Othello was a Moor2, but of so dark a complexion3 that his enemies called him a Blackamoor. His life had been hard and exciting. He had been vanquished4 in battle and sold into slavery; and he had been a great traveler and seen men whose shoulders were higher than their heads. Brave as a lion, he had one great fault--jealousy5. His love was a terrible selfishness. To love a woman meant with him to possess her as absolutely as he possessed6 something that did not live and think. The story of Othello is a story of jealousy.
Please keep photo with html One night Iago told Roderigo that Othello had carried off Desdemona without the knowledge of her father, Brabantio. He persuaded Roderigo to arouse Brabantio, and when that senator appeared Iago told him of Desdemona's elopement in the most unpleasant way. Though he was Othello's officer, he termed him a thief and a Barbary horse.
Brabantio accused Othello before the Duke of Venice of using sorcery to fascinate his daughter, but Othello said that the only sorcery he used was his voice, which told Desdemona his adventures and hair-breadth escapes. Desdemona was led into the council-chamber7, and she explained how she could love Othello despite his almost black face by saying, “I saw Othello's visage in his mind.”
As Othello had married Desdemona, and she was glad to be his wife, there was no more to be said against him, especially as the Duke wished him to go to Cyprus to defend it against the Turks. Othello was quite ready to go, and Desdemona, who pleaded to go with him, was permitted to join him at Cyprus.
Othello's feelings on landing in this island were intensely joyful8. “Oh, my sweet,” he said to Desdemona, who arrived with Iago, his wife, and Roderigo before him, “I hardly know what I say to you. I am in love with my own happiness.”
News coming presently that the Turkish fleet was out of action, he proclaimed a festival in Cyprus from five to eleven at night.
Cassio was on duty in the Castle where Othello ruled Cyprus, so Iago decided9 to make the lieutenant drink too much. He had some difficulty, as Cassio knew that wine soon went to his head, but servants brought wine into the room where Cassio was, and Iago sang a drinking song, and so Cassio lifted a glass too often to the health of the general.
Please keep photo with html When Cassio was inclined to be quarrelsome, Iago told Roderigo to say something unpleasant to him. Cassio cudgeled Roderigo, who ran into the presence of Montano, the ex-governor. Montano civilly interceded10 for Roderigo, but received so rude an answer from Cassio that he said, “Come, come, you're drunk!” Cassio then wounded him, and Iago sent Roderigo out to scare the town with a cry of mutiny.
The uproar11 aroused Othello, who, on learning its cause, said, “Cassio, I love thee, but never more be officer of mine.”
On Cassio and Iago being alone together, the disgraced man moaned about his reputation. Iago said reputation and humbug12 were the same thing. “O God,” exclaimed Cassio, without heeding13 him, “that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains!”
Iago advised him to beg Desdemona to ask Othello to pardon him. Cassio was pleased with the advice, and next morning made his request to Desdemona in the garden of the castle. She was kindness itself, and said, “Be merry, Cassio, for I would rather die than forsake14 your cause.”
Iago said, “I don't like that.”
“What did you say?” asked Othello, who felt that he had meant something unpleasant, but Iago pretended he had said nothing. “Was not that Cassio who went from my wife?” asked Othello, and Iago, who knew that it was Cassio and why it was Cassio, said, “I cannot think it was Cassio who stole away in that guilty manner.”
Desdemona told Othello that it was grief and humility16 which made Cassio retreat at his approach. She reminded him how Cassio had taken his part when she was still heart-free, and found fault with her Moorish17 lover. Othello was melted, and said, “I will deny thee nothing,” but Desdemona told him that what she asked was as much for his good as dining.
Desdemona left the garden, and Iago asked if it was really true that Cassio had known Desdemona before her marriage.
“Yes,” said Othello.
“Indeed,” said Iago, as though something that had mystified him was now very clear.
“Is he not honest?” demanded Othello, and Iago repeated the adjective inquiringly, as though he were afraid to say “No.”
“What do you mean?” insisted Othello.
To this Iago would only say the flat opposite of what he said to Cassio. He had told Cassio that reputation was humbug. To Othello he said, “Who steals my purse steals trash, but he who filches18 from me my good name ruins me.”
At this Othello almost leapt into the air, and Iago was so confident of his jealousy that he ventured to warn him against it. Yes, it was no other than Iago who called jealousy “the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”
Iago having given jealousy one blow, proceeded to feed it with the remark that Desdemona deceived her father when she eloped with Othello. “If she deceived him, why not you?” was his meaning.
Presently Desdemona re-entered to tell Othello that dinner was ready. She saw that he was ill at ease. He explained it by a pain in his forehead. Desdemona then produced a handkerchief, which Othello had given her. A prophetess, two hundred years old, had made this handkerchief from the silk of sacred silkworms, dyed it in a liquid prepared from the hearts of maidens20, and embroidered21 it with strawberries. Gentle Desdemona thought of it simply as a cool, soft thing for a throbbing22 brow; she knew of no spell upon it that would work destruction for her who lost it. “Let me tie it round your head,” she said to Othello; “you will be well in an hour.” But Othello pettishly23 said it was too small, and let it fall. Desdemona and he then went indoors to dinner, and Emilia picked up the handkerchief which Iago had often asked her to steal.
She was looking at it when Iago came in. After a few words about it he snatched it from her, and bade her leave him.
Please keep photo with html In the garden he was joined by Othello, who seemed hungry for the worst lies he could offer. He therefore told Othello that he had seen Cassio wipe his mouth with a handkerchief, which, because it was spotted24 with strawberries, he guessed to be one that Othello had given his wife.
The unhappy Moor went mad with fury, and Iago bade the heavens witness that he devoted25 his hand and heart and brain to Othello's service. “I accept your love,” said Othello. “Within three days let me hear that Cassio is dead.”
Iago's next step was to leave Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's room. Cassio saw it, and knew it was not his, but he liked the strawberry pattern on it, and he gave it to his sweetheart Bianca and asked her to copy it for him.
Iago's next move was to induce Othello, who had been bullying26 Desdemona about the handkerchief, to play the eavesdropper27 to a conversation between Cassio and himself. His intention was to talk about Cassio's sweetheart, and allow Othello to suppose that the lady spoken of was Desdemona.
“How are you, lieutenant?” asked Iago when Cassio appeared.
“The worse for being called what I am not,” replied Cassio, gloomily.
“Keep on reminding Desdemona, and you'll soon be restored,” said Iago, adding, in a tone too low for Othello to hear, “If Bianca could set the matter right, how quickly it would mend!”
“Alas! poor rogue,” said Cassio, “I really think she loves me,” and like the talkative coxcomb29 he was, Cassio was led on to boast of Bianca's fondness for him, while Othello imagined, with choked rage, that he prattled30 of Desdemona, and thought, “I see your nose, Cassio, but not the dog I shall throw it to.”
Othello was still spying when Bianca entered, boiling over with the idea that Cassio, whom she considered her property, had asked her to copy the embroidery31 on the handkerchief of a new sweetheart. She tossed him the handkerchief with scornful words, and Cassio departed with her.
Othello had seen Bianca, who was in station lower, in beauty and speech inferior far, to Desdemona and he began in spite of himself to praise his wife to the villain32 before him. He praised her skill with the needle, her voice that could “sing the savageness33 out of a bear,” her wit, her sweetness, the fairness of her skin. Every time he praised her Iago said something that made him remember his anger and utter it foully35, and yet he must needs praise her, and say, “The pity of it, Iago! O Iago, the pity of it, Iago!”
There was never in all Iago's villainy one moment of wavering. If there had been he might have wavered then.
The pair were still talking murder when Desdemona appeared with a relative of Desdemona's father, called Lodovico, who bore a letter for Othello from the Duke of Venice. The letter recalled Othello from Cyprus, and gave the governorship to Cassio.
Luckless Desdemona seized this unhappy moment to urge once more the suit of Cassio.
“Fire and brimstone!” shouted Othello.
“It may be the letter agitates37 him,” explained Lodovico to Desdemona, and he told her what it contained.
“I am glad,” said Desdemona. It was the first bitter speech that Othello's unkindness had wrung38 out of her.
“I am glad to see you lose your temper,” said Othello.
“Why, sweet Othello?” she asked, sarcastically39; and Othello slapped her face.
Please keep photo with html Now was the time for Desdemona to have saved her life by separation, but she knew not her peril--only that her love was wounded to the core. “I have not deserved this,” she said, and the tears rolled slowly down her face.
Lodovico was shocked and disgusted. “My lord,” he said, “this would not be believed in Venice. Make her amends;” but, like a madman talking in his nightmare, Othello poured out his foul34 thought in ugly speech, and roared, “Out of my sight!”
“I will not stay to offend you,” said his wife, but she lingered even in going, and only when he shouted “Avaunt!” did she leave her husband and his guests.
Othello then invited Lodovico to supper, adding, “You are welcome, sir, to Cyprus. Goats and monkeys!” Without waiting for a reply he left the company.
Distinguished40 visitors detest41 being obliged to look on at family quarrels, and dislike being called either goats or monkeys, and Lodovico asked Iago for an explanation.
True to himself, Iago, in a round-about way, said that Othello was worse than he seemed, and advised them to study his behavior and save him from the discomfort42 of answering any more questions.
He proceeded to tell Roderigo to murder Cassio. Roderigo was out of tune43 with his friend. He had given Iago quantities of jewels for Desdemona without effect; Desdemona had seen none of them, for Iago was a thief.
Iago smoothed him with a lie, and when Cassio was leaving Bianca's house, Roderigo wounded him, and was wounded in return. Cassio shouted, and Lodovico and a friend came running up. Cassio pointed44 out Roderigo as his assailant, and Iago, hoping to rid himself of an inconvenient45 friend, called him “Villain!” and stabbed him, but not to death.
At the Castle, Desdemona was in a sad mood. She told Emilia that she must leave her; her husband wished it. “Dismiss me!” exclaimed Emilia. “It was his bidding, said Desdemona; we must not displease46 him now.”
She sang a song which a girl had sung whose lover had been base to her--a song of a maiden19 crying by that tree whose boughs47 droop48 as though it weeps, and she went to bed and slept.
She woke with her husband's wild eyes upon her. “Have you prayed to-night?” he asked; and he told this blameless and sweet woman to ask God's pardon for any sin she might have on her conscience. “I would not kill thy soul,” he said.
He told her that Cassio had confessed, but she knew Cassio had nought49 to confess that concerned her. She said that Cassio could not say anything that would damage her. Othello said his mouth was stopped.
Please keep photo with html Then Desdemona wept, but with violent words, in spite of all her pleading, Othello pressed upon her throat and mortally hurt her.
Then with boding50 heart came Emilia, and besought51 entrance at the door, and Othello unlocked it, and a voice came from the bed saying, “A guiltless death I die.”
“Who did it?” cried Emilia; and the voice said, “Nobody--I myself. Farewell!”
“'Twas I that killed her,” said Othello.
He poured out his evidence by that sad bed to the people who came running in, Iago among them; but when he spoke28 of the handkerchief, Emilia told the truth.
And Othello knew. “Are there no stones in heaven but thunderbolts?” he exclaimed, and ran at Iago, who gave Emilia her death-blow and fled.
But they brought him back, and the death that came to him later on was a relief from torture.
They would have taken Othello back to Venice to try him there, but he escaped them on his sword. “A word or two before you go,” he said to the Venetians in the chamber. “Speak of me as I was--no better, no worse. Say I cast away the pearl of pearls, and wept with these hard eyes; and say that, when in Aleppo years ago I saw a Turk beating a Venetian, I took him by the throat and smote52 him thus.”
With his own hand he stabbed himself to the heart; and ere he died his lips touched the face of Desdemona with despairing love.
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收听单词发音
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1
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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4
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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10
interceded
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| v.斡旋，调解( intercede的过去式和过去分词 )；说情 | |
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11
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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12
humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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13
heeding
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的现在分词 ) | |
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14
forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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16
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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17
moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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filches
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| v.偷（尤指小的或不贵重的物品）( filch的第三人称单数 ) | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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pettishly
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24
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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25
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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26
bullying
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| v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈 | |
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27
eavesdropper
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| 偷听者 | |
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28
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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29
coxcomb
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| n.花花公子 | |
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prattled
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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32
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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savageness
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| 天然，野蛮 | |
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34
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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35
foully
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| ad.卑鄙地 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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agitates
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| 搅动( agitate的第三人称单数 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论 | |
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38
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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39
sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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40
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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41
detest
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| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
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42
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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43
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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44
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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45
inconvenient
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| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
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46
displease
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| vt.使不高兴，惹怒；n.不悦，不满，生气 | |
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47
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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48
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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49
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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50
boding
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| adj.凶兆的，先兆的n.凶兆，前兆，预感v.预示，预告，预言( bode的现在分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
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51
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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52
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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