Oh, insupportable! Oh heavy hour! There should now be a huge eclipse of the sun and moon, making the whole earth feel it.Įmilia was still out there. His wife! His wife! What wife? He had no wife. What should he do? If she came in she would speak to his wife. Should he let Emilia in? Would that be wise? Was Desdamona moving again? No. There was no more movement – still as the grave. Emilia had probably come to tell him about Cassio’s death. ‘Bye and bye,’ he called.ĭesdemona was dead. ‘My lord, I’d like a word with you,’ said Emilia. I wouldn’t have you lingering in your pain.’ He applied more pressure to the pillow. ‘Not quite dead? I may be cruel but I’m still merciful. There was a banging on the door and Emilia’s voice, urgently: ‘My lord, my lord, my lord!’ ‘It’s too late.’ He thrust the pillow over her face and held it down. ‘Oh banish me, my lord,’ she wailed, and clutched at his gown, ‘but don’t kill me.’ She broke down then, and that enraged Othello. ‘Alas then, he has been betrayed, and I’ve been undone.’
‘If all his hairs had been lives my great revenge would have had stomach for them all.’
‘Oh, is it what I fear? What? Is he dead?’ ‘I saw my handkerchief in his hand! Oh you perjured woman, you make my heart like stone and make me think of what I’m going to do as a murder rather than a sacrifice. ‘And you have mercy on me too! I’ve never offended you in my life! I never loved Cassio except for what is acceptable. Therefore, confess your sin freely, because denying any of it under oath can’t remove my strong belief in your guilt.
‘Sweet soul, be careful – be careful of perjury: you’re on your deathbed.’ ‘On my life and soul! Send for the man and ask him.’ ‘That handkerchief that I loved so much and gave you, you gave to Cassio.’ He sat down on the bed and stared at her. These are signs of something but I hope against hope they’re not pointing at me.’ ‘Why are you chewing your lower lip like that? Some terrible passion is shaking your whole body. ‘It’s unnatural to kill someone for loving,’ she said. ‘Yes, and its for that that you’re dying.’ I don’t know why I should be afraid because I don’t feel guilty about anything. ‘Because you’re murderous when your eyes roll like that. ‘If you’re saying that I hope you won’t kill me.’ No, heaven forbid, I don’t want to kill your soul.’ĭesdemona withdrew to the other side of the bed. I don’t want to kill your unprepared soul. ‘If you can think of any crime that you haven’t reconciled with heaven, pray for that immediately.’ ‘Have you prayed tonight, Desdemona?’ he said. ‘Who’s there?’ She opened her eyes and recognised him. ‘She’s waking up!’ĭesdemona smiled and reached towards him. This is a holy sorrow – it hits where it loves.’ He drew in his breath. Once more, and this is the last.’ He kissed her again. ‘If you are so beautiful when you are dead then I will kill you and keep loving you. Once more, once more.’ He kissed her again. ‘Oh sweet breath that almost persuades me to change my mind. ‘I’ll smell it while it’s still on the tree.’ Once I have plucked your rose I can’t restore it to life it must necessarily wither. But if I put out your light, you deceptive picture of natural perfection, I don’t know any kind of heat that can restore your light. If I quench you you flaming torch I can light you again if I change my mind. Put out the light first and then put out her light. But she must die or she’ll betray other men.
#Othello act 5 scene 2 skin#
And yet I won’t shed her blood or leave any mark on that whiter skin of hers than snow, and as smooth as alabaster used for sculpture. I can’t utter its name before the chaste heavens, but that’s the reason. Othello stood at the side of the bed and gazed down at the sleeping Desdemona. Each Shakespeare’s play name links to a range of resources about each play: Character summaries, plot outlines, example essays and famous quotes, soliloquies and monologues: All’s Well That Ends Well Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Coriolanus Cymbeline Hamlet Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry VIII Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry V Julius Caesar King John King Lear Loves Labour’s Lost Macbeth Measure for Measure The Merchant of Venice The Merry Wives of Windsor A Midsummer Night’s Dream Much Ado About Nothing Othello Pericles Richard II Richard III Romeo & Juliet The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus Troilus & Cressida Twelfth Night The Two Gentlemen of Verona The Winter’s Tale This list of Shakespeare plays brings together all 38 plays in alphabetical order.