Othello Pride and Hubris Quotes

RODERIGO: Thou told’st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.
IAGO: Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Off-capp’d to him: and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:
But he; as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance
Horribly stuff’d with epithets of war.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 1, Scene 1. Iago confides to Roderigo how he hates Othello after three powerful men failed in their pleas to Othello to make Iago his lieutenant. Feeling wronged by a prideful Othello who promotes Cassio instead, Iago’s resentment and jealousy set the tone for the rest of the play. Foreshadowed here is his plot to exact vengeance and destroy Othello.

She that was ever fair and never proud,
Had tongue at will and yet was never loud,
Never lack’d gold and yet went never gay,
Fled from her wish and yet said "Now I may,"
She that being anger’d, her revenge being nigh,
Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 2, Scene 1. Iago has quite a lot to say about women, much of it uncomplimentary and chauvinistic. Here he presents his idea of the perfect woman to Desdemona. She is beautiful but not proud. Quiet and modest. Doesn’t lack gold but is not extravagant in dress. Supresses her desires even when she can have them. When angry and can get revenge, she just puts up with and suffers her misfortune. Iago has unrealistic expectations of women and this is probably the reason why he is not loved.

Why, why is this? Think’st thou I’d make a life of jealousy,
To follow still the changes of the moon
With fresh suspicions? No; to be once in doubt
Is once to be resolved: exchange me for a goat,
When I shall turn the business of my soul
To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,
Matching thy inference. ‘Tis not to make me jealous
To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, plays and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt;
For she had eyes, and chose me.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 3, Scene 3. Othello’s speech to Iago warning about the dangers of the "green-eyed monster" jealousy shows his excessive pride. Claiming that he will not be destroyed by jealousy, he proudly asserts that Desdemona had eyes to see that he was black and she chose him. In declaring that he is beyond jealousy Othello shows one of his fatal flaws, his hubris, which eventually helps bring about his downfall.

Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons.
Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
But with a little act upon the blood.
Burn like the mines of Sulphur.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 3, Scene 3. Having weaponized the corrosive power of jealousy to poison Othello’s mind with suspicious thoughts, a gleeful Iago delights in the pain he is causing. Using metaphor and simile, he speaks of Othello’s suspicions and excessive pride – "dangerous conceits" – as a poison that will burn inside him like sulphur. The Machiavellian manipulator uses demonic language here, "mines of Sulphur" being an allusion to hellfire. His hatred of his master is evident here.

O! now, for ever
Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troop and the big wars
That make ambition virtue! O, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner, and all quality,
Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 3, Scene 3. As Othello loses all hope of happiness with Desdemona and plunges into depression, he appears on the brink of madness. Irrational and driven by insane jealousy, he laments the loss of his reputation as a military man and wounding of his soldierly pride. Because he mistakingly believes that Desdemona has cheated on him, he no longer feels manly and thinks he cannot be a soldier or lead men in battle anymore. His speech, recalling his glory days in wars and conflict, echoes Cassio’s earlier speech about his good reputation being destroyed.

Soft you; a word or two before you go.
I have done the state some service, and they know ‘t.
No more of that. I pray you, in your letters,
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 5, Scene 2. In the moments before he kills himself, Othello appears to be more concerned with his reputation and the legacy he will leave behind than with the death of Desdemona. He believes that the service he has done for Venice should be weighed against his crime of murdering his wife. Before he is led away by Lodovico, he asks of his horrified countrymen, when they are writing the story of what happened, to do it honestly. They must speak of him as he is, neither minimizing not exaggerating his crime. With the play coming to its tragic close, Othello is attempting to recover some of his lost reputation and pride. Wanting to shape how he will be remembered, he reminds the Venetians of the honorable role he played as a soldier and warrior.
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