. A pestilent complete knave, and the
woman hath found him already.
IAGO
Be quiet and listen to me. Remember how she
fell madly in love with the Moor because he
bragged and told her made-up stories? Did you
expect her to keep on loving him for his
chattering? You’re too smart to think that. No,
she needs someone nice-looking. Othello’s ugly,
what pleasure could she find in him?
Lovemaking gets boring after a while. To keep
things hot, she’ll need to see someone with a
handsome face, someone close to her in age,
someone who looks and acts like her. Othello
isn’t any of those things. Since he doesn’t have
these advantages to make him attractive to her,
she’ll get sick of him until he makes her want to
puke. She’ll start looking around for a second
choice. Now, if that’s true—and it’s obviously
true—who’s in a better position than Cassio?
He’s a smooth talker, and uses sophistication
and fine manners to hide his lust. Nobody’s as
crafty as he is. Besides, he’s young and
handsome, and he’s got all the qualities that
naïve and silly girls go for. He’s a bad boy, and
Desdemona’s got her eye on him already.
RODERIGO
I cannot believe that in her. She’s full of most
blessed condition.
RODERIGO
I can’t believe that. She’s not that kind of woman.
She’s very moral.
IAGO
Blessed fig’s-end! The wine she drinks is made of
grapes. If she had been blessed, she would never
have loved the Moor. Blessed pudding! Didst thou
not see her paddle with the palm of his hand? Didst
not mark that?
IAGO
Like hell she is! She’s made of the same flesh
and blood as everyone else. If she were so
moral, she would never have fallen in love with
the Moor in the first place. Good lord! Did you
notice how she and Cassio were fondling each