Othello (31 page)

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Authors: William Shakespeare

BOOK: Othello
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Introduction copyright © 2007, 2009 by The Royal Shakespeare Company

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Modern Library, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

“Royal Shakespeare Company,” “RSC,” and the RSC logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of The Royal Shakespeare Company.

The version of
Othello
and the corresponding footnotes that appear in this volume were originally published in
William Shakespeare Complete Works,
edited by Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen, published in 2007 by Modern Library, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

eISBN: 978-1-58836-832-4

www.modernlibrary.com

v3.0

1
Never tell me!
expression of disbelief
much unkindly
with great resentment/dissatisfaction

3
this
i.e. Desdemona and Othello’s elopement

7
him
i.e. Othello

9
great ones
i.e. noble, influential men/official dignitaries

10
suit
formal request, entreaty

11
Off-capped
removed their hats (a mark of respect)

14
bombast circumstance
elaborate evasive talk, wordy circumlocution

15
epithets of war
military terms

16
Nonsuits my mediators
thwarts the request of my intermediaries (from the legal term “nonsuit” meaning the withdrawal of a lawsuit)
‘Certes’
certainly

19
Forsooth
in truth
arithmetician
i.e. mere theorist (in military matters)/mathematician (Florence was known for its bankers)

20
Florentine
person from Florence (then a city-state in northern Italy)

21
almost…wife
a man with a beautiful wife was
damned
because he was bound to be cuckolded; perhaps Shakespeare originally intended Cassio to be married, or else the line refers to an imminent or a narrowly avoided wedding (Bianca later claims that Cassio is going to marry her); but editors have struggled to make sense of the line, and a printer’s error is possible; the most satisfactory emendation would be
limned
(depicted, portrayed), which fits with Iago’s emphasis on Cassio’s effeminacy, as he compares him first to a
wife
and then to a
spinster

22
squadron
group of soldiers in a square formation/small detachment of soldiers

23
division…battle
disposition of a battalion

24
spinster
woman who stays at home spinning
unless
except for
theoric
theory

25
toga’d consuls
toga-wearing councillors
toga
garment worn by citizens of ancient Rome
propose
discourse, hold forth

26
prattle
idle talk

27
had th’election
was chosen

28
his
i.e. Othello’s

29
Rhodes
island in the Mediterranean Sea, between Cyprus and Greece
Cyprus
Mediterranean island to the south of Turkey

30
Christened
converted to Christianity
beleed
unable to move, as a ship is without wind (the nautical metaphor continues with
calmed
)

31
debitor and creditor
i.e. bookkeeping/a bookkeeper (another dig at the
arithmetician
Cassio)
counter-caster
one who employs counters in making calculations, an accountant

32
in good time
opportunely (sarcastic)

33
bless the mark
apologetic expression used to excuse the mention of something unpleasant or profane
his Moorship
a contemptuous reference to Othello, varying “his worship” or “his lordship”; the term “moor” could be applied to a person of either African or Middle Eastern origin, and was often used to refer to someone from Barbary in north Africa; it was also used to mean “Muslim”
ancient
ensign (i.e. soldier who carries the military banner)

35
service
being a servant/military duty

36
Preferment
promotion
letter and affection
personal recommendation and favoritism

37
old gradation
the traditional way of advancing steadily up the ranks

39
term
manner, way
affined
bound

41
follow
serve

43
serve my turn
serve my own purposes (
serve
plays on the notion of being a servant)

45
truly
loyally
mark
note, observe

46
knee-crooking
bowing

48
time
lifetime/time as a servant

49
provender
food
cashiered
(he’s) dismissed/discarded

50
Whip me
whip (
me
is emphatic)

51
trimmed
dressed up, adorned
visages
outward appearances

52
attending on
waiting on, serving

55
lined their coats
i.e. got all they can/lined their purses

56
Do themselves homage
serve their own interests exclusively

59
Were…Iago
if I were Othello I would not wish to be a servant like me/if I were in Othello’s position I would not be fooled by a self-seeking servant

61
not I for
I am not one for, I do not serve out of

62
peculiar
personal

63
demonstrate
display, manifest

64
native
innate, natural
figure
form/appearance

65
compliment extern
external show

67
daws
jackdaws (small birds of the crow family, proverbially foolish)/fools

68
full
perfect, complete
owe
own

69
carry’t
carry it off, manage it

71
make after
pursue

72
Proclaim
denounce

73
though
even though

74
though that
although

75
chances
possibilities

76
As it may
that may cause it to

78
like timorous accent
such terrifying tones

83
bags
moneybags

85
Above
i.e. on the upper staging level or gallery

89
Wherefore
why

90
gown
coat/senator’s robes

92
ram
a proverbially lustful beast

93
tupping
mounting sexually; the
ram
was proverbially lusty, hence slang for “lecher”

94
snorting
snoring (also picks up on the bestial imagery of the previous lines)
bell
alarm bell

95
devil
i.e. Othello (the devil was popularly imaged as black)
grandsire
grandfather

98
reverend
respected

102
charged
ordered
haunt
loiter, lurk

105
distemp’ring draughts
intoxicating drinks

107
start
startle, disrupt

110
spirits…place
disposition and my position of authority

114
grange
isolated house in the country

115
grave
dignified, respected

116
simple
honest

119
covered
a term for copulation between a stallion and a mare

120
Barbary horse
i.e. Othello
Barbary
region in northern Africa including Morocco, Algiers, Tripoli, and Tunis
nephews
grandsons

121
coursers
large powerful horses
jennets
small Spanish horses

122
germans
close relatives

123
profane
irreverent/foulmouthed

125
making… backs
i.e. having sex

128
answer
answer for, be held responsible for

130
pleasure
wish

132
odd-even
time that is neither day nor night—i.e. around midnight

133
Transported with
be transported by

134
But with
i.e. than
knave
servant, lackey

135
gross
lustful/vile

136
allowance
permission

137
saucy
insolent

140
from
contrary to
civility
civilized behavior

141
your reverence
the respect due to you/you, a respected person

142
leave
permission

143
gross
monstrous, flagrant/indecent

144
wit
intelligence, good sense

145
In
i.e. to
extravagant and wheeling
roaming and roving
stranger
foreigner

146
Straight
immediately

150
Strike…tinder
i.e. strike a light

151
taper
candle

152
accident
event

156
meet
appropriate
wholesome
beneficial, conducive
place
position (as Othello’s ensign)

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