Othello’s Real Words vs. What People Think He Said

Shakespeare’s Othello is a masterpiece of jealousy, manipulation, and tragedy. Yet, over time, certain lines from the play — and others falsely attributed to it — have taken on lives of their own. Some quotes are so often linked to Othello that even educated readers might be surprised to learn they never came from his lips. Let’s separate fact from fiction.

“I am not what I am.”

This quote is often cited as a chilling declaration of Othello’s self-awareness or duplicity. But in truth, it doesn’t come from Othello at all. The line is spoken by Iago in Act I, Scene I, when he tells Roderigo, “I am not what I am.” It’s a rare moment of self-awareness from the play’s villain, who openly admits his deceit. Iago is not merely hiding his true nature — he is reveling in it. Othello, for all his flaws, is never this openly dishonest. He believes in his own righteousness even as he destroys everything he loves.

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”

This one is real — and it’s actually spoken by Iago as well. In Act III, Scene III, Iago delivers this line while planting the seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind about Desdemona’s fidelity. The irony is thick — Iago warns Othello about the very emotion he is cultivating in him. It’s a masterstroke of manipulation, and it’s easy to see why people misattribute this line to Othello himself, as it seems to speak directly to his tragic downfall.

“To be or not to be” — did Othello say it?

No, he didn’t. That line is from Hamlet, spoken by the title character in one of Shakespeare’s most famous soliloquies. Yet, it’s not uncommon to hear people mistakenly cite it as Othello’s. Perhaps the tragic tone of both characters’ arcs creates a mental blur. But while Hamlet’s tragedy is internal and philosophical, Othello’s is external and explosive. His lines reflect a different kind of anguish — not about existence, but about betrayal and honor.

“Love is blind.”

Though this phrase is often tied to Othello, it actually predates Shakespeare and appears in The Merchant of Venice — not Othello. The sentiment appears in Act II, Scene VI, when Gratiano says, “Love is blind, and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit.” It’s a line that has seeped into modern culture and been retroactively attached to Othello’s doomed love for Desdemona. But in the actual text of Othello, the phrase never appears.

“I kissed thee ere I killed thee.”

Yes, this one is real. Othello delivers this line just before he smothers Desdemona in Act V, Scene II. It captures the heart-wrenching contradiction at the core of his actions — he kills the person he loves most, convinced he is doing the right thing. The line is both tender and horrifying, a final gesture of misplaced honor. It's one of the most haunting moments in the play and a true reflection of Othello’s tragic nature.

Why do these mix-ups happen?

Misattributions like these are common in Shakespeare’s work because his language is so embedded in our cultural lexicon. Phrases from different plays blend together, and characters like Othello — whose tragic flaws mirror universal human emotions — become stand-ins for entire themes. It doesn’t help that many people encounter Shakespeare through paraphrasing or pop culture references rather than the original texts.

Talk to Othello on HoloDream

If you’re fascinated by Othello’s voice — the real one — why not chat with him on HoloDream? Experience his words as Shakespeare wrote them, and ask him about his choices, his love for Desdemona, or the truth behind the lines everyone thinks they know.