Oth. The voice of Cassio:-Iago keeps his word. Rod. O, villain that I am! Oth. Hark! 'tis even so. Cas. O, help! ho! light! a surgeon! Oth, 'Tis he;-O brave lago, honest, and just, That hast such noble sense of thy friend's wrong! Thou teachest me,-Minion, your dear lies dead, And your fate hies apace:-Strumpet, I come : Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted; Thy bed, lust-stain'd, shall with lust's blood be spotted. [Exit Othello. Enter Lodovico and Gratiano, at a distance. Cas. What, ho! no watch? no passage? mur der! murder! Gra. 'Tis some mischance; the cry is very direful. Cas. O, help! Lod. Rod. Hark! O wretched villain! Lod. Two or three groans;-it is a heavy night; These may be counterfeits; let's think't unsafe To come in to the cry, without more help. Rod. Nobody come? then shall I bleed to death. Enter Iago, with a light. Lod. Hark! Gra. Here's one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons. Iago. Who's there? whose noise is this, that cries on murder? Lod. We do not know. lago. Did you not hear a cry? Cas. Here, here; for heaven's sake, help me. Iago. What's the matter? Gra. This is Othello's ancient, as I take it. Lod. The same, indeed; a very valiant fellow. Iago. What are you here that cry so grievously? Cas. Iago? O, I am spoil'd, undone by villains! Give me some help. Iago. O me, lieutenant! what villains have done this? Cas. I think, that one of them is hereabout, O murderous slave! O villain; Rod. O damn'd lago! O inhuman dog!01 0! O! Iago. Kill men i'the dark;-Where be these bloody thieves? How silent is this town!-Ho! murder! murder! Iago. lago. By villains. Gra. Signior Lodovico ? I cry you mercy; Here's Cassio hurt Cassio? How is it, brother? Cas. My leg is cut in two. Iago. Iago. Marry, heaven forbid !Light, gentlemen; I'll bind it with my shirt. Who they should be, that have thus mangled you? Cas. No. Gra. I am sorry, to find you thus: I have been to seek you. Jago. Lend me a garter: So.-0, for a chair, To bear him easily hence! Bian. Alas, he faints :-0 Cassio! Cassio! To be a party in this injury.— Patience a while, good Cassio.-Come, come; Jago. Even he, sir; did you know him? Gra. Know him? ay. Iago. Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon; These bloody accidents must excuse my manners, That so neglected you. Gra. I am glad to see you. Jago How do you, Cassio ?-O, a chair, a chair! Gra. Roderigo! lago. He, he, 'tis he :-O, that's well said :-the chair:[A chair brought in. Some good man bear him carefully from hence; I'll fetch the general's surgeon.-For you, mistress, [To Bianca. Save you your labour. He that lies slain bere, Cassio, Was my dear friend: What malice was between you! Cas. None in the world; nor do I know the man. Iago. [To Bian.] What, look you pale ?—0, bear him out o'the air. [Cassio and Rod. are borne of. Stay you, good gentlemen:-Look you pale, nis tress? O treacherous villains!-Do you perceive the ghastness of her eye?— What are you there? come in, and give some help. Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon:[To Lodovico and Gratiano. Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her; Do you see, gentlemen? nay, guiltiness will speak, Rod. O, help me here! (1) Out. (2) No passengers. (3) Thick, cloudy. Though tongues were out of use. Enter Emilia. Emil. 'Las, what's the matter; what's the matter, husband? Iago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark, By Roderigo, and fellows that are 'scap'd; He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead." Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio! lago. This is the fruit of whoring.-Pr'ythee, Emilia, Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night:- Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not. Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me. Emil. Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet! Bian. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest, As you that thus abuse me. Emil. Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale.- And tell my lord and lady what has happ'd.- asleep. A light burning. Enter Othello. [Takes off his sword. Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light:2 If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore, Should I repent me:-but once put out thine, Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat, No, by my life and soul; Send for the man, and ask him. Sweet soul, take heed, Yes, presently: O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart, That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd thy I never gave it him :-Send for him hither, [Kissing her. O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade Ay, Desdemona. Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by that? I would not kill thy unprepared spirit; Des. Talk you of killing? Oth. Ay, I do. And let him confess a truth. He hath confess'd.' How? unlawfully? No, his mouth is stopp'd; Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't." Des. My fear interprets then,-What, is he dead? Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great re Then heaven (2) i. e. The light of life. Emil. [Within.] My lord, my lord! what ho' my lord! my lord! (4) A sacrifice atoning for thy crime. (5) Has taken ineasures. 4 D 1 Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death: Methinks it should be row a huge eclipse Of sun and moon; and that the affrighted globe Emd." [Within.] I do beseech you I may speak with you, O, good my lord! My husband say, that she was false? He. woman; I say, thy husband: dest understand the word! My friend, tay busband, Butest, purest lagu. Ex . li he say so, ir ay lis permanos soul Rotomanana diy sets Le Set: Shaw us the fund of her best fifty bargai C. Ha! Ex. Peace. You were best £. They bast not Lalf he power to do me - Though I lost twenty aves-Hop! tip to! Ora. Not Cassio kilk?' Tan moder's out of The Moerhus killi me nistress : Marder! marder! tane. He says, tá ju tëďst um that his wile was fixe: End You tried alie: an adeus. Jamred le; Sue Galise with Cassie —Did you say, with Cassa! laga. With Casi, mistress: Gu te, caum your Enth 1 t charn ny toege: I am bound Scene 11. Gra. 'Tis a strange truth. Villany, villany, villany! Iago. What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home. Emil. Good gentlemen, let me have leave speak; to 'Tis proper I obey him, but not now:- Oth. O, she was foul!-[Rising. I scarce did know you, uncle: There lies your niece, Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd: I know, this act shows horrible and grim. Gra. Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief And fall to reprobation. Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet Iago knows, That she with Cassio hath the act of shame Come, guard the door without; let him not pass, Let go all. Emil. What did thy song bode, lady? [Dies. Oth. I have another weapon in this chamber, Oth. Look in upon me then, and speak with me, Gra. What is the mater? Behold! I have a weapon; A better never did itself sustain A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it: Who can control his fate? 'is not so now. And she did gratify his amorous works Emil. O heaven! O heavenly powers! sir? no; No, I will speak as liberal' as the air; Let heaven, and men, and devils, let them all, Gra. I will not. [lago offers to stab his wife. Your sword upon a woman? Fie! Emil. O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou I found by fortune, and did give my husband; (More than, indeed, belong'd to such a trifle,) Jago. Emil. She gave it Cassio! And I did give't my husband. Villanous whore! no, alas; I found it, Filth, thou liest. lago. Oth. [lago stabs Emilia, then runs out. Are there no stones in heaven,! But what serve for the thunder ?-Precious villain! Gra. The woman falls; sure he has kill'd his wife. Emil. Ay, ay; O lay me by my mistress' side! Mon. 'Tis a notorious villain. Take you this Which I have here recover'd from the Moor: (2) Steel is hardened by being put red-hot into very cold water. Be not afraid, though you do see me weapon'd; Do you go back dismay'd? 'tis a lost fear; And he retires ;-Where should Othello go?- O cursed, cursed slave!-Whip me, ye devils, If that thou be'st a devil, I cannot kill thee. Lod. O thou Othello, that was once so good, Oth. Why, any thing: An honourable murderer, if you will; Did you and he consent in Cassio's death? (3) Account. (4) To see if his feet be cloven. (5) By the stratagem. f Oth, Ay. Cas. Dear general, I never gave you cause. From this time forth I never will speak word. Torments will ope your lips. Oth. Well, thou dost best. Which, as I think, you know not: Here is a letter, By Roderigo. Oth. O villain! Most heathenish, and most gross! Oth. O the pernicious caitiff! How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief That was my wife's? Cas, I found it in my chamber: Lod. You must forsake this room, and go with us; That can torment him much, and hold him long, Oth. Soft you; a word or two, before you go. Albeit unused to the melting mood, Lod. O bloody period! [Stabs himself All, that's spoke, is marr'd. (1) Judgment, For he was great of heart. [Dies. Lod. [Exeunt. The beauties of this play impress themselves so strongly upon the attention of the reader, that they can draw no aid from critical illustration. The fiery openness of Othello, magnanimous, artless, and credulous, boundless in his confidence, ardent in his affection, inflexible in his resolution, and obdurate in his revenge; the cool malignity of lago, silent in his resentment, subtle in his designs, and studious at once of his interest and his vengeance; the soft simplicity of Desdemona, confident of merit, and conscious of innocence, her artless perseverance in her suit, and her slowness to suspect that she can be suspected, are such proofs of Shakspeare's skill in human nature, as, I suppose, it is vain to seek in any modern writer. The gradual progress which Iago makes in the Moor's conviction, and the circumstances which he employs to inflame him, are so artfully natural, that, though it will, perhaps, not be said of him as he says of himself, that he is a man not easily jealous, yet we cannot but pity him, when at last we find him perplexed in the extreme. There is always danger, lest wickedness, conjoined with abilities, should steal upon esteem, though it misses of approbation; but the character of lago is so conducted, that he is from the first scene to to the last hated and despised. Even the inferior characters of this play would be very conspicuous in any other piece, not only for their justness, but their strength. Cassio is brave, benevolent, and honest, ruined only by his want of stubbornness to resist an insidious invita tion. Roderigo's suspicious credulity, and impatient submission to the cheats which he sees praetised upon him, and which, by persuasion, he suf fers to be repeated, exhibit a strong picture of a weak mind, betrayed by unlawful desires, to a false friend; and the virtue of Emilia is such as we often find, worn loosely, but not cast off, easy to commit small crimes, but quickened and alarmed at atrocious villanies. The scenes from the beginning to the end are busy, varied by happy interchanges, and regularly promoting the progression of the story; and the narrative in the end, though it tells but what is known already, yet is necessary to produce the death of Othello. Had the scene opened in Cyprus, and the prece ding incidents been occasionally related, there had been little wanting to a drama of the most exact and serupulous regularity. JOHNSON, FINIS. |