Othello

I’ll do everything I can for you, Cassio.

Please do, madam. My husband’s so upset about Cassio’s problem you’d think it was his own.

Your husband’s such a good man. Don’t worry, Cassio. I’m sure you and my husband will be as friendly as you were before.

My dear beautiful lady, whatever happens to Michael Cassio, he’ll always be your humble servant.

I know that. Thank you. You’re my husband’s friend and you’ve known him a long time. I assure you the only reason he’s keeping away from you now is political.

Yes, my lady. But those political considerations might last such a long time that the general will forget my love and service, especially if I’m gone and someone else has my job.

That’ll never happen. Emilia here will be my witness: I promise you that you’ll get your position back again. And if I promise to help someone, I do everything I can. My husband will never get a moment’s rest, I’ll keep him up at night talking about you until he runs out of patience. He will think that his bed has become a conference table for discussing your problem—he won’t be able to get away from it. I’ll bring up your name at every moment. So cheer up. I’m your advocate, and I’d rather die than give up on you.

Madam, here comes your husband.

Madam, I’d better leave now.

Why not stay and hear me talk to him?

No, madam. I’m very uncomfortable, and that won’t help my case.

Well, do whatever you think best.

Hey! I don’t like that.

What did you say?

Nothing, my lord, or if I did—I don’t know what.

Wasn’t that Cassio leaving my wife?

Cassio, my lord? No, I don’t think so. He wouldn’t sneak away looking so guilty when he saw you coming.

I really think it was him.

What’s this, my lord? I was talking to a petitioner here just now, someone who’s suffering from your anger.

Who do you mean?

Your lieutenant, Cassio. Oh, if I’ve got any influence over you at all, please patch things up with him. In my judgment, this man truly loves you, and his mistake was innocent rather than wicked. Please call him and tell him to come back here.

Was that him just now?

Yes. He feels so bad and humble that I feel bad along with him. My love, call him back in here.

Not now, my sweet Desdemona. Some other time.

But will it be soon?

Very soon, because you want it.

Will it be tonight at supper?

No, not tonight.

Then tomorrow at dinner?

I won’t be eating dinner at home. I’ll be meeting the captains at the citadel.

Well then, tomorrow night, or Tuesday morning. Or Tuesday noon or at night, or Wednesday morning. Please just name a time, but don’t wait more than three days. He’s very sorry. His mistake was hardly worth punishing him for in the first place—though in wartime it is sometimes necessary to make examples out of even the best soldiers. So when should he come? Tell me, Othello. I can’t imagine you asking me for something and me telling you no or standing there muttering. Michael Cassio came with you when you were trying to win my love. Sometimes I’d criticize you to him, and he’d defend you. And now I have to make this big fuss about bringing him back? I swear, I could do so much—

Please, no more. He can come whenever he wants. I won’t refuse you anything.

Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor! This is like if I asked you to wear your gloves when it’s cold outside, or eat nutritious food, or do something that’s good for you. If I ever have to ask you for something that will put your luck to the test, it’ll be something difficult and terrible.

I won’t deny you anything! But in return, please, do one thing for me: leave me alone for a little while.

Would I ever deny you anything? No. Goodbye, my husband.

Goodbye, my Desdemona. I’ll come see you right away.

Come here, Emilia.—Do whatever you feel like doing, my husband, and I’ll obey you.

What a wonderful girl! God help me, I love you! And when I stop loving you, the universe will fall back into the chaos that was there when time began.

My noble lord—

What is it, Iago?

When you were wooing Desdemona, did Michael Cassio know about it?

Yes, he knew about it the whole time. Why do you ask?

I was just curious. No reason.

Why are you curious, Iago?

I didn’t realize he knew her.

Oh, yes. He carried messages back and forth between us very often.

Oh, really?

Oh, really? Yes, really. Do you see something wrong with that? Isn’t he an honest man?

Honest, my lord?

Honest, yes, honest.

As far as I know, sir.

What are you thinking?

Thinking, my lord?

“Thinking, my lord?” My God, you keep repeating everything I say as if you were thinking something too horrible to say out loud. You’re thinking something. Just a minute ago I heard you say you didn’t like it when Cassio left my wife. What didn’t you like? And when I told you he was involved the whole time I was trying to get Desdemona, you were like, “Oh, really?” And then you frowned and wrinkled up your foreheard as if you were imagining something horrible. If you’re my friend, tell me what you’re thinking.

My lord, you know I’m your friend.

I think you are. And I know you’re full of love and honesty, and you think carefully before you speak. That’s why these pauses of yours frighten me. If some fool were withholding things from me, I wouldn’t think twice about it. If some lying, cheating villain acted like that, it would just be a trick. But when an honest man acts like that, you know he’s wrestling with bad thoughts and can’t help it.

As for Michael Cassio, I think it would be safe for me to swear that he’s honest.

I think so too.

People should be what they appear to be. If they’re not honest, they shouldn’t look like they are!

Absolutely, people should be what they appear to be.

In that case, I think Cassio’s an honest man.

No, I think there’s more to this than you’re letting on. Please tell me what you’re thinking—even your worst suspicions.

Please don’t make me do that, sir. I have to obey all your orders, but surely I’m not obligated to reveal my deepest thoughts—even slaves aren’t expected to do that. You want me to say what I’m thinking? What if my thoughts are disgusting and wrong? Even good people think horrible things sometimes. Who is so pure that they never think a bad thought?

You’re not being a good friend, Iago, if you even think your friend has been wronged and you don’t tell him about it.

Please don’t ask me to tell you. I might be completely wrong. I have a bad tendency to be suspicious of people and to look too closely into what they’re doing. Often I imagine crimes that aren’t really there. You would be wise to ignore my weak guesses and imaginary suspicions, and don’t worry yourself about the meaningless things I’ve noticed. For me to tell you my thoughts would only destroy your peace of mind, and it wouldn’t be wise, honest, or responsible for me to tell them.

What are you talking about?

A good reputation is the most valuable thing we have—men and women alike. If you steal my money, you’re just stealing trash. It’s something, it’s nothing: it’s yours, it’s mine, and it’ll belong to thousands more. But if you steal my reputation, you’re robbing me of something that doesn’t make you richer, but makes me much poorer.

I’m going to find out what you’re thinking.

You can’t find that out, even if you held my heart in your hand you couldn’t make me tell you. And as long my heart’s inside my body, you never will.

What?

Beware of jealousy, my lord! It’s a green-eyed monster that makes fun of the victims it devours. The man who knows his wife is cheating on him is happy, because at least he isn’t friends with the man she’s sleeping with. But think of the unhappiness of a man who worships his wife, yet doubts her faithfulness. He suspects her, but still loves her.

Oh, what misery!

The person who’s poor and contented is rich enough. But infinite riches are nothing to someone who’s always afraid he’ll be poor. God, help us not be jealous!

Why are you telling me this? Do you think I would live a life of jealousy, tormented by new suspicions every hour? No. If there’s any doubt, there is no doubt. I might as well be a goat if I ever let myself become obsessed with the kind of suspicions you’re implying. If you say my wife is beautiful, eats well, loves good company, speaks freely, sings, plays music, and dances well, you’re not making me jealous. When a woman is virtuous, talents like these just make her better. And I’m not going to start feeling inferior. She had her eyes wide open when she chose me. No, Iago, I’ll have to see some real evidence before I start suspecting her of anything bad, and when I suspect her, I’ll look for proof, and if there’s proof, that’s when I’ll let go of my love and my jealousy.

I’m glad to hear you say that. Now I can show you my devotion and my duty with more honesty. So please listen to me. I’m not talking about proof yet. Watch your wife. Watch how she is with Cassio. Just watch—don’t be either completely suspicious or completely trustful. I wouldn’t want to see you taken advantage of because you’re such an open and trusting guy. Watch out! I know the people of Venice well. They let God see things they wouldn’t show their husbands. They don’t avoid doing things that are wrong, they just try not to get caught.

Do you really think so?

She lied to her father to marry you. And when she pretended to be afraid of you, she loved you the most.

That’s right, she did.

Well, there you go. She was so young, but she deceived her father so thoroughly he thought it was witchcraft! But I’m sorry I’ve blurted all this out. I beg your pardon for loving you too much.

I’m indebted to you forever.

You seem a little depressed about this.

Not at all, not at all.

Really, I’m afraid you are. I hope you remember that I said all this because I love you. But I see you’re troubled. Please don’t take what I said more seriously than it deserves to be taken.

I won’t.

If you take it too seriously, it’ll have bad effects that I didn’t want it to have. Cassio’s a good friend of mine—My lord, I can see you’re upset.

No, not too upset. I’m sure Desdemona would never cheat on me.

I hope she never does! And I hope you keep on thinking she wouldn’t.

But still, it’s true that good things can go bad, away from their true natures—

That’s the point I’m trying to make. If I can be frank with you, she veered away from her own nature in turning down all those young men from her own country, with her skin color, with her status—everything her nature would have drawn her to—Ugh! You can almost smell the dark and ugly desires inside her, the unnatural thoughts—But—I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to refer to her specifically just now. I only worry that she might snap back to her natural taste in men one day, and compare you unfavorably to other Italians.

Goodbye, goodbye. If you see anything else, let me know. Tell your wife to watch her. Leave me alone now, Iago.

My lord, I’ll say goodbye now. (beginning to exit)

(to himself) Why did I ever get married? I’m sure this good and honest man sees and knows more, much more, than he’s telling me.

(returning) My lord, please don’t think about this any more. Time will tell. It’s right for Cassio to have his lieutenancy back—he’s very talented. But keep him away for a while, and you’ll see how he goes about getting it back. Notice whether your wife insists on your giving it back to him. That will tell you a lot. But in the meantime, just assume that I’m paranoid—as I’m pretty sure I am—and keep thinking she’s innocent, please.

Don’t worry about how I handle it.

I’ll say goodbye once more.

This Iago is extremely honest and good, and he knows a lot about human behavior. If it turns out that she really is running around on me, I’ll send her away, even though it’ll break my heart. Maybe because I’m black, and I don’t have nice manners like courtiers do, or because I’m getting old—but that’s not much—She’s gone, and I’ve been cheated on. I have no choice but to hate her. Oh what a curse marriage is! We think our beautiful wives belong to us, but their desires are free! I’d rather be a toad in a moldy basement than to have only a part of someone I love, sharing the rest of her with others. This is the plague of important men—our wives betray us more than those of poor men. It’s our destiny, like death. We are destined to be betrayed when we are born. Oh, here she comes.

If she’s cheated on me, then heaven itself is a fake. I don’t believe it.

What’s going on, Othello, darling? The nobles of Cyprus whom you invited to dinner are waiting for you.

I’m sorry.

Why are you whispering? Are you sick?

I have a headache, right here in my forehead.

That’s from lack of sleep. It’ll go away. Let me wrap up your head, and it will feel okay in less than an hour. (she pulls out a handkerchief)

No, your handkerchief’s too little. Leave my head alone.

Come on, I’ll escort you to dinner.

I’m very sorry you’re not feeling well.

(picking up the handkerchief) I’m glad I found this handkerchief. It’s the first keepsake the Moor gave her. My stubborn husband has asked me to steal it a hundred times. But she loves it so much (since Othello told her she should always keep it with her) that she always keeps it near her to kiss it and talk to it. I’ll copy the embroidery pattern and then give it to Iago. Heaven knows what he’s going to do with it. I only try to satisfy his whims.

What’s going on? What are you doing here alone?

Don’t snap at me. I’ve got something for you.

You’ve got something for me? It’s a common thing—

What?

—to have a stupid wife.

Oh, is that so? And what would you give me for the handkerchief?

What handkerchief?

What handkerchief? The one the Moor gave to Desdemona, which you asked me to steal so many times.

You stole it from her?

No, actually. She dropped it carelessly, and, seizing the opportunity, since I was here, I picked it up. Look, here it is.

Good girl, give it to me.

And what are you going to do with it? Why did you want it so much that you begged me to steal it?

What’s it to you?

If you don’t need it for some important reason, then give it back to me. Poor lady, she’ll go crazy when she sees it’s missing.

Don’t admit to knowing anything about it. I need it. Now go, leave me.

I’ll leave this handkerchief at Cassio’s house and let him find it.To a jealous man, a meaningless little thing like this looks like absolute proof. This handkerchief may be useful to me. The Moor’s mind has already become infected with my poisonous suggestions. Ideas can be like poisons. At first they hardly even taste bad, but once they get into your blood they start burning like hot lava.

Here he comes. No drugs or sleeping pills will ever give you the restful sleep that you had last night.

Argh! She’s cheating on me?

Oh, general, please, no more of that!

Get lost! You’ve tortured me with these thoughts. It is better to be tricked completely than to only suspect a little.

What’s with you, my lord?

I had no idea she was cheating on me. I never saw it or suspected it, so it never hurt me. I slept well, ate well, and was happy. I never saw Cassio’s kisses on her lips. A man who’s robbed, but doesn’t miss what’s stolen, isn’t robbed at all.

I’m sorry to hear this.

I would’ve been happy if the whole army had had sex with her, the lowest-ranking grunts and all, as long as I didn’t know anything about it. Oh, goodbye to my peace of mind! Goodbye to my happiness! Goodbye to the soldiers and to the wars that make men great! Goodbye! Goodbye to the horses and the trumpets and the drums, the flute and the splendid banners, and all those proud displays and pageantry of war! And you deadly cannons that roar like thunderbolts thrown by the gods, goodbye! Othello’s career is over.

Is this possible, my lord?

You villain, you’d better be able to prove my wife’s a whore! Be sure of it. Get me proof I can see. If you can’t, trust me, you won’t want to feel my rage!

Has it come to this?

Show me, or at least prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt. If you can’t, your life is worthless!

My noble lord—

If you’re slandering her just to torture me, then it’ll be no use to pray for mercy or say you’re sorry. You might as well go ahead and commit every unspeakable crime you can think of, because there’s nothing you could that would top what you’ve already done!

Oh, heaven help me! Aren’t you a rational human being? Don’t you have any sense at all? Goodbye. I resign my official position. I’m such an idiot for always telling the truth! What a horrible world we live in! Listen, pay attention, everybody. It’s not safe to be straightforward and honest. I’m glad you’ve taught me this valuable lesson. From now on, I’ll never try to help a friend when it hurts him so much to hear the truth.

No, stop. You should always be honest.

I should always be wise. Honesty’s stupid, it makes me lose my friends even when I’m trying to help them.

I swear, I think my wife’s faithful, and I think she’s not. I think you’re trustworthy one minute and then not the next. I need proof! Her reputation was as pure as the snow, but now it’s as dirty and black as my own face. As long as there are ropes, knives, poison, fire, or streams to drown in , I won’t stand for this. Oh, how I wish I knew the truth!

I see you’re all eaten up with emotion. I’m sorry I said anything. You want proof?

Want? Yes, I want it, and I’ll get it.

But how? How will you get proof? Are you going to hide and watch them having sex?

Death and damnation! Oh!

I think it would be very hard to arrange for them to have sex while you watched. If anyone sees them in bed together besides themselves, I guess we could damn them then. So what can we do? What can I say? What proof is there? It’d be impossible for you to watch them, even if they were as horny as animals in heat and as stupid as drunks. But if you would be willing to accept circumstantial evidence as proof, we can get that.

Give me one good reason to think she’s cheating on me.

I don’t like what you’re asking me to do. But since I’ve gotten myself involved this far, because I’m so stupidly honest and because I like you so much, I’ll keep going. I recently shared a bed with Cassio, and I couldn’t sleep because of a raging toothache. Well, some people talk in their sleep, and Cassio is one of them. I heard him saying, “Sweet Desdemona, let’s be careful and hide our love,” in his sleep. And then he grabbed my hand and said, “Oh, my darling!” and kissed me hard, as if he were trying to suck my lips off. Then he put his leg over mine, and sighed and kissed me, and said, “Damn fate for giving you to the Moor!”

Oh, that’s monstrous! Monstrous!

No, it was just a dream.

But it shows that something has already happened.

It’s a reason for suspicion, even though it’s just a dream. And it might back up other evidence that may seem too flimsy.

I’ll tear her to pieces!

No, be reasonable. We don’t have any proof yet. She might still be faithful. Just tell me this: have you ever seen her holding a handkerchief with an embroidered strawberry pattern on it?

Yes, I gave her one like that. It was my first gift to her.

I don’t know about that, but I saw a handkerchief like that today. I’m sure it belongs to your wife, and I saw Cassio use it to wipe his beard.

If it’s the same one—

If it’s the same one, or any one that belongs to her, then together with the other evidence it’s pretty strong.

Oh, I’d kill that bastard Cassio forty thousand times if I could! Killing him once is not enough revenge. Now I see it’s true. Oh, Iago, all the love I felt is gone, vanished in the wind. Welcome, hatred and vengeance! Get out of my heart, love! My heart feels like it’s full of poisonous snakes!

Calm down—

I want blood!

Be patient, I’m telling you. You may change your mind later.

Never, Iago. My thoughts of revenge are flowing through me like a violent river, never turning back to love, only flowing toward full revenge that’ll swallow them up. I swear to God I’ll get revenge. (he kneels)

Don’t get up yet. Let heaven be my witness—I’m putting my mind, my heart, and my hands in Othello’s control. Let him command me, and I’ll do whatever he asks, no matter how violent.

I accept your devotion with my deepest love. I’ll put you to the test right away. Within the next three days I want to hear you tell me that Cassio’s dead.

My friend Cassio is dead. It’s done, because you request it. But let her live.

Damn her, the wicked whore! Oh, damn her, damn her! Come away with me. I’m going inside to think up some way to kill that beautiful devil. You’re my lieutenant now.

I’m yours forever.