A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 2 of Othello from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter Othello and Emilia. OTHELLO You have seen nothing then? EMILIA OTHELLO EMILIA OTHELLO EMILIA Never, my lord. OTHELLO Nor send you out o’ th’ way? EMILIA Never. OTHELLO EMILIA Never, my lord. | We open with Othello grilling Emilia, trying to get her to confess that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Emilia tells him that he's crazy—she has observed Cassio and Desdemona every minute they've been together, and nothing remotely suspicious has happened. |
OTHELLO That’s strange. EMILIA | She's sure that Desdemona is honest, if ever there were an honest woman. Emilia insists that only some wretch could have put this thought into his head. She also says that anyone who would say such things about Desdemona deserves to be cursed by God. (Watch out, Iago.) |
OTHELLO Bid her come hither. Go. Emilia exits. She says enough. Yet she’s a simple bawd | Othello then sends Emilia to get Desdemona, dismissing her claims as the simple testimony of a simple woman. Othello has convinced himself that Desdemona is cunning in her harlotry, and it's no surprise she wouldn't be found out, even by her woman friend. |
Enter Desdemona and Emilia. DESDEMONA My lord, what is your will? OTHELLO DESDEMONA What is your OTHELLO DESDEMONA What horrible fancy’s this? OTHELLO, to Emilia Some of your function, Emilia exits. | Apprehensively, Desdemona enters. Othello calls her over to him and makes her look at him so he can stare into her eyes. She's a little freaked out, which is understandable since the last time she was this close to Othello he smacked her. She asks what's going on, and Othello sends Emilia out of the room to stand guard. He tells her to close the door and signal him if anyone approaches. |
DESDEMONA, kneeling OTHELLO Why? What art thou? 40 DESDEMONA OTHELLO Come, swear it. Damn thyself, DESDEMONA Heaven doth truly know it. OTHELLO DESDEMONA, standing OTHELLO | Desdemona tells Othello she can tell from his tone of voice that he's angry, but she has no idea why. Othello then challenges her faithfulness, and asks her if she's honest. When she says she is, he flies into a rage. |
DESDEMONA | Desdemona suggests that maybe Othello is angry about the letter he received earlier today calling him back to Venice. She wonders if perhaps he thinks the summons to leave Cyprus was the doing of her angry father back in Venice. Still, she says if her father had a hand in this, she's not to blame, as she remains staunchly on Othello's side. |
OTHELLO Had it pleased heaven DESDEMONA OTHELLO | Othello ignores Desdemona's suggestion that the letter made him angry and goes on about all of the different types of suffering he could easily handle. He'd have no problem dealing with open sores on his head, poverty, slavery, etc. But his wife's betrayal—that's too much for him to bear. |
DESDEMONA OTHELLO | Desdemona is stunned. She begs Othello to tell her that he still trusts her and thinks she's honest. He says, "Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think you're as honest as a bunch of flies and maggots on rotting meat. You're a weed disguised as a flower. You're so pretty and you smell so nice that I ache when I look at you, and I wish you'd never been born." (Probably not what she was hoping to hear.) |
DESDEMONA OTHELLO DESDEMONA By heaven, you do me wrong! OTHELLO Are not you a strumpet? DESDEMONA No, as I am a Christian! 95 OTHELLO What, not a whore? DESDEMONA No, as I shall be saved. 100 OTHELLO Is ’t possible? DESDEMONA | Desdemona begs him to tell her what she has done wrong, and Othello calls her a whore and a strumpet. Desdemona swears on her soul that she has never touched anybody but him, but he doesn't believe her. |
OTHELLO I cry you mercy, then. Enter Emilia. That have the office opposite to Saint Peter He exits. | Emilia walks in on this little exchange, so Othello takes to abusing her, too. He praises her for being the gatekeeper to Hell, and tells her that she'd do best to keep the events of this night to herself. Othello then exits, and the ladies are left with raised eyebrows. |
EMILIA DESDEMONA Faith, half asleep. EMILIA DESDEMONA With who? 115 EMILIA Why, with my lord, madam. DESDEMONA EMILIA He that is yours, sweet lady. DESDEMONA EMILIA Here’s a change indeed. She exits. | Emilia asks Desdemona what's up with "her lord." Desdemona says she has no lord, nor does she have tears to cry, and no answer is appropriate about what is going on with Othello except an answer that could be told in tears. She then asks Emilia to put her (Desdemona's) wedding sheets on the quarreling lovers' bed tonight and to send Iago to come and talk to her. |
DESDEMONA | Left alone, Desdemona says she resents bearing all this abuse, mostly because she's done nothing wrong. |
Enter Iago and Emilia. IAGO DESDEMONA IAGO What is the matter, lady? EMILIA DESDEMONA IAGO What name, fair DESDEMONA EMILIA IAGO Why did he so? DESDEMONA IAGO | Emilia returns with Iago. Desdemona says she can't even begin to comprehend the things Othello has said to her. She was brought up so gently that she can't make sense of his abuse. Thankfully, Emilia witnessed the whole thing and is happy to dish. She says Othello called Desdemona a whore and all sorts of other cruel names—things worse than a drunk beggar would have said to a prostitute. Iago pretends not to know why Othello would behave this way and begs Desdemona not to weep. |
EMILIA DESDEMONA It is my wretched fortune. 150 IAGO DESDEMONA Nay, heaven doth know. | Next, Emilia reminds Desdemona that she turned down all sorts of nice, rich Venetian boys, even her father, and her friends, and her country...all to marry Othello. |
EMILIA IAGO DESDEMONA | She also suggests that it could only be some really vile person, seeking his own self interest, that plied Othello with lies about Desdemona's faithfulness in order to make him jealous. "Impossible!" says Iago. |
EMILIA IAGO Speak within door. 170 EMILIA IAGO | Emilia prattles on about her theory that someone is trying to destroy Othello for a while—someone who is a villainous, notorious, scurvy knave. Iago tells her to speak quietly, but Emilia's pretty worked up. She notes that it was a very similar scheme, lies from a lying liar, that made Iago believe Othello had been with her too. That's when Iago tells Emilia to shut up already. |
DESDEMONA Alas, Iago, 175 | Desdemona begs Iago to tell her what to do, or to go talk some sense into Othello. She can't believe this is happening to her—as she truly loves her husband. She can't even imagine going behind his back to be with somebody else. |
IAGO DESDEMONA IAGO It is but so, I warrant. Desdemona and Emilia exit. Enter Roderigo. How now, Roderigo? | Iago tells Desdemona not to worry—Othello is probably just upset about state business. He points out that the messengers from Venice are waiting to eat with the women, which is clearly more important than Othello's inexplicable and murderous rage. Iago promises everything will be okay, and Desdemona and Emilia leave Iago alone. As they walk out, Roderigo walks in. |
RODERIGO I do not find IAGO What in the contrary? 205 RODERIGO Every day thou daff’st me with some device, IAGO Will you hear me, Roderigo? RODERIGO Faith, I have heard too much, and your IAGO You charge me most unjustly. 215 RODERIGO With naught but truth. I have wasted myself IAGO Well, go to! Very well. RODERIGO “Very well.” “Go to!” I cannot go to, man, IAGO Very well. | Roderigo is angry with Iago for not yet setting him up with Desdemona but still spending all of his (Roderigo's) money. He's finally starting to wise up to the fact that Iago is just using him. He wants to know what happened to all the expensive jewelry he gave Iago to give to Desdemona. Iago kept promising that Desdemona was getting the gifts and wanted to give something up in return, but Roderigo has yet to see any special favors of Othello's wife. |
RODERIGO I tell you ’tis not very well! I will make IAGO You have said now. RODERIGO Ay, and said nothing but what I protest | Roderigo then throws down the gauntlet—he declares that he'll go and see Desdemona himself. If she returns his jewels, he'll repent ever having tried to court a married woman. But if she has no jewels to return, then Roderigo will take it out on Iago. |
IAGO Why, now I see there’s mettle in thee, and even RODERIGO It hath not appeared. IAGO I grant indeed it hath not appeared, and your | Iago, hearing Roderigo threaten him, declares him a much better man than he'd ever taken him for. Iago insists he's actually been working on the situation and that Roderigo will be all up in Desdemona's jewels come tomorrow night. All Roderigo has to do is listen to Iago's plan. |
IAGO Ay, if you dare do yourself a profit and a right. He 265 | Of course Roderigo should be the one to knock Cassio's brains out. He's the one who's going to benefit from it. And he can do it tonight. Cassio is going to be having dinner with Bianca, who apparently forgave him for the whole handkerchief thing. Iago promises he'll be right behind Roderigo to help with the murdering, and says that killing Cassio is the only way to get to Desdemona. |
RODERIGO Well, what is it? Is it within reason and IAGO Sir, there is especial commission come from RODERIGO Is that true? Why, then, Othello and Desdemona 255 IAGO O, no. He goes into Mauritania and takes away RODERIGO How do you mean, removing him? IAGO Why, by making him uncapable of Othello’s RODERIGO And that you would have me to do? | Iago tells Roderigo that Othello's been called back to Venice, and Cassio is set to replace him in Cyprus. Iago also throws in some random lies, claiming Othello is headed to Mauritania (in Africa) with Desdemona. All they have to do is get rid of Cassio. With Cassio gone, Othello and Desdemona won't be able to leave, and Roderigo will have better access to Desdemona. Roderigo says, "What do you mean by get rid of? And are you expecting me to do it?" |
RODERIGO I will hear further reason for this. IAGO And you shall be satisfied. They exit. | Roderigo, ever the wit, points out that this plan really doesn't make any sense. Iago promises he'll explain it all to Roderigo, and they head off together. |