HONEST,+HONESTY+final

Quotes
Act One: "Whip me such **honest** knaves!" Iago-1:1:54 "In **honest** plainness thou hast heard me say my daughter is not for thee." Brabantio-1:1:108 "**Honest** Iago, my Desdemona must I leave to thee." Othello-1:3:36

Act Two: "**Honest** Iago, that looks dead with grieving, speak." Othello-2:3:189 "I know Iago,thy **honesty** and love doth mince this matter, making it light to Cassio." Othello-2:3:263 "As I am an **honest** man, I thought you had received some bodily wound." Iago-2:3:285 "I protest, in the sincerity of love and **honest** kindness." Iago-2:3:347 "For 'tis most easy th' inclining Desdemona to subdue in any **honest** suit." Iago-2:3:361 "For while 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." Iago-2:3:373

Act Three: "Dost thou hear, mine **honest** friend?" Cassio-3:1:22 "No, I hear not your **honest** friend.: Clown 3:1:23 "I never knew a Florentine more kind and **honest**." Cassio 3:1:45 "O, that's an **honest** fellow! Do not doubt, Cassio, but I will have my lord and you again as friendly as you were." Desdemona-3:3:5 "Indeed? Ay, indeed! Discern'st thou aught in that? Is he not **honest**? Othello 3:3:115 "**Honest**, my lord?" Iago-3:3:116 "I think thou dost; and for know thou 'rt full of love and **honesty** and weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st the, breath, therefore these stops of thine fright me the more." Othello 3:3:136 "For Michael Cassio, I dare be sworn I think that he is **honest**." Iago-3:3:145 "Why then, I think Cassio's an **honest** man." Iago 3:3:150 "It were not for your quiet nor your good, nor for my manhood, **honesty**, and wisdom, to let you know my thoughts." Iago-3:3:179 "I do not think but Desdemona's **honest**." Othello-3:3:265 "Why did I marry? This **honest** creature doubtless sees and knows more, much more, then he unfolds." Othello-3:3:283 "This fellow's of exceeding **honesty**, and knows all (qualities) with a learned spirit of human dealings." Othello-3:3:299 "O wretched foo, that (liv'st) to make thine **honesty** a vice!" Iago-3:3:430 "Nay, stay. Thou shouldst be **honest**." Othello-3:3:435 "I should be wise; for **honesty's** a fool and loses that it works for." Iago-3:3:436 "By the world, I think my wife be **honest** and think she is not." Othello-3:3:439 "I do not like the office, but sith I am entered in this cause so far, pricked to 't by foolish **honesty** and love, I will go on." Iago-3:3:439 "She may be **honest** yet. tell me but this: have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief spotted with strawberries in your wife's hand?" Iago-3:3:492

Act Four: " She may be **honest** yet..." Iago-4:1:191 " I durst, my lord, to wager she is **honest**." Emilia-4:2:193 " For is she be not **honest**, chaste, and true..." Emilia-4:2:193 "Swear thou art **honest**" Othello-4:2:195 " I hope my noble lord esteems me **honest**" Desdemona 4:2:197 "And put in every **honest** hand a whip" Emilia-4:2:203

Act Five: " Tis he! O brave Iago, **honest** and just," Othello 5:1:225 " I am no strumpet, but of life as **honest**..." Bianca-5:2:235 " **Honest** iago hath ta'en order for't" Othello-5:2:241 "An **honest** man he is, and hates the slime that sticks on filthy deeds" Othello-5:2:249 "My friend, thy husband; **honest**, **honest** Iago." Othello-5:2:249 "But why should honor outlive **honesty**?" Othello-5:2:257

Analyzing the Word
Salty:  The key to Iago’s success in the play is directly linked to Shakespeare’s use of one word - Honest. At the time Shakespeare was writing the meaning of the word honest was shifting. In its original context honest meant something "along the lines of the art of taking advantage of opportunities when they arise" (53) This shift in word meaning is personified in the character of Iago. Othello regularly refers to Iago as an “honest” man, in the sense that Iago is not afraid to tell him the truth, even when Othello doesn’t really want to hear it. Honestly is used frequently throughout the book because Shakespeare is trying to sublimate the word into your head so when the infighting starts, you are shocked.

Sybil: In finding all the times Shakespeare used the word "honest" I noticed that a character can usually say it with other words like "love" or "kindness." It also comes up a lot when Othello is talking about Desdemona. I think that the more important use of the word is when it refers back to Iago. In the play, Iago is referred to as honest Iago. The irony of this situation is that Iago is nowhere near being an honest person. He lies and schemes to achieve his goals, which in this case, means getting Othello and Desdemona to separate and also getting the position of lieutenant. Iago also has the audacity of talking to Othello about the fact that Desdemona is not "honest" with him. With his cunning skills he is able to "plant seeds of doubt" into Othello's head and make him doubt Desdemona's fidelity.

Bethany: Throughout the play of Othello, i noticed that one the words used the most was honesty. Many times i found it ironic because much of the play had dishonesty and betrayal. I also noticed that Othello and Iago used the word honesty the most. Othello many times reffed it to desdemona and Iago in saying that iago was an honest and true friend. in a way i felt bad for the character of othello because the two people that he called honest and true weren't honest and true at all. It was in Iago's plan that Othello and Desdemona would separate in order for iago to obtain his motive - power. While desdemona, falling for the love of cassio, didn't really much think on how her honesty to othello would soon be destroyed.( Also by the the evil ideas and motives of Iago). All in all, the word honesty and the context in which it was said did affect and help me better undestand the play.

Adrian: Like Sybil and Bethany, I too noticed the irony in the usage of the word “honest”. The only honest thing Iago ever does is tell the audience and Cassio what the main point of his plan is and how he pretty much plans to achieve his goal. I believe that Othello uses the word honest a lot because he wishes that everyone was honest, and Iago uses it because he isn’t honest but Othello thinks he is. I think the hidden meaning of the word’s usage is that just because someone seems to be honest, it doesn’t mean they are. And it also shows that one should double check their accusations before they make a big mistake that they’ll regret for the rest of their lives ; for example, Othello was too quick to judge Desdemona and killed her. He then finds out that he was wrong and kills himself, being unable to live in the shame and having lost his beloved.