10 Key Quotes from Act Two in ‘Othello’

Here are 10 key quotations of the main events in Act Two in Shakespeare’s Othello. When writing essays, be sure to think about the structure of the plot, and whether specific passages or events occur at the play's beginning, middle or end. Use this to make deeper points about the characters and themes in your analysis.

You can access a full list of key quotes from every act and scene here:

This 12-page digital + printable + PPT + worksheet resource contains an overview of the most important key quotations in Othello, detailing the speaker, act and scene for each one. Tasks and guidance are also provided, so the document could be used as a full lesson resource for teaching or guided study.

• A list of the most important key quotations, with notes on each one

• A suggestion for language devices and analytical interpretations

• Tasks and exercises to help students engage on a deeper level

• Study support and guidance

• Example analyses which link quotations to themes, language and context

"Blessèd fig’s-end! The wine she drinks is made of grapes."
— Iago, Act 2, Scene 1
(Dismissing Cassio’s admiration of Desdemona as romantic nonsense.)

1. "With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio."
   — Iago, Act 2, Scene 1
   (Iago plotting to manipulate Cassio using small tricks.)
   
   

2. "Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation!"
   — Cassio, Act 2, Scene 3
   (After being dismissed from his post, mourning his ruined honour.)
   
   

3. "I do love Cassio well and would do much to cure him of this evil."
   — Iago, Act 2, Scene 3
   (Pretending to care about Cassio while secretly plotting his downfall.)
   
   

4. "O, you are well tuned now! But I’ll set down the pegs that make this music."
   — Iago (aside), Act 2, Scene 1
   (Watching Desdemona and Othello, vowing to disrupt their harmony.)
   
   

5. "Let’s teach ourselves that honourable stop, not to outsport discretion."
   — Othello, Act 2, Scene 3
   (Urging moderation during the celebration to maintain order.)
   
   

6. "He’s a soldier fit to stand by Caesar and give direction."
   — Montano, Act 2, Scene 1
   (Praising Cassio before his drunken downfall.)
   
   

7. "I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking."
   — Cassio, Act 2, Scene 3
   (Reluctantly joining in the drinking that leads to his disgrace.)
   
   

8. "She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition..."
   — Iago, Act 2, Scene 3
   (Encouraging Cassio to speak to Desdemona—fuel for Iago’s plan.)
   
   

9. "Come, my dear love, the purchase made, the fruits are to ensue."
   — Othello, Act 2, Scene 1
   (Looking forward to enjoying his marriage to Desdemona.)
   
   

We hope this was helpful! 

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Need more help? Our Complete Othello Course includes the following:

• A breakdown of the story

• Themes, context, critical ideas

• Key quotations + analysis

• Form, structure + language analysis

• Essay writing support

• A range of student examples, including full-mark essays, with teacher feedback

• Video lessons, digital study guides, printable workbooks + more!

• Perfect for GCSE + iGCSE, suitable for all exam boards: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, WJEC

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