Her resignation and angelic
sweetness of temper do not desert her at the last. The scenes in
which she laments and tries to account for Othello's estrangement
from her are exquisitely beautiful. After he has struck her, and
called her names, she says:
--Alas, Iago,
What shall I do to win my lord again?
Good friend, go to him; for by this light of heaven,
I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel;
If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love,
Either in discourse, or thought, or actual deed,
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense
Delighted them on any other form-
Or that I do not, and ever did
And ever will, though he do shake me off
To beggarly divorcement, love him dearly,
Comfort forswear me. Unkindness may do much,
And his unkindness may defeat my life,
But never taint my love.
Iago. I pray you be content:'tis but his humour.
The business of the state does him offence.
Desdemona. If'twere no other!--
The scene which follows with Aemilia and the song of the Willow are
equally beautiful, and show the author's extreme power of varying
the expression of passion, in all its moods and in all
circumstances;
Aemilia. Would you had never seen him.
Desdemona. So would not I: my love doth so approve him,
That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns,
Have grace and favour in them, &c.
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