Othello Quotes by theme
Pride
A man he is of honesty and trust” Act 1.3 (282)
Othello
“My life upon her faith!” Act 1.3 (291) – Othello
“ The Moor is of a free and open nature, at thinks
men honest that but seem to be so” Act 1.3 (393) –
Iago
Love
"My life upon her faith"- Othello
"The Moor is of a constant, loving, noble nature."
(Line 391, Act 1 Scene 2)
"I do love her too"- Iago about Desdemona
"Lay down my soul at stake"- Emilia when she's
sticking up for Desdemona's honesty.
“And nothing can, or shall, content my soul. Till I am
evened with him, wife for wife” Act 2.1 (289) - Iago "She is indeed perfection"- Cassio about
Desdemona (Act 2 scene 3)
“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost
"My lord you know I love thee" Iago to Othello,
my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of
myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Othello replies "And for I know thou'rt full of love
and honesty"
Iago, my reputation!” Act 2.3 (255) – Cassio
“I will chop her into messes! Cuckold me!” Act 4.1
(199) – Othello
"When I love thee not, chaos is come again"
Othello about Desdemona
Evil
Covering up his actions with fake sympathy- he is
the villain.
“Hell and night Must bring this monstrous birth to
Disturbing and evil- his plan is finally coming into
the world’s light.”
action.
“My lord, you know I love you.”
Pure lies used just to make sure Othello trusts him.
“He holds me well: The better shall my purpose Taking advantage of Othello’s good nature and his
work on him.”
relationship with him.
“I am not what I am.”
His “confession” of his plans for Othello and
revelation that he is more than he seems.
“And do but see his vice”
Iago tells Montano that Cassio is a drunk, even
though he isn’t, all part of his plan! (more lies)
“I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear”
As soon as Iago speaks of this evil (poison) it will go
straight into Othello’s brain and consume him.
Othello has his suspicions he will probably never
trust Desdemona properly again
“Ha! I like not that.”
Drawing attention to the fact that Cassio is with
Desdemona
“Work on my medicine, work!”
As if he has made a medicine himself and is using it
for disturbing reasons
“I hate the Moor.”
One of the only times he is honest, there is no
legitimate reason for him to hate Othello
“She’s the worse for all of this.”
Making Desdemona’s innocent and loving nature
out to be something Othello should use against her
Sexism
Betrayal
Act II Scene I 'You rise to play and go to bed to
Iago- “do it not with poison: strangle her in her
work' –Iago Referring to Emilia as a prostitute.
bed!” act 4, scene 1 Betrays Desdemona, filling
Othello’s head with ideas to kill her and not
Act II Scene I 'I do suspect the lusty moor hath
stopping Othello’s angry thoughts.
leaped into my seat' –Iago Reference to women
being objects.
“O me, Lieutenant! What villains have done this?”
Act III Scene IV 'They are all but stomachs and we all Gratiano- “Fie! Your sword upon a women” Iago
but food; they eat us hungery, and when they are
then stabs Emilia betraying her and their marriage.
full, they belch us' –Emilia She thinks men use
women.
Iago- “work on my medicine, work!” act 4 scene 1
Betrays Othello by filling his head with jealous
Act IV Scene III 'I do think it is their husbands' fault thoughts (medicine)
if wives do fall.' -Emilia
Trust
Jealousy
''my ancient, a man he is of honesty and trust''IAGO “That never set a squadron in the field,
Othello believes Iago is trustworthy.
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster;
''My life upon her faith''-Othello still trusts
Desdemona
IAGO: “I hate the Moor: And it is thought abroad,
that 'twixt my sheets He has done my office: I know
''She did deceive her father marrying you'' - shows
not if't be true; But I, for mere suspicion in that
Desdemona is able to lie
kind, Will do as if for surety.
''In Venice, they do let god see the pranks they dare
not show their husbands''- Iago claims most women
can't be trusted, since most, including Desdemona,
have affairs. Iago takes advantage of Othello’s
isolation tricking him into thinking all Venetian
women are whores
Racism
“an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (Iago –
Act One Scene One)
“thick lips” (Iago – Act One Scene One)
“covered with a Barbary horse” (Iago – Act One
Scene One)
“o, the more angel, she and you the blacker devil”
(Emilia – Act Five Scene Two)
“Your son-in-law is far more fair than black” (Duke –
Act One Scene Three)
“The sooty bosom of such a thing as thou”
(Brabantio – Act One Scene Two)
Othello is constantly referred to as, “the moor” as if
his ethnicity is more important than his name – he’s
isolated by other characters.
IAGO “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the
green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it
feeds on;”
OTHELLO “Why, why is this?
Think'st thou I'd make a life of jealousy,
To follow still the changes of the moon
IAGO “...Yet that I put the Moor
At least into a jealousy so strong
That judgment cannot cure.”
With fresh suspicions?
IAGO "Trifles light as air
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ: this may do something.”
IAGO “The Moor already changes with my poison.
Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons”
EMILIA “Pray heaven it be state-matters, as you
think, And no conception nor no jealous toy
Concerning you”
EMILIA "But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;
They are not ever jealous for the cause,
But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster
Begot upon itself, born on itself.”
DESDAMONA “Is true of mind and made of no such
baseness As jealous creatures are, it were enough
To put him to ill thinking”
IAGO “Jealousy so strong That judgment cannot
cure”