No Fear Shakespeare: Othello: Act 4 Scene 3

Read and listen with a SparkNotes PLUS trial!

No Fear Translations

No Fear Audio

Already have an account? Log in

Previous page Act 4, Scene 2 Next page Act 5, Scene 1

Test your knowledge

Take the Act IV, scenes ii-iii Quick Quiz

Read the Summary

Read the Summary of Act IV, scenes ii-iii.

Shakespeare’s Life & Times

Your password reset email should arrive shortly.

Something went wrong

Othello

William Shakespeare

Original Text

Modern Text

Original Text

Modern Text

Take the Act IV, scenes ii-iii Quick Quiz

Read the Summary of Act IV, scenes ii-iii.

Dive into our comprehensive guide to ace your Shakespeare assignments

Popular pages: Othello

Full Play Analysis SUMMARY

Othello CHARACTERS

Themes LITERARY DEVICES

Deception and Treachery QUOTES

Full Book QUIZZES

Take a Study Break

The 7 Most Messed-Up Short Stories We All Had to Read in School

QUIZ: Which Pride and Prejudice Character Matches Your Personality?

QUIZ: Is This a Taylor Swift Lyric or a Quote by Edgar Allan Poe?

QUIZ: Which Greek God Are You?

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter OTHELLO , LODOVICO , DESDEMONA , EMILIA and attendants	Enter OTHELLO , LODOVICO , DESDEMONA , EMILIA and attendants
LODOVICO I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.	LODOVICO I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.
OTHELLO Oh, pardon me, ’twill do me good to walk.	OTHELLO Oh, pardon me, ’twill do me good to walk.
LODOVICO Madam, good night. I humbly thank your ladyship.	LODOVICO Madam, good night. I humbly thank your ladyship.
DESDEMONA Your honor is most welcome.	DESDEMONA Your honor is most welcome.
OTHELLO 5 Will you walk, sir?—O Desdemona—	OTHELLO Will you walk, sir?—O Desdemona—
DESDEMONA My lord?	DESDEMONA My lord?
OTHELLO Get you to bed on th' instant, I will be returned Forthwith. Dismiss your attendant there, look ’t be done.	OTHELLO Get you to bed on th' instant, I will be returned Forthwith. Dismiss your attendant there, look ’t be done.
DESDEMONA I will, my lord.	DESDEMONA I will, my lord.
Exeunt OTHELLO , LODOVICO , and attendants	Exeunt OTHELLO , LODOVICO , and attendants
EMILIA 10 How goes it now? He looks gentler than he did.	EMILIA How goes it now? He looks gentler than he did.
DESDEMONA He says he will return incontinent, And hath commanded me to go to bed And bid me to dismiss you.	DESDEMONA He says he will return incontinent, And hath commanded me to go to bed And bid me to dismiss you.
EMILIA Dismiss me?	EMILIA Dismiss me?
DESDEMONA It was his bidding. Therefore, good Emilia, 15 Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu. We must not now displease him.	DESDEMONA It was his bidding. Therefore, good Emilia, Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu. We must not now displease him.
EMILIA Ay. Would you had never seen him!	EMILIA Ay. Would you had never seen him!
DESDEMONA So would not I. My love doth so approve him That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns— 20 Prithee, unpin me—have grace and favor.	DESDEMONA So would not I. My love doth so approve him That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns— Prithee, unpin me—have grace and favor.
EMILIA I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed.	EMILIA I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed.
DESDEMONA All’s one. Good Father, how foolish are our minds! If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud me In one of these same sheets.	DESDEMONA All’s one. Good Father, how foolish are our minds! If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud me In one of these same sheets.
EMILIA Come, come! You talk!	EMILIA Come, come! You talk!
DESDEMONA 25 My mother had a maid called Barbary, She was in love, and he she loved proved mad And did forsake her. She had a song of “Willow,” An old thing ’twas, but it expressed her fortune And she died singing it. That song tonight 30 Will not go from my mind. I have much to do But to go hang my head all at one side And sing it like poor Barbary. Prithee, dispatch.	DESDEMONA My mother had a maid called Barbary, She was in love, and he she loved proved mad And did forsake her. She had a song of “Willow,” An old thing ’twas, but it expressed her fortune And she died singing it. That song tonight Will not go from my mind. I have much to do But to go hang my head all at one side And sing it like poor Barbary. Prithee, dispatch.
EMILIA Shall I go fetch your nightgown?	EMILIA Shall I go fetch your nightgown?
DESDEMONA No, unpin me here. This Lodovico is a proper man.	DESDEMONA No, unpin me here. This Lodovico is a proper man.
EMILIA 35 A very handsome man.	EMILIA A very handsome man.
DESDEMONA He speaks well.	DESDEMONA He speaks well.
EMILIA I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip.	EMILIA I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip.
DESDEMONA (singing) The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree, Sing all a green willow. Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee, Sing willow, willow, willow. The fresh streams ran by her, and murmured her moans, Sing willow, willow, willow. Her salt tears fell from her, and softened the stones Sing willow, willow, willow— Lay by these— Willow, willow— Prithee, hie thee, he’ll come anon— Sing all a green willow must be my garland. Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve— Nay, that’s not next—Hark! Who is ’t that knocks?	DESDEMONA (singing) The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree, Sing all a green willow. Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee, Sing willow, willow, willow. The fresh streams ran by her, and murmured her moans, Sing willow, willow, willow. Her salt tears fell from her, and softened the stones Sing willow, willow, willow— Lay by these— Willow, willow— Prithee, hie thee, he’ll come anon— Sing all a green willow must be my garland. Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve— Nay, that’s not next—Hark! Who is ’t that knocks?
EMILIA It’s the wind.	EMILIA It’s the wind.
DESDEMONA (sings) I called my love false love but what said he then? Sing willow, willow, willow. If I court more women you’ll couch with more men— So, get thee gone, good night. Mine eyes do itch, Doth that bode weeping?	DESDEMONA (sings) I called my love false love but what said he then? Sing willow, willow, willow. If I court more women you’ll couch with more men— So, get thee gone, good night. Mine eyes do itch, Doth that bode weeping?
EMILIA 'Tis neither here nor there.	EMILIA 'Tis neither here nor there.
DESDEMONA 45 I have heard it said so. Oh, these men, these men! Dost thou in conscience think—tell me, Emilia— That there be women do abuse their husbands In such gross kind?	DESDEMONA I have heard it said so. Oh, these men, these men! Dost thou in conscience think—tell me, Emilia— That there be women do abuse their husbands In such gross kind?
EMILIA There be some such, no question.	EMILIA There be some such, no question.
DESDEMONA Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?	DESDEMONA Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?
EMILIA 50 Why, would not you?	EMILIA Why, would not you?
DESDEMONA No, by this heavenly light!	DESDEMONA No, by this heavenly light!
EMILIA Nor I neither, by this heavenly light. I might do ’t as well i' th' dark.	EMILIA Nor I neither, by this heavenly light. I might do ’t as well i' th' dark.
DESDEMONA Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?	DESDEMONA Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?
EMILIA The world’s a huge thing. It is a great price for a small vice.	EMILIA The world’s a huge thing. It is a great price for a small vice.
DESDEMONA 55 In troth, I think thou wouldst not.	DESDEMONA In troth, I think thou wouldst not.
EMILIA In troth, I think I should, and undo ’t when I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring, nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition. But for the whole world? Why, who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for ’t.	EMILIA In troth, I think I should, and undo ’t when I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring, nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition. But for the whole world? Why, who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for ’t.
DESDEMONA Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong For the whole world.	DESDEMONA Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong For the whole world.
EMILIA Why the wrong is but a wrong i' th' world, and having the world for your labor, ’tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right.	EMILIA Why the wrong is but a wrong i' th' world, and having the world for your labor, ’tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right.
DESDEMONA 60 I do not think there is any such woman.	DESDEMONA I do not think there is any such woman.
EMILIA Yes, a dozen, and as many to th' vantage as would store the world they played for. But I do think it is their husbands' faults If wives do fall. Say that they slack their duties	EMILIA Yes, a dozen, and as many to th' vantage as would store the world they played for. But I do think it is their husbands' faults If wives do fall. Say that they slack their duties
And pour our treasures into foreign laps, 65 Or else break out in peevish jealousies, Throwing restraint upon us. Or say they strike us, Or scant our former having in despite. Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace, Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know 70 Their wives have sense like them. They see and smell And have their palates both for sweet and sour, As husbands have. What is it that they do When they change us for others? Is it sport? I think it is. And doth affection breed it? 75 I think it doth. Is ’t frailty that thus errs? It is so too. And have not we affections, Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have? Then let them use us well, else let them know, The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.	And pour our treasures into foreign laps, Or else break out in peevish jealousies, Throwing restraint upon us. Or say they strike us, Or scant our former having in despite. Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace, Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know Their wives have sense like them. They see and smell And have their palates both for sweet and sour, As husbands have. What is it that they do When they change us for others? Is it sport? I think it is. And doth affection breed it? I think it doth. Is ’t frailty that thus errs? It is so too. And have not we affections, Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have? Then let them use us well, else let them know, The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.
DESDEMONA 80 Good night, good night. Heaven me such uses send, Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend!	DESDEMONA Good night, good night. Heaven me such uses send, Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend!
Exeunt	Exeunt