Source
Oxford | Michael Neill. London: Clarendon Press, 2006

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’t to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin –
His soul is so enfetter’d 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,
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear:
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Thought Counts
Oxford | 2006

Short: 1
Medium: 5
Long: 2
Total: 8

End-stopped: 2
Mid-line: 6

Periods: 5
Exclamations: 1
Questions: 2
Unfinished: 0

Thoughts
Oxford | 2006

IAGO
1. 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? 2. For ’tis most easy
Th’inclining Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit. 3. She’s framed as fruitful
As the free elements; and then for her
To win the Moor – were’t to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin –
His soul is so enfetter’d to her love
That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god,
With his weak function. 4. How am I then a villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course
Directly to his good? 5. Divinity of hell!
6. When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now. 7. For whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear:
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
8. So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Line Analysis
Oxford | 2006

And what’s he then that says I play the villain,     11w  
When this advice is free I give, and honest,              11w
Probal to thinking, and indeed the course                10
To win the Moor again? For ’tis most easy .          11w
Th’inclining Desdemona to subdue                            10R
In any honest suit. She’s framed as fruitful          11w
As the free elements; and then for her                       10
To win the Moor – were’t to renounce his baptism,    11 or 12 
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin –                     10R
His soul is so enfetter’d to her love                              10R
That she may make, unmake, do what she list,           10R or 10 
Even as her appetite shall play the god,                      10R or 11
With his weak function. How am I then a villain       12w or 13w 
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course                     10R or 11 or 12
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!                         12
When devils will the blackest sins put on,                 10R
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,              10R or 11
As I do now. For whiles this honest fool                      10R
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune                       11w
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,              10R
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear:                               10R or 10
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;                      10R
And by how much she strives to do him good             10R
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.                      10R
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,                              10
And out of her own goodness make the net                 10R
That shall enmesh them all.                                           6 unfinished

Tempo and Phrasing
Oxford | 2006

IAGO
And what’s he then that says I play the villain,    slow?
When this advice is free I give, <c> and honest,
Probal to thinking,<c> and indeed the course  →
To win the Moor again?<c> For ’tis most easy
Th’inclining Desdemona to subdue   →
In any honest suit.<c> She’s framed as fruitful    →
As the free elements;<c> and then for her   →
To win the Moor<c> -were’t to renounce his baptism,  carefully
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin –
His soul is so enfetter’d to her love   →   carefully
That she may make,<c> unmake,<c> do what she list,    slow?
Even as her appetite shall play the god,   →
With his weak function.<c> How am I then a villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course
Directly to his good? <c> Divinity of hell!   pause
When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now.<c> For whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune
And she for him <c> pleads strongly to the Moor,
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear:    slowly
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good   slow
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.     pause
So will I turn her virtue <c> into pitch,    carefully
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Repeated Sounds
Oxford | 2006

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’t to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin –
His soul is so enfetter’d 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,
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear:
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Rhetoric
Oxford | 2006

IAGO
And what’s he then that says I play the villain, (imagery)
When this advice is free I give, and honest,
Probal to thinking, and indeed the course
To win the Moor again? (list, irony, rhetorical question) For ’tis most easy
Th’inclining (imagery) Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit. She’s framed as fruitful
As the free elements (imagery, simile); and then for her
To win the Moor – were’t to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin (parenthesis) – (list, imagery, comparison, hyperbole)
His soul is so enfetter’d to her love  (imagery)
That she may make, unmake, do what she list, (list)
Even as her appetite shall play the god, (parenthesis) (imagery)
With his weak function. How am I then a villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course  (metaphor, imagery)
Directly to his good? (irony, rhetorical question)  Divinity of hell!  (juxtaposition, paradox)
When devils will the blackest sins put on,  (imagery, comparison)
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, (imagery, antithesis)
As I do now. (simile)  For whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,  (this and that, antithesis)
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear:  (metaphor, imagery)
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.  (antithesis)
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,  (imagery, antithesis)
And out of her own goodness make the net (metaphor, antithesis)
That shall enmesh them all. (imagery)

Before and After
Oxford | 2006

CASSIO
I think it freely, and betimes in the morning will beseech the virtuous Desdemona, to undertake for me; I am desperate of my fortunes, if they check me here.

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’t to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin –
His soul is so enfetter’d 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,
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear:
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Re-enter RODERIGO

How now, Roderigo!

RODERIGO
I do follow here in the chase, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; and I think the issue will be, I shall have so much experience for my pains, and so, with no money at all and a little more wit, return again to Venice.

IAGO
How poor are they that have not patience!
What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
Thou know’st we work by wit, and not by witchcraft;
And wit depends on dilatory time.
Does’t not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee.
And thou, by that small hurt, hast cashier’d Cassio:
Though other things grow fair against the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe:
Content thyself awhile. By the mass, ’tis morning;
Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.
Retire thee; go where thou art billeted:
Away, I say; thou shalt know more hereafter:
Nay, get thee gone.

Exit RODERIGO

Two things are to be done:
My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;
I’ll set her on;
Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife: ay, that’s the way
Dull not device by coldness and delay.

Exit