strument than an agent. After he has, by the stratagem of the play, convicted the king, he makes no attempt to punish him; and his death is at last effected by an incident which Hamlet had no part in producing. The catastrophe is not very happily produced; the exchange of weapons is rather an expedient of necessity, than a stroke of art. A scheme might easily be formed, to kill Hamlet with the dagger, and Laertes with the bowl. The poet is accused of having shown little regard to poetical justice, and may be charged with equal neglect of poetical probability. The apparition left the regions of the dead to little purpose: the revenge which he demands is not obtained, but by the death of him that was required to take it; and the gratification, which would arise from the destruction of a usurper and a murderer, is abated by the untimely death of Ophelia, the young, the beautiful, the harmless, and the pious. JOHNSON. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke of Venice. Brabantio, a senator. Two other Senators. Gratiano, brother to Brabantio. Lodovico, kinsman to Brabantio. Othello, the Moor. Cassio, his lieutenant. Iago, his ancient. Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman. Montano, Othello's predecessor in the government of Cyprus. Clown, servant to Othello. Herald. Desdemona, daughter to Brabantio, and wife to Othello. Emilia, wife to Iago. Bianca, a courtezan, mistress to Cassio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, &c. Scene, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a sea-port in Cyprus. OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE ACT I. SCENE I-Venice. A street. Enter Roderigo and Iago. Roderigo. TUSH, never tell me, I take it much unkindly, Abhor me. Rod. Thou told'st me, thou didst hold him in thy nate. Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city, In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, And, in conclusion, nonsuits My mediators; for, certes,3 (1) Saluted. says he, (2) Circumlocution. (3) Certainly. |