‘That I Did Love The Moor’ Monologue Analysis

Read Othello‘s ‘That I Did Love The Moor’ monologue below with a modern English translation and analysis:

Spoken by Desdemona, Act 1, Scene 3

That I did love the Moor to live with him,
My downright violence and storm of fortunes
May trumpet to the world: my heart’s subdued
Even to the very quality of my lord:
I saw Othello’s visage in his mind,
And to his honour and his valiant parts
Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate.
So that, dear lords, if I be left behind,
A moth of peace, and he go to the war,
The rites for which I love him are bereft me,
And I a heavy interim shall support
By his dear absence. Let me go with him.

‘That I Did Love The Moor’ Monologue Translation

I love the Moor enough to live with him. My heart is his entirely. I became aware of Othello’s qualities and dedicated my soul and my future to him. So, dear Senators, if I were to be left behind while he goes to war, I would be deprived of all the things I love him for and it would be very hard for me to be without him. Let me go with him.’

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