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Othello - Act 3, scene 4
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Othello - Act 3, scene 4Act 3, scene 4
Scene 4
Synopsis:
Desdemona, still actively seeking to have Cassio reinstated, is worried about the loss of her handkerchief. Her anxiety about it increases when Othello asks her for it and then sternly rebukes her when she cannot produce it. Cassio approaches her, but she must now, because of Othello’s anger, postpone her efforts on his behalf. As he waits, Bianca, his lover, appears. Cassio has found Desdemona’s handkerchief in his room (placed there by Iago) and he asks Bianca to copy the embroidery work for him.
Enter Desdemona, Emilia, and Clown.DESDEMONA 2150 Do you know, sirrah, where Lieutenant
2151 Cassio lies?
CLOWN 2152 I dare not say he lies anywhere.
DESDEMONA 2153 Why, man?
CLOWN 2154 5He’s a soldier, and for me to say a soldier lies,
2155 ’tis stabbing.
p.
153
DESDEMONA
2156
Go to! Where lodges he?[CLOWN 2157 To tell you where he lodges is to tell you
2158 where I lie.
DESDEMONA 2159 10Can anything be made of this?]
CLOWN 2160 I know not where he lodges; and for me to
2161 devise a lodging and say he lies here, or he lies
2162 there, were to lie in mine own throat.
DESDEMONA 2163 Can you inquire him out, and be edified
2164 15 by report?
CLOWN 2165 I will catechize the world for him—that is,
2166 make questions, and by them answer.
DESDEMONA 2167 Seek him, bid him come hither. Tell him I
2168 have moved my lord on his behalf and hope all will
2169 20 be well.
CLOWN 2170 To do this is within the compass of man’s wit,
2171 and therefore I will attempt the doing it.
Clown exits.
DESDEMONA
2172 Where should I lose ⟨that⟩ handkerchief, Emilia?
EMILIA 2173 I know not, madam.
DESDEMONA
2174 25 Believe me, I had rather have lost my purse
2175 Full of crusadoes. And but my noble Moor
2176 Is true of mind and made of no such baseness
2177 As jealous creatures are, it were enough
2178 To put him to ill thinking.
EMILIA 2179 30 Is he not jealous?
DESDEMONA
2180 Who, he? I think the sun where he was born
2181 Drew all such humors from him.
EMILIA 2182 Look where he
2183 comes.
Enter Othello.
DESDEMONA
2184 35 I will not leave him now till Cassio
2185 Be called to him.—How is ’t with you, my lord?
p.
155
OTHELLO 2186 Well, my good lady. ⌜Aside.⌝ O, hardness to
2187 dissemble!—
2188 How do you, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA 2189 40 Well, my good lord.
OTHELLO
2190 Give me your hand. ⌜He takes her hand.⌝ This hand
2191 is moist, my lady.
DESDEMONA
2192 It ⟨yet has⟩ felt no age nor known no sorrow.
OTHELLO
2193 This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart.
2194 45 Hot, hot, and moist. This hand of yours requires
2195 A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer,
2196 Much castigation, exercise devout;
2197 For here’s a young and sweating devil here
2198 That commonly rebels. ’Tis a good hand,
2199 50 A frank one.
DESDEMONA 2200 You may indeed say so,
2201 For ’twas that hand that gave away my heart.
OTHELLO
2202 A liberal hand! The hearts of old gave hands,
2203 But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.
DESDEMONA
2204 55 I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise.
OTHELLO 2205 What promise, chuck?
DESDEMONA
2206 I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.
OTHELLO
2207 I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me.
2208 Lend me thy handkerchief.
DESDEMONA 2209 60 Here, my lord.
OTHELLO
2210 That which I gave you.
DESDEMONA 2211 I have it not about me.
OTHELLO 2212 Not?
p.
157
DESDEMONA
2213
No, ⟨faith,⟩ my lord.OTHELLO 2214 65That’s a fault. That handkerchief
2215 Did an Egyptian to my mother give.
2216 She was a charmer, and could almost read
2217 The thoughts of people. She told her, while she kept
2218 it,
2219 70 ’Twould make her amiable and subdue my father
2220 Entirely to her love. But if she lost it,
2221 Or made a gift of it, my father’s eye
2222 Should hold her loathèd, and his spirits should hunt
2223 After new fancies. She, dying, gave it me,
2224 75 And bid me, when my fate would have me wived,
2225 To give it her. I did so; and take heed on ’t,
2226 Make it a darling like your precious eye.
2227 To lose ’t or give ’t away were such perdition
2228 As nothing else could match.
DESDEMONA 2229 80 Is ’t possible?
OTHELLO
2230 ’Tis true. There’s magic in the web of it.
2231 A sybil that had numbered in the world
2232 The sun to course two hundred compasses,
2233 In her prophetic fury sewed the work.
2234 85 The worms were hallowed that did breed the silk,
2235 And it was dyed in mummy, which the skillful
2236 Conserved of maidens’ hearts.
DESDEMONA 2237 ⟨I’ faith,⟩ is ’t true?
OTHELLO
2238 Most veritable. Therefore, look to ’t well.
DESDEMONA
2239 90 Then would to ⟨God⟩ that I had never seen ’t!
OTHELLO 2240 Ha? Wherefore?
DESDEMONA
2241 Why do you speak so startingly and rash?
OTHELLO
2242 Is ’t lost? Is ’t gone? Speak, is ’t out o’ th’ way?
DESDEMONA 2243 ⟨Heaven⟩ bless us!
OTHELLO 2244 95Say you?
p.
159
DESDEMONA 2245 It is not lost, but what an if it were?
OTHELLO 2246 How?
DESDEMONA 2247 I say it is not lost.
OTHELLO 2248 Fetch ’t. Let me see ’t!
DESDEMONA
2249 100 Why, so I can. But I will not now.
2250 This is a trick to put me from my suit.
2251 Pray you, let Cassio be received again.
OTHELLO
2252 Fetch me the handkerchief! ⌜Aside.⌝ My mind
2253 misgives.
DESDEMONA 2254 105Come, come.
2255 You’ll never meet a more sufficient man.
OTHELLO
2256 The handkerchief!
⟨DESDEMONA 2257 I pray, talk me of Cassio.
OTHELLO 2258 The handkerchief!⟩
DESDEMONA 2259 110 A man that all his time
2260 Hath founded his good fortunes on your love;
2261 Shared dangers with you—
OTHELLO
2262 The handkerchief!
DESDEMONA 2263 ⟨I’ faith,⟩ you are to blame.
OTHELLO 2264 115⟨Zounds!⟩Othello exits.
EMILIA 2265 Is not this man jealous?
DESDEMONA 2266 I ne’er saw this before.
2267 Sure, there’s some wonder in this handkerchief!
2268 I am most unhappy in the loss of it.
EMILIA
2269 120 ’Tis not a year or two shows us a man.
2270 They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;
2271 They eat us hungerly, and when they are full
2272 They belch us.
Enter Iago and Cassio.
2273 Look you—Cassio and my husband.
p.
161
IAGO, ⌜to Cassio⌝ 2274 125 There is no other way; ’tis she must do ’t,
2275 And, lo, the happiness! Go and importune her.
DESDEMONA
2276 How now, good Cassio, what’s the news with you?
CASSIO
2277 Madam, my former suit. I do beseech you
2278 That by your virtuous means I may again
2279 130 Exist, and be a member of his love
2280 Whom I with all the office of my heart
2281 Entirely honor. I would not be delayed.
2282 If my offense be of such mortal kind
2283 That nor my service past nor present sorrows
2284 135 Nor purposed merit in futurity
2285 Can ransom me into his love again,
2286 But to know so must be my benefit.
2287 So shall I clothe me in a forced content,
2288 And shut myself up in some other course
2289 140 To fortune’s alms.
DESDEMONA 2290 Alas, thrice-gentle Cassio,
2291 My advocation is not now in tune.
2292 My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him
2293 Were he in favor as in humor altered.
2294 145 So help me every spirit sanctified
2295 As I have spoken for you all my best,
2296 And stood within the blank of his displeasure
2297 For my free speech! You must awhile be patient.
2298 What I can do I will; and more I will
2299 150 Than for myself I dare. Let that suffice you.
IAGO
2300 Is my lord angry?
EMILIA 2301 He went hence but now,
2302 And certainly in strange unquietness.
IAGO
2303 Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon
p.
163
2304
155 When it hath blown his ranks into the air2305 And, like the devil, from his very arm
2306 Puffed his own brother—and is he angry?
2307 Something of moment then. I will go meet him.
2308 There’s matter in ’t indeed if he be angry.
DESDEMONA
2309 160 I prithee do so.He exits.
2310 Something, sure, of state,
2311 Either from Venice, or some unhatched practice
2312 Made demonstrable here in Cyprus to him,
2313 Hath puddled his clear spirit; and in such cases
2314 165 Men’s natures wrangle with inferior things,
2315 Though great ones are their object. ’Tis even so.
2316 For let our finger ache, and it endues
2317 Our other healthful members even to a sense
2318 Of pain. Nay, we must think men are not gods,
2319 170 Nor of them look for such observancy
2320 As fits the bridal. Beshrew me much, Emilia,
2321 I was—unhandsome warrior as I am!—
2322 Arraigning his unkindness with my soul.
2323 But now I find I had suborned the witness,
2324 175 And he’s indicted falsely.
EMILIA 2325 Pray heaven it be
2326 State matters, as you think, and no conception
2327 Nor no jealous toy concerning you.
DESDEMONA
2328 Alas the day, I never gave him cause!
EMILIA
2329 180 But jealous souls will not be answered so.
2330 They are not ever jealous for the cause,
2331 But jealous for they’re jealous. It is a monster
2332 Begot upon itself, born on itself.
DESDEMONA
2333 Heaven keep ⟨that⟩ monster from Othello’s mind!
EMILIA 2334 185Lady, amen.
p.
165
DESDEMONA 2335 I will go seek him.—Cassio, walk hereabout.
2336 If I do find him fit, I’ll move your suit
2337 And seek to effect it to my uttermost.
CASSIO 2338 I humbly thank your Ladyship.
⟨Desdemona and Emilia⟩ exit.
Enter Bianca.
BIANCA
2339 190 ’Save you, friend Cassio!
CASSIO 2340 What make you from
2341 home?
2342 How is ’t with you, my most fair Bianca?
2343 ⟨I’ faith,⟩ sweet love, I was coming to your house.
BIANCA
2344 195 And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.
2345 What, keep a week away? Seven days and nights,
2346 Eightscore eight hours, and lovers’ absent hours
2347 More tedious than the dial eightscore times?
2348 O weary reck’ning!
CASSIO 2349 200 Pardon me, Bianca.
2350 I have this while with leaden thoughts been pressed,
2351 But I shall in a more continuate time
2352 Strike off this score of absence. Sweet Bianca,
⌜Giving her Desdemona’s handkerchief.⌝
2353 Take me this work out.
BIANCA 2354 205 O, Cassio, whence came this?
2355 This is some token from a newer friend.
2356 To the felt absence now I feel a cause.
2357 Is ’t come to this? Well, well.
CASSIO 2358 Go to, woman!
2359 210 Throw your vile guesses in the devil’s teeth,
2360 From whence you have them. You are jealous now
2361 That this is from some mistress, some
2362 remembrance.
2363 No, ⟨by my faith,⟩ Bianca.
p.
167
BIANCA
2364
215 Why, whose is it?CASSIO
2365 I know not neither. I found it in my chamber.
2366 I like the work well. Ere it be demanded,
2367 As like enough it will, I would have it copied.
2368 Take it, and do ’t, and leave me for this time.
BIANCA 2369 220Leave you? Wherefore?
CASSIO
2370 I do attend here on the General,
2371 And think it no addition, nor my wish,
2372 To have him see me womaned.
[BIANCA 2373 Why, I pray you?
CASSIO 2374 225Not that I love you not.]
BIANCA 2375 But that you do not love me!
2376 I pray you bring me on the way a little,
2377 And say if I shall see you soon at night.
CASSIO
2378 ’Tis but a little way that I can bring you,
2379 230 For I attend here. But I’ll see you soon.
BIANCA
2380 ’Tis very good. I must be circumstanced.
⟨They exit.⟩