Authors: William Shakespeare
Othello (31 page)
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
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)