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No Fear Shakespeare – Othello (by SparkNotes, transcription by Alex Woelffer) -40-
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IAGO
You or any man living may be drunk at a time, man. I
tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife is now
the general. I may say so in this respect, for that he
hath devoted and given up himself to the
contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts
and graces. Confess yourself freely to her,
importune her help to put you in your place again.
She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a
disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness not to
do more than she is requested. This broken joint
between you and her husband entreat her to splinter,
and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this
crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was
before.
Act 2, Scene 3, Page 14
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CASSIO
You advise me well.
IAGO
I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest
kindness.
CASSIO
I think it freely, and betimes in the morning I will
beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for
me. I am desperate of my fortunes if they check me.
IAGO
You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant, I must to
the watch.
CASSIO
Good night, honest Iago.
IAGO
And what’s he then that says I play the villain?
When this advice is free I give and honest,
Probal to thinking and indeed the course
To win the Moor again? For ’tis most easy
Th' inclining Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit. She’s framed as fruitful
As the free elements. And then for her
To win the Moor, were to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin,
His soul is so enfettered to her love,
That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god
With his weak function. How am I then a villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins put on
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows
As I do now. For whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
IAGO
Any man can get drunk sometime. I’ll tell you
what to do. Othello’s wife has a lot of influence
now. He’s completely devoted to her. Go open
your heart to her. Ask her to help you get back
your position. She is so generous, kind, and
ready to help that she thinks it’s wrong not to do
everything she can, even more than she is asked
to do. Ask her to help you heal the rift between
her husband and you. I’d bet my lucky stars your
problem will be forgotten, and your relationship
will be stronger than ever.
CASSIO
That’s good advice.
IAGO
I’m helping you because I like and respect you.
CASSIO
I believe it completely. Early in the morning I’ll go
visit Desdemona and plead my case. My
situation is desperate.
IAGO
You’re doing the right thing. Good night,
lieutenant. I’ve got to go to the guard tower.
CASSIO
Good night, honest Iago.
Exit CASSIO exits.
IAGO
Who can say I’m evil when my advice is so
good? That’s really the best way to win the Moor
back again. It’s easy to get Desdemona on your
side. She’s full of good intentions. And the Moor
loves her so much he would renounce his
Christianity to keep her happy. He’s so enslaved
by love that she can make him do whatever she
wants. How am I evil to advise Cassio to do
exactly what’ll do him good? That’s the kind of
argument you’d expect from Satan! When devils
are about to commit their biggest sins they put
on their most heavenly faces, just like I’m doing
now. And while this fool is begging Desdemona
to help him, and while she’s pleading his case to
the Moor, I’ll poison the Moor’s ear against her,
hinting that she’s taking Cassio’s side because of
her lust for him. The more she