ACTFIVE Scene Two
[A bedchamberin the castle：DESDEMONA in bed asleep；alight burning．Enter OTHELLO］
OTHELLO
It is the cause，it is the cause，my soul，——
Let me not name it to you，you chastestars！——
It is the cause．Yet I’ll not shedher blood；
Nor scarthat whiter skin of hers than snow，
And smooth as monumentalalabaster．
Yet she must die，else she’ll betraymore men．
Put out thy light，and then put out the light：
If I quenchthee，thou flaming minister，
I can again thy former light restore，
Should I repentme：but once put out thy light，
Thou cunning’stpatternof excellingnature，
I know not where is that Prometheanheat
That can thy light relume．When I have pluck’dthe rose，
I cannot give it vitalgrowth again．
It must needs wither ：I’ll smell it on the tree．
［Kissing her］
Ah balmy breath，that dost almost persuade
Justice to break her sword！One more，one more．
Be thus when thou art dead，and I will kill thee，
And love thee after．One more，and this the last：
So sweet was ne’er so fatal．I must weep，
But they are cruel tears：this sorrow’s heavenly；
It strikes where it doth love．She wakes．
DESDEMONA
Who’s there？Othello？
OTHELLO
Ay．Desdemona．
DESDEMONA
Will you come to bed，my lord？
OTHELLO
Have you pray’dto-night，Desdemona？
DESDEMONA
Ay，my lord．
OTHELLO
If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconciledas yet to heaven and grace，
Solicitfor it straight．
DESDEMONA
Alas，my lord，what do you meam by that？
OTHELLO
Well，do it，and be brief；I will walk by：
I would not kill thy unprepared spirit；
No；heaven forfend！I would not kill thy soul．
DESDEMONA
Talk you of killing？
OTHELLO
Ay，I do．
DESDEMONA
Then heaven
Have mercyon me！
OTHELLO
Amen，with all my heart！
DESDEMONA
If you say so，I hope you will not kill me．
OTHELLO
Hum！
DESDEMONA
And yet I fear you；for you are fatal then
When your eyes rollso：why I should fear I know not，
Since guiltinessI know not；but yet I feel I fear．
OTHELLO
Think on thy sins．
DESDEMONA
They are loves I bear to you．
OTHELLO
Ay，and for that thou diest．
DESDEMONA
That death’s unnatural that kills for loving．
Alas，why gnawyou so your netherlip？
Some bloody passion shakes your very frame：
These are portents；but yet I hope，I hope，
They do not point on me．
OTHELLO
Peace，and be still！
DESDEMONA
I will so．What’s the matter？
OTHELLO
That handkerchief which I so loved and gave thee
Thou gavestto Cassio．
DESDEMONA
No，by my life and soul！
Send forthe man，and ask him．
OTHELLO
Sweet soul，take heed，
Take heed of perjury；thou art on thy deathbed．
DESDEMONA
Ay，but not yet to die．
OTHELLO
Yes，presently：
Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin；
For to deny each article with oath
Cannot remove nor chokethe strong conception
That I do groanwithal．Thou art to die．
DESDEMONA
Then Lord have mercy on me！
OTHELLO
I say，amen．
DESDEMONA
And have you mercy too！I never did
Offendyou in my life；never loved Cassio
But with such general warrantyof heaven
As I might love：I never gave him token．
OTHELLO
By heaven，I saw my handkerchief in’s hand．
O perjuredwoman！thou dost stonemy heart，
And makest me call what I intend to do
A murder，which I thought a sacrifice：
I saw the handkerchief．
DESDEMONA
He found it then；
I never gave it him：send for him hither；
Let him confess a truth．
OTHELLO
He hath confess’d．
DESDEMONA
What，my lord？
OTHELLO
That he hath used thee．
DESDEMONA
How？unlawfully？
OTHELLO
Ay．
DESDEMONA
He will not say so．
OTHELLO
No，his mouth stopp’d；
Honest Iago hath ta’en order for’t．
DESDEMONA
O！my fear interprets：what，is he dead？
OTHELLO
Had all his hairs been lives，my great revenge
Had stomach for them all．
DESDEMONA
Alas！he is betray’d and I undone．
OTHELLO
Out，strumpet！weep’st thou for him to my face？
DESDEMONA
O，banishme，my lord，but kill me not！
OTHELLO
Down，strumpet！
DESDEMONA
Kill me to-morrow：let me live to-night！
OTHELLO
Nay，if you strive——
DESDEMONA
But half an hour！
OTHELLO
Being done，there is no pause．
DESDEMONA
But while I say one prayer！
OTHELLO
It is too late．
［He stiflesher］
EMILIA
［Within］My lord，my lord！what，ho！my lord，my lord！
OTHELLO
What noise is this？Not dead？not yet quite dead？
I that am cruel am yet merciful；
I would not have thee lingerin thy pain：So，so．
EMILIA
［Within］What，ho！my lord，my lord！
OTHELLO
Who’s there？
EMILIA
［Within］O，——good my lord，I would speak a word with
you！
OTHELLO
Yes：’tis Emilia．By and by．She’s dead．
‘Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio’s death．——
The noise was here．Ha！no more moving？
Stillas the grave．Shall she come in？were’t good？——
I think she stirsagain：——no．What’s best to do？
If she come in，she’ll sure speak to my wife：
My wife！my wife！what wife？I have no wife．
O insupportable！O heavy hour！
Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon，and that the affrightedglobe
Should yawnat alteration ．
EMILIA
［Within]I do beseech you
That I may speak with you，O，good my lord！
OTHELLO
I had forgot thee：O，come in，Emilia；
Soft；by and by．Let me the curtainsdraw．
Where art thou？
［Unlocksthe door；Enter EMILIA］
What’s the matter with thee now？
EMILIA
O，my good lord，yonder’sfoul murders done！
OTHELLO
What，now？
EMILIA
But now，my lord．
OTHELLO
It is the very errorof the moon；
She comes more nearer earth than she was wont，
And makes men mad．
EMILIA
Cassio，my lord，hath kill’d a young Venetian
Call’d Roderigo．
OTHELLO
Roderigo kill’d！
And Cassio kill’d！
EMILIA
No，Cassio is not kill’d．
OTHELLO
Not Cassio kill’d！then murder’s out of tune，
And sweet revenge grows harsh．
DESDEMONA
O，falsely，falsely murder’d！
EMILIA
Alas，what cry is that？
OTHELLO
That！what？
EMILIA
Out，and alas！that was my lady’s voice．
Help！help，ho！help！O lady，speak again！
Sweet Desdemona！O sweet mistress，speak！
DESDEMONA
A guiltless death I die．
EMILIA
O，who hath done this deed？
DESDEMONA
Nobody；I myself．Farewell
Commendme to my kind lord：O，farewell！
[Dies]
OTHELLO
Why，how should she be murder’d？
EMILIA
Alas，who knows？
OTHELLO
You heard her say herself，it was not I．
EMILIA
She said so：I must needs report the truth．
OTHELLO
She’s，like a liar，gone to burning hell：
‘Twas I that kill’d her．
EMILIA
O，the more angelshe，
And you the blacker devil！
OTHELLO
She turn’d to folly，and she was a whore．
EMILIA
Thou dost belieher，and thou art a devil．
OTHELLO
She was false as water．
EMILIA
Thou art rash as fire，to say
That she was false：O，she was heavenly true！
OTHELLO
Cassio did topher；ask thy husband else．
O，I were damn’d beneath all depth in hell，
But that I did proceed upon just grounds
To this extremityThy husband knew it all．
EMILIA
My husband！
OTHELLO
Thy husband．
EMILIA
That she was false to wedlock？
OTHELLO
Ay，with Cassio．Nay，had she been true，
If heaven would make me such another world
Of one entire and Perfect chrysolite，
I’ld not have sold her for it．
EMILIA
My husband！
OTHELLO
Ay，’twas he that told me first：
An honest man he is，and hates the slime
That sticks on filthydeeds．
EMILIA
My husband！
OTHELLO
What needs this iteration，woman？I say thy husband．
EMILIA
O mistress，villanyhath made mocks withlove，
My husband say that she was false！
OTHELLO
He，woman；
I say thy husband：dost understand the word？
My friend，thy husband，honest，honest Iago．
EMILIA
If he say so，may his pernicioussoul
Rot half a graina day！he lies to the heart：
She was too fond of her most filthy bargain．
OTHELLO
Ha！
EMILIA
Do thy worst：
This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven
Than thou wast worthy her．
OTHELLO
Peace，you were best．
EMILIA
Thou hast not half that power to do me harmAs I have to be
hurt．O gull！O dolt！
As ignorantas dirt！thou hast done a deed——
I care not for thy sword；I’ll make thee known，
Though I lost twenty！lives．——Help！help，ho！help！
The Moor hath kill’d my mistress！Murder！murder！
［Enter MONTANO，GRATIANO，IAGO，and others．]
MONTANO
What is the matter？How now，general！
EMILIA
O，are you come，Iago？you have done well，
That men must lay their murders on your neck．
GRATIANO
What is the matter？
EMILIA
Disprovethis villain，if thou be’st a man：
He says thou told’st him that his wife was false：
I know thou didst not，thou’rt not such a villain：
Speak，for my heart is full．
IAGO
I told him what I thought，and told no more
Than what he found himself was apt and true．
EMILIA
But did you ever tell him she was false？
IAGO
I did．
EMILIA
You told a lie，an odious，damnedlie；
Upon my soul，a lie，a wickedlie．
She false with Cassio！——did you say with Cassio？
IAGO
With Cassio，mistress．Go to，charmyour tongue．
EMILIA
I will not charm my tongue；I am bound to speak：
My mistress here lies murder’d in her bed，——
All．O heavens forfend！
EMILIA
And your reports have set the murder on．
OTHELLO
Nay，stare not，masters：it is true，indeed．
GRATIANO
‘Tis a strange truth．
MONTANO
O monstrousact！
EMILIA
Villany，villany，villany！
I think upon’t，I think：I smell’t：O villany！——
I thought so then：——I’ll kill myself for grief：——
O villany，villany！
IAGO
What，are you mad？I charge you，get you home．
EMILIA
Good gentlemen，let me have leave to speak：
‘Tis proper I obey him，but not now．
Perchance，Iago，I will ne’er go home．
OTHELLO
O！O！O！
［He falls on the bed．]
EMILIA
Nay，lay thee down and roar；
For thou hast kill’d the sweetest innocent
That e’erdid lift up eye．
OTHELLO
[Rising]
O，she was foul！
I scarcedid know you，uncle：there lies your niece，
Whose breath，indeed，these hands have newlystopp’d：
I know this act shows horrible．and grim．
GRATIANO
Poor Desdemona！I am glad thy father’s dead：
Thy matchwas mortal to him，and pure grief
Shorehis old threadin twain：did he live now，
This sight would make him do a desperateturn，
Yea，curse his better angel from his side，
And fall to reprobation．
OTHELLO
‘Tis pitiful；but yet Iago knows
That she with Cassio hath the act of shame
A thousand times committed；Cassio confess’d it：
And she did gratifyhis amorousworks
With that recognizanceand pledgeof love
Which I first gave her；I saw it in his hand：
It was a handkerchief，an antiquetoken
My father gave my mother．
EMILIA
O heaven！O heavenly powers！
IAGO
Come，hold your peace．
EMILIA
‘Twill out，’twill out：I peace！
No，I will speak as liberalas the north：
Let heaven and men and devils，let them all，
All，all，cry shame against me，yet I’ll speak．
IAGO
Be wise，and get you home．
EMILIA
I will not．
［IAGO offers to stab EMILIA．]
GRATIANO
Fie！
Your sword upon a woman？
EMILIA
O thou dull Moor！that handkerchief thou speak’st of
I found by fortuneand did give my husband；
For often，with a solemnearnestness，
More than indeed belong’d to such a trifle，
He begg’d of me to steal it．
IAGO
Villanous whore！
EMILIA
She give it Cassio！no，alas！I found it，
And I did give’t my husband．
IAGO
Filth，thou liest！
EMILIA
By heaven，I do not，I do not，gentlemen．
O murderouscoxcomb！what should such a fool
Do with so good a woman？
OTHELLO
Are there no stones in heaven
But what serve for the thunder？——Preciousvillain！
[He runs at IAGO，IAGO，from behind，stabs EMILIA，andexit]
GRATIANO
The woman falls；sure，he hath kill’d his wife．
EMILIA
Ay，ay：O，lay me by my mistress’side．
GRATIANO
He’s gone，but his wife’s kill’d．
MONTANO
‘Tis a notoriousvillain．Take you this weapon，
Which I have here recover’dfrom the Moor：
Come，guardthe door without；let him not pass，
But kill him rather．I’ll afterthat same villain，
For’tis a damned slave．
［Exeunt MONTANO and GRATIANO］
OTHELLO
I am not valiantneither，
But ever punywhipstergets my sword：
But why should honour outlive honesty？
Let it go all．
EMILIA
What did thy song bode，lady？
Hark，canst thou hear me？I will play the swan．
And die in music．
[Singing]
Willow，willow，willow，——Moor，she was chaste；she
loved thee，cruel Moor；
So come my soul to bliss，as I speak true；
So speaking as I think，I die，I die．
[Dies]
OTHELLO
I have another weapon in this chamber；
It is a sword of Spain，the ice-brook’stemper：——
O，here it is．Uncle，I must come forth．
GRATIANO
[Within]If thou attemptit，it will cost thee dear：
Thou hast no weapon，and perforcemust suffer．
OTHELLO
Look in upon me then and speak with me，
Or，nakedas I am，I will assaultthee．
［Re-enter GRATIANO］
GRATIANO
What is the matter？
OTHELLO
Behold ，I have a weapon；
A better never did itself sustain
Upon a soldier’s thigh：I have seen the day，
That，with this little arm and this good sword，
I have made my waythrough more impediments
Than twenty times your stop：but，O vain boast！
Who can control his fate？’tis not so now．
Be not afraid，though you do see me weapon’d；
Here is my journey’send，here is my butt，
And very sea-markof my utmost sail．
Do you go back dismay’d？’tis a lost fear；
Man but a rush against Othello’s breast，
And he retires．Where should Othello go？
Now，how dost thou look now？O ill-starr’dwench！
Pale as thy smock！when we shall meet at compt，
This look of thine will hurlmy soul from heaven，
And fiendswill snatchat it．Cold，cold，my girl！
Even like thy chastity．O cursed slave！
Whip me，ye devils，
From the possession of this heavenly sight ！
Blow me about in winds！roastme in sulphur！
Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire！
O Desdemona！Desdemona！dead！
Oh！Oh！Oh！
［Enter LODOVICO．MONTANO，CASSIO carried in a chair，and Officers with IAGO，prisoner］
LODOVICO
Where is this rashand most unfortunateman？
OTHELLO
That’s he that was Othello：here I am．
LODOVICO
Where is that viper？bring the villain forth．
OTHELLO
I look down towards his feet；but that’s a fable．
If that thou besta devil，I cannot kill thee．
［Wounds IAGO］
LODOVICO
Wrenchhis sword from him．
IAGO
I bleed，sir；but not kill’d．
OTHELLO
I am not sorry neither：I’ld have thee live；
For,in my sense,’tis happiness to die.
LODOVICO
O thou Othello,thou wertonce so good,
Fall’n in the practise of a damned slave,
What shall be said to thee?
OTHELLO
Why,any thing:
An honourable murderer，if you will;
For noughtI did in hate,but all in honour.
LODOVICO
This wretchhath part confess’d his villany:
Did you and he consentin Cassio’s death?
OTHELLO
Ay.
CASSIO
Dear general,I never gave you cause.
OTHELLO
I do believe it,and I ask your pardon.
Will you,I pray,demandthat demi-devil
Why he hath thus ensnaredmy soul and body?
IAGO
Demand me nothing:what you know,you know:
From this time forthI never will speak word.
LODOVICO
What,not to pray?
GRATIANO
Tormentswill opeyour lips.
OTHELLO
Well,thou dost best.
LODOVICO
Sir,you shall understand what hath befall’n,
Which,as I think,you know not.Here is a letter
Found in the pocket of the slainRoderigo;
And here another:the one of them imports
The death of Cassio to be undertook
By Roderigo.
OTHELLO
O villain!
CASSIO
Most heathenishand most gross!
LODOVICO
Now here’s another discontentedpaper,
Found in his pocket too;and this,it seems,
Roderigo meant to have sent this damned villain;
But that belikeIago in the interim
Came in and satisfied him.
OTHELLO
O the perniciouscaitiff!
How came you,Cassio,by that handkerchief
That was my wife’s?
CASSIO
I found it in my chamber:
And he himself confess’d but even now
That there he dropp’d it for a special purpose
Which wroughtto his desire.
OTHELLO
O fool!fool!fool!
CASSIO
There is besides in Roderigo’s letter,
How he upbraidsIago,that he made him
Brave me upon the watch;whereon it came
That I was cast :and even but now he spake,
After long seeming dead,Iago hurt him,
Iago set him on.
LODOVICO
You must forsakethis room,and go with us:
Your power and your commandis taken off,
And Cassio rules in Cyprus.For this slave,
If there be any cunningcruelty
That can tormenthim much and hold him long,
It shall be his.You shall close prisoner rest,
Till that the nature of your faultbe known
To the Venetian state.Come,bring him away.
OTHELLO
Soft you;a word or two before you go.
I have done the state some service,and they know’t.
No more of that.I pray you,in your letters,
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am;nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aughtin malice:then must you speak
Of one that loved not wisely but too well;
Of one not easily jealous,but being wrought
Perplex’din the extreme;of one whose hand,
Like the base Indian,threw a pearlaway
Richer than all his tribe;of one whose subduedeyes,
Albeit unused to the meltingmood,
Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees
Their medicinalgum.Set you down this;
And say besides,that in Aleppo once,
Where a malignantand a turban’dTurk
Beat a Venetian and traducedthe state,
I took by the throat the circumciseddog,
And smotehim,thus.
［Stabs himself］
LODOVICO
O bloody period!
GRATIANO
All that’s spoke is marr’d.
OTHELLO
I kiss’d thee ereI kill’d thee:no way but this;
Killing myself,to die upon a kiss.
［Falls on the bed,and dies.］
CASSIO
This did I fear,but thought he had no weapon;
For he was great of heart.
LODOVICO
［To IAGO］O Spartandog,
More fellthan anguish,hunger,or the sea!
Look on the tragicloading of this bed;
This is thy work:the object poisons sight;
Let it be hid.Gratiano,keep the house,
And seize upon the fortunesof the Moor,
For they succeedon you.To you,lord governor,
Remains the censureof this hellishvillain;
The time,the place,the torture :O,enforceit!
Myself will straight aboard:and to the state
This heavy act with heavy heart relate.
［Exeunt］