Othello, a play written by William Shakespeare in 1603 (or so believed).
It is based on 'Un Capitano Morro' by Cinthio that was published in 1565.
Shakespeare's Othello is situated in Cyprus where, according to the storyline is under the Venetian rule and was threatened to be attacked by the Turks.
Othello, a brave military general, newly married to Desdemona, is asked to leave for Cyprus taking his wife and his close companiom Iago with him.
Iago however, has other plans for Othello, who falls for Iago's lies and through his evil and diabolic actions turns this play into a tragedy.
Here are some quotes from Othello:
In this scene, Othello expresses his love for his wife Desdemona:
Othello:
'Perdition catch my soul, but I do love thee and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.'
Iago:
If she [woman] be fair and wise,
fairness and wit,
The one's for use,
The other usethit.
Desdemona:
Well praised.
How if she be black
[black hair or black complected, not black as in African]
and witty?
Iago:
If she be black and thereto have a wit,
She'll find a white
[a pun on wight, meaning a person],
That shall her darkness fit.
Desdemona:
Worse and worse.
Emilia:
How if fair and foolish?
Iago:
She never yet was foolish that was fair;
For even her folly help'd her to an heir. [Another play on words. Folly could mean 'foolishness' or 'wantoness'. Iago hints that wantoness or lust could help a fair woman win a rich husband].
In this extract, Desdemona and Emilia discuss about infidelity where Emilia (mistreated by her husband) expresses her opinion:
Emilia
Their wives have sense like them:
they see and smell
Ans have their palates both for sweet and sour,
As husbands have.
What is it that they do when they change for others?
Is it sport?
I think it is: and doth affection breed it?
I think it doth: is't fraility that thus errs?
It is so too: and have not we affections, desires for sport, and fraility, as men have?
Then let them use us well: let them know, the ills we do, their ills instruct us so.
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