To him, it's almost a judicial killing - it's an execution. Or later on he characterises
it as a 'sacrifice'. It does have the feeling of somebody talking to himself; perhaps needing
to justify this to himself. Together, they were complete and made each other whole.
What's wonderful about this, truthful about it, is how inconsistently these people behave,
and I think that's the case with Emilia as well. And I think that's the way Shakespeare
taps into these tragic experiences - where people aren't in control of how their 'ends'
happen.
Try and make it, as you said, about the adversarial, the judicial thing - this is justice.
OTHELLO 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?
OTHELLO Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA Ay, my lord.
OTHELLO If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace, Solicit for it straight.
DESDEMONA Alas, my lord, what do you mean by that?
OTHELLO Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by:
I would not kill thy unprepared spirit; No; heaven 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; 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 the loves I bear to you.
OTHELLO Ay, and for that thou diest.
DESDEMONA That death's unnatural that kills for loving.
OTHELLO Peace, and be still!
Just do that again - can I just ask you to do one thing - take out these - play the time.
You don't want to give her space, (do it and be brief because we need to get on here),
Protect this, on the chair thing, even if she gets up off the chair, bam, no, stay in
the chair. So we'll play the time thing with it.
OTHELLO She wakes.
DESDEMONA Who's there? Othello?
OTHELLO Ay. Desdemona.
DESDEMONA Will you come to bed, my lord?
OTHELLO Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA Ay, my lord.
OTHELLO If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace, Solicit for it straight.
DESDEMONA Alas, my lord, what do you mean by that?
OTHELLO Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by:
I would not kill thy unprepared spirit; No; heaven 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; 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 the loves I bear to you.
OTHELLO Ay, and for that thou diest.
DESDEMONA That death's unnatural that kills for loving.
OTHELLO Peace, and be still!
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.
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;
It's interesting how, 'what's the matter?' the simplest question, you express is so simply,
and then you tell her. You finally tell her, and so there's a possibility, isn't there,
of something else, and there was almost a relief. But that's wrong, she knows it's wrong.
OTHELLO 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 them all.
DESDEMONA Alas! he is betray'd 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 Down, strumpet!
DESDEMONA Kill me to-morrow: let me live to-night!
OTHELLO Nay, if 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.
So what is it then, that really 'snapped' you, in terms of action, in terms of going
in for the kill?
Just the fact that she seems to show some kind of remorse, not for what the injury that
she's done to me, but for the fact that Cassio, we believe, has been killed.
So how weeping for Cassio, and for herself, 'I am undone' - it's not just you being undone,
it feels to me like it's, everything is undone. And all you want then is time. So banish me,
kill me tomorrow?
Half an hour!
Just half an hour, and what's the final thing you say?
Let me say one prayer.
Now you see, now that's incredibly insightful. That final moment is so simple and so awful.
All she wants is just the space to hold on to life for a little longer, just for another
moment, for half an hour - to say one more prayer; which is the thing that he promised
her at the beginning of the scene.