He kisses her

So sweet was ne’er so fatal. I must weep,

But they are cruel tears. This sorrow’s heavenly,

It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.

DESDEMONA Who’s there? Othello?

OTHELLO Ay, Desdemona.

DESDEMONA Will you come to bed, my lord?

OTHELLOHave you prayed tonight, Desdemon?

DESDEMONA Ay, my lord.

OTHELLO

If you bethink yourself of any crime

Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace,

Solicit for it straight.

DESDEMONA

Alack, my lord, what may you mean by that?

OTHELLO

Well, do it, and be brief. I will walk by.

I would not kill thy unprepared spirit.

No, heavens forfend! I would not kill thy soul.

DESDEMONA

Talk you of killing?

OTHELLO Ay, I do.

DESDEMONA Then heaven

Have mercy on me.

OTHELLO Amen, with all my heart.

DESDEMONA

If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.

OTHELLO Hum!

DESDEMONA

And yet I fear you, for you’re fatal then

When your eyes roll so. Why I should fear I know not,

Since guiltiness I know not, but yet I feel I fear.

OTHELLO Think on thy sins.

DESDEMONA They are loves I bear to you.

OTHELLO Ay, and for that thou diest.

DESDEMONA

That death’s unnatural that kills for loving.

Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?

Some bloody passion shakes your very frame.

These are portents, but yet I hope, I hope

They do not point on me.

OTHELLO Peace, and be still.

DESDEMONA

I will so. What’s the matter?

OTHELLO That handkerchief

Which I so loved and gave thee, thou gav’st to Cassio.

DESDEMONA

No, by my life and soul. Send for the man

And ask him.

OTHELLO

Sweet soul, take heed, take heed of perjury.

Thou art on thy deathbed.

DESDEMONA Ay, but not yet to die.

OTHELLO Presently.

Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin,

For to deny each article with oath

Cannot remove nor choke the strong conception

That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.

DESDEMONA

Then Lord have mercy on me.

OTHELLO I say amen.

DESDEMONA

And have you mercy, too. I never did

Offend you in my life, never loved Cassio

But with such general warranty of heaven

As I might love. I never gave him token.

OTHELLO

By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in’s hand.

O perjured woman! Thou dost stone my heart,

And makes me call what I intend to do

A murder, which I thought a sacrifice.

I saw the handkerchief.

DESDEMONA He found it, then.

I never gave it him. Send for him hither.

Let him confess a truth.

OTHELLO He hath confessed.

DESDEMONA

What, my lord?

OTHELLO That he hath used thee.

DESDEMONA How, unlawfully?

OTHELLO Ay.

DESDEMONA He will not say so.

OTHELLONo, his mouth is stopped.

Honest Iago hath ta’en order for’t.

DESDEMONA

O, my fear interprets! What, is he dead?

OTHELLO

Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge

Had stomach for em all.

DESDEMONA (weeping)

Alas, he is betrayed, and I undone.

OTHELLO

Out, strumpet! Weep’st thou for him to my face?

DESDEMONA

O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not.

OTHELLO (attacking her) Down, strumpet.

DESDEMONA

Kill me tomorrow; let me live tonight.

OTHELLO Nay, an you strive—

DESDEMONA But half an hour.

OTHELLO Being done, there is no pause.

DESDEMONA But while I say one prayer.

OTHELLO It is too late.

He smothers her

DESDEMONAO Lord, Lord, Lord!

Emilia at the door

EMILIA (within)

My lord, my lord, what ho, my lord, my lord!

OTHELLO

What noise is this? Not dead? Not yet quite dead?

I that am cruel am yet merciful.

I would not have thee linger in thy pain.

So, so.

EMILIA (within) What ho, my lord, my lord!

OTHELLOWho’s there?

EMILIA (within)

O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you.

OTHELLO (calling)

Yes.—‘Tis Emilia. (Calling) By and by!—She’s dead.

’Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio’s death.

The noise was high. Ha! No more moving.

Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were’t good?

I think she stirs again. No. What’s best to do?

If she come in, she’ll sure speak to my wife.

My wife, my wife! What wife? I ha’ no wife.

O insupportable, O heavy hour!

Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse

Of sun and moon, and that th’affrighted globe

Should yawn at alteration.

EMILIA (within) I do beseech you

That I may speak with you. O, good my lord!

OTHELLO

I had forgot thee.—O, come in, Emilia.—

Soft, by and by. Let me the curtains draw.

He closes the bed-curtains

Where art thou?

He opens the door. Enter Emilia

What’s the matter with thee now?

EMILIA

O my good lord, yonder’s foul murder’s done.

OTHELLO What, now?

EMILIA But now, my lord.

OTHELLO

It is the very error of the moon,

She comes more nearer earth than she was wont,

And makes men mad.

EMILIA

Cassio, my lord, hath killed a young Venetian

Called Roderigo.

OTHELLO Roderigo killed

And Cassio killed?

EMILIA No, Cassio is not killed.

OTHELLO

Not Cassio killed? Then murder’s out of tune,

And sweet revenge grows harsh.

DESDEMONA O, falsely, falsely murdered!

EMILIA O Lord, what cry is that?

OTHELLO That? What?

EMILIA

Out and alas, that was my lady’s voice!

⌈She opens the bed-curtains

Help, help, ho, help ! O lady, speak again!

Sweet Desdemona, O sweet mistress, speak!

DESDEMONA

A guiltless death I die.

EMILIA O, who hath done this deed?

DESDEMONA

Nobody, I myself. Farewell.

Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell! She dies

OTHELLO

Why, how should she be murdered?

EMILIA Alas, who knows?

OTHELLO

You heard her say herself it was not I.