Othello (39 page)

¹⁴⁹
imports
signifies, shows

¹⁵²
plucked
drew

¹⁵³
nose
probably a surrogate for the penis

¹⁵⁶
such another
just another, a commonplace
fitchew
polecat (known for its foul smell and lechery; also a term for a prostitute)

¹⁵⁸
dam
mother

¹⁶¹
piece of work
puns on the senses of “prostitute” and “sexual act”

¹⁶²
minx
whore

¹⁶³
hobby-horse
prostitute

¹⁶⁷
should
must

¹⁶⁸
supper
also suggests sex

¹⁷¹
rail
rant abusively

¹⁸⁴
foolish
stupid/lewd

¹⁹⁴
your way
the right attitude or course of action

¹⁹⁸
invention
imagination

²⁰⁰
so…condition
such a well-bred nature/such a sweet and kind disposition

²⁰²
gentle
yielding

²⁰⁵
patent
licence

²⁰⁶
touch
affect/provoke

²⁰⁷
messes
portions of meat

²¹²
expostulate
argue, remonstrate
unprovide
disarm

²¹⁷
his undertaker
the one to undertake the task of dealing with him

²²⁷
instrument… pleasures
i.e. the letter containing their instructions

²²⁸
cousin
general term for any relative other than parent or sibling

²³⁴
unkind breach
unnatural separation, unfriendly quarrel

²⁴¹
T’atone
to reconcile

²⁴⁴
wise
in your right mind

²⁴⁹
on’t
of it

²⁵²
mad
i.e. insane enough to publicly welcome Cassio’s promotion and make your love for him obvious

²⁵⁷
very much
too much

²⁶⁰
teem
be fertile, conceive

²⁶¹
crocodile
because crocodiles were supposed to weep insincere tears

²⁷¹
turn
introduces the additional meanings of “have sex”/“change her affections”
go on
continue (to have sex/change affections)

²⁷³
obedient
compliant (plays on sexual sense)

²⁷⁵
well-painted passion
well-faked sorrow

²⁷⁹
my place
i.e. as governor of Cyprus/as Desdemona’s lover

²⁸¹
monkeys
proverbially lustful creatures

²⁸²
full
complete, entire

²⁸³
all…sufficient
competent in everything

²⁸⁹
censure
judgement (quibbling on the sense of “condemnation”)

²⁹⁰
if…were
if he is not what he might be (i.e. mad), I heartily wish he was (as only madness would explain and partly excuse his behavior)

²⁹³
well
good would I wish

²⁹⁵
use
habit

³⁰¹
courses will denote
actions will signify

¹³
durst
dare

¹⁴
at stake
as the stake in the
wager

¹⁷
serpent’s curse
after the serpent’s temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden, God cursed him and decreed that he should be the lowest and most reviled of all creatures

²²
bawd
procuress

²³
This
i.e. Desdemona
subtle
cunning

²⁴
closet…key
cabinet (or room) complete with lock and key

³¹
Some…function
behave as one in your role (as a
bawd
) should

³²
procreants
breeders, fornicators

³⁴
mystery
trade, occupation
dispatch
hurry up

⁴⁰
being…heaven
resembling an angel

⁴⁷
heavy
sorrowful

⁴⁹
haply
perhaps

⁵⁵
sores
afflictions

⁵⁶
Steeped
immersed

⁶⁰
figure
number (on a clock face)

⁶¹
finger
i.e. hour hand of a clock

⁶³
garnered
stored

⁶⁵
fountain
spring, source

⁶⁷
cistern
pond/water tank

⁶⁸
knot and gender
copulate
Turn…there
turn your face toward it/change your appearance (or nature) when you see it

⁶⁹
cherubin
angel (correctly “cherubim,” one of the biblical orders of angels)

⁷⁰
grim
cruel, unforgiving/ugly

⁷¹
honest
truthful, but more specifically “sexually faithful,” “chaste”

⁷²
shambles
slaughterhouse

⁷³
quicken…blowing
give life even though they deposit their eggs in rotting meat

⁷⁶
ignorant
unwitting

⁷⁸
committed
Othello picks up on the senses of “committed adultery” and “fornicated”

⁷⁹
commoner
prostitute

⁸³
stops
stops up, closes
moon
a symbol of chastity
winks
closes its eyes

⁸⁵
mine
cave

⁸⁸
strumpet
harlot, prostitute

⁹⁰
vessel
body

⁹⁷
cry you mercy
beg your pardon

¹⁰⁰
office opposite
opposing job
Saint Peter
heaven’s gatekeeper

¹⁰¹
gate of hell
vaginal connotations (
hell
was a slang term for the vagina)

¹⁰²
done our course
finished our business/had our bout of sex

¹⁰³
counsel
secret

¹⁰⁴
conceive
think, imagine

¹⁰⁶
asleep
stunned

¹¹⁴
go by water
be expressed through tears

¹¹⁸
meet
fitting
used
treated

¹¹⁹
How…misuse?
What must I have done to cause him to attach even the slightest condemnation to my most minor misconduct?

¹²⁶
a…chiding
i.e. know little of being rebuked

¹²⁸
bewhored her
called her a whore

¹²⁹
despite
contempt/malice/abuse
heavy
serious/angry/violent/distressing

¹³⁵
callet
drab, trull, whore

¹³⁹
forsook
declined/given up

¹⁴³
Beshrew
curse

¹⁴⁴
trick
delusion

¹⁴⁸
cogging
cheating
cozening
deceiving

¹⁵²
halter
hangman’s noose

¹⁵⁴
form
manner, way

¹⁵⁶
scurvy
contemptible

¹⁵⁷
companions
rogues
unfold
reveal, expose

¹⁶¹
within door
i.e. more quietly

¹⁶²
squire
fellow (contemptuous)

¹⁶³
the…without
inside out (with the seams on the outside)

¹⁷¹
discourse
course, process

¹⁷²
that
if

¹⁷⁴
yet
still

¹⁷⁷
forswear
abandon

¹⁸⁰
abhor
revolt (puns on
whore
)

¹⁸¹
addition
title, name

¹⁸²
vanity
worthless finery

¹⁸³
humour
mood

¹⁸⁸
stays
await
meat
food

¹⁹³
daff’st me
put me off, deflect me
device
trick/stratagem

¹⁹⁵
conveniency
opportunity

¹⁹⁷
put up
endure, tolerate

²⁰⁵
votarist
nun

²⁰⁷
comforts
encouraging hopes
sudden respect
imminent esteem and favor

²⁰⁸
acquaintance
familiarity/sexual intimacy (possibly with pun on “quaint,” i.e. vagina)

²¹⁰
go to
Rodorigo shifts the sense to “have sex”

²¹²
fopped
deceived, cheated

²¹⁷
satisfaction
recompense

²¹⁸
said
had your say

²¹⁹
protest intendment
declare I have the intention

²²¹
mettle
spirit, vigor

²²⁴
exception
objection

²²⁵
directly
straightforwardly/fairly

²³³
engines
plots against

²³⁴
compass
range

²³⁹
Mauritania
region in north Africa consisting of parts of Morocco and Algeria

²⁴⁰
abode be lingered
stay be prolonged

²⁴¹
determinate
decisive

²⁴⁸
harlotry
harlot

²⁵⁰
fashion…out
arrange to occur

²⁵²
second
support, back

²⁵³
amazed
dumbstruck, stunned

²⁵⁵
high
fully

²⁵⁶
grows to waste
is passing/being wasted: about it.

¹¹
incontinent
immediately, plays on sense of “loosely, unchastely”

¹⁶
nightly wearing
nightclothes

¹⁹
approve
commend

²⁰
stubbornness
inflexibility, obstinacy/ ruthlessness, ferocity

²¹
unpin me
i.e. loosen or detach parts of my clothing (sleeves etc. were secured on with pins)/unpin my hair or remove my hair accessory

²³
All’s one
it makes no difference/all right
Good father
i.e. God in heaven

²⁴
before
i.e. before you
shroud
lay, wrap (ready for burial)

²⁶
talk
talk nonsense, talk on idly

²⁷
Barbary
a form of Barbara, but the name has obvious north African associations

²⁸
mad
insane/wild/faithless

²⁹
willow
the tree symbolized lost or unrequited love

³⁷
proper
handsome/accomplished

⁴¹
nether
lower (possibly with bawdy implication)

⁴²
sycamore
type of fig-tree or, as now, a species of maple; puns on “sick amour”

⁵⁰
Lay by these
put these aside (presumably parts of her clothing or accessories)