CHARACTER OF OTHELLO
Find evidence to support how each of the following quotes shows us a stage in Othello’s development as
a character. Use the notes you already have to help you with this.
QUOTE
Keep up your bright swords for
the dew will rust them.
Rude am I in my speech and
little blessed with the soft phrase
of peace.
Your son-in-law is far more fair
than black.
The Moor is of a free and open
nature that thinks men honest
but that seem to be so, and will
as tenderly be led by the nose as
asses are.
O, my fair warrior!
The Moor….is of a constant,
loving, noble nature
Now by heaven my blood begins
my safer guides to rule
Excellent wretch! Perdition
catch my soul But I do love thee;
and when I love thee not, Chaos
is come again.
No, Iago, I’ll see before I doubt;
when I doubt, prove; And on the
proof, there is no more but this:
away at once with love or
jealousy
And yet how nature erring from
itself
Why did I marry?
..or for I am declined Into the
vale of years…
She’s gone, I am abused, and my
relief Must be to loathe her
O curse of marriage, That we
can call these creatures ours and
not their appetites!
If she be false, O then heaven
mocks itself; I’ll not believe it.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
LINKS TO OTHER ASPECTS
Give me the ocular proof.
Farewell the tranquil mind!
Farewell content!....Pride, pomp
and circumstance of glorious
war.
I’ll tear her all to pieces
Arise black vengeance, from the
hollow cell!
Damn her lewd minx! O, damn
her!
Hot, hot and moist
My lord is not my lord
I will chop her into messes.
Cuckold me!
Devil (he strikes D.) O devil,
devil! If that the earth would
teem with woman’s tears, Each
drop she falls would prove a
crocodile.
O, well-painted passion!
This is a subtle whore,
Heaven truly knows that thou art
false as hell.
Was this fair paper, this most
goodly book made to write
‘whore’ upon?
It is the cause, it is the cause my
soul:
I would not kill thy soul
O perjured woman! Thou dost
stone my heart, and mak’st me
call what I intend to do A
murder, which I thought a
sacrifice.
She turned to folly and she was a
whore/ She was as false as
water.
O ill-starred wench…cold, cold
my girl, Even like thy chastity
For nought did I in hate but all in
honour.
Then you must speak Of one that
loved not wisely but too well; of
one not easily jealous but, being
wrought, Perplexed in the
extreme……