 Desdemona. Talk you of killing?

 Othello. Ay, I do.

 Desdemona. Then heaven 
Have mercy on me!3340

 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 are fatal then 

When your eyes roll so: why I should fear I know not, 3345
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. 3350

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!3355

 Desdemona. I will so. What's the matter?

 Othello. That handkerchief which I so loved and gave thee 

Thou gavest to Cassio.

 Desdemona. No, by my life and soul! 

Send for the man, and ask him.3360

 Othello. Sweet soul, take heed, 

Take heed of perjury; thou art on thy deathbed.

 Desdemona. Ay, but not yet to die.

 Othello. Yes, presently: 
Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin; 3365
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.3370

 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. 3375

O perjured woman! thou dost stone my heart, 
And makest me call what I intend to do 
A murder, which I thought a sacrifice: 
I saw the handkerchief.

 Desdemona. He found it then; 3380

I never gave it him: send for him hither; 
Let him confess a truth.

Guiding questions:

What makes this scene so dramatic ?

How does the writer make use of language and style to communicate his ideas?
DESDEMONA DESDEMONA
Talk you of killing? You're talking about killing?

OTHELLO OTHELLO
Ay, I do. Yes, I am.

DESDEMONA DESDEMONA
Then heavenHave mercy on me! Then heaven have mercy on me!

OTHELLO OTHELLO
40Amen, with all my heart. Amen, I wholeheartedly agree.

DESDEMONA DESDEMONA
If you say, I hope you will not kill me. Then I hope you will not kill me.

OTHELLO OTHELLO
Humh! Hmph!

DESDEMONA
And yet I fear you, for you’re fatal
thenWhen your eyes roll so. Why I
should fear I know not,
45Since guiltiness I know not. But yet I
feel I fear.
DESDEMONA
And yet I fear you, because when your
eyes roll like that I know you're in a
deadly mood. I don't know why I
should be afraid, since I am not guilty
of anything. But I am afraid
nonetheless.

OTHELLO OTHELLO
Think on thy sins. Think about your sins.

DESDEMONA DESDEMONA
They are loves I bear to you. My only sin is my love for you.

OTHELLO OTHELLO
Ay, and for that thou diest. Yes, and that's why you're going to
die.

DESDEMONA DESDEMONA
That death’s unnatural that kills for It's not a natural thing to kill someone
loving. for loving. Alas, why are you biting
50Alas, why gnaw you so your nether your lower lip? Some bloodthirsty
lip?Some bloody passion shakes your
very frame.These are portents, but yet
I hope, I hopeThey do not point on
me.
OTHELLO
Peace, and be still.
DESDEMONA
55I will so. What’s the matter?
OTHELLO
That handkerchiefWhich I so loved
and gave thee, thou gav’stTo Cassio.
DESDEMONA
No, by my life and soul!60Send for the
man and ask him.
DESDEMONA
No, by my life and soul!
60Send 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.
65Therefore confess thee freely of thy
sin,For to deny each article with
oathCannot remove nor choke the
strong conceptionThat I do groan
withal. Thou art to die.
DESDEMONA
Oh, heaven have mercy on me!
passion is shaking your whole body.
These are bad signs, but I hope they
do not point to something that is
going to happen to me.
OTHELLO
Be quiet, and stay still.
DESDEMONA
I will. What's the matter?
OTHELLO
That handkerchief that I loved so
much and gave to you, you gave to
Cassio.
DESDEMONA
No, I swear on my life and soul! Send
for him and ask him.
OTHELLO
You sweet soul, careful now, be
careful about lying. You are on your
deathbed.
DESDEMONA
Yes, but it's not yet time for me to die!
OTHELLO
It will be soon. Therefore confess your
sin openly.Your denial of every part of
it can do nothing to remove the
horrible idea that I have in my head.
You are about to die.
DESDEMONA
Oh, heaven have mercy on me!
OTHELLO
70I say “amen.”
DESDEMONA
And have you mercy too! I never
didOffend you in my life, never loved
CassioBut with such general warranty
of heavenAs I might love. I never gave
him token.
OTHELLO
75By heaven, I saw my handkerchief
in ’s hand.O perjured woman, thou
dost stone my heart,And mak’st me
call what I intend to doA murder,
which I thought a sacrifice!I saw the
handkerchief.
DESDEMONA
80He found it then,I never gave it him.
Send for him hither,Let him confess a
truth.
OTHELLO
I say amen to that.
DESDEMONA
And you have mercy, too! I never did
anything to offend you in my life. I
never loved Cassio except in a general
way, as a friend. I never gave him a
token of my affection.
OTHELLO
By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in
his hand. Oh, you lying woman! You
turn my heart to stone and make me
call what I intend to do a murder,
instead of a sacrifice! I saw the
handkerchief.
DESDEMONA
Then he must have found it. I never
gave it to him. Send for him to come
here, and let him tell you the truth.