Act 4 Scene 3

Othello walks home with his guest# whilst Desdemona prepares for bed. She is sad# and recalls an old song of her youth# she talks to Emilia about marriage# revealing her own innocent ignorance. The mood of the scene is subdued: tears are never very far away.
7	on th’instant: at once.
8	forthwith: immediately.
Dismiss: Usually the maid would stay with her mistress until the husband was ready for bed.
11	incontinent: straight away.
15	nightly wearing: night clothes.
16	Desdemona is frightened.
18	So . . . I: That is not my wish.
approve: value# Desdemona’s love has not changed, despite Othello’s harsh words.
19	checks: rebukes.
21	those sheets: i.e. the wedding sheets.
22	All’s one: It doesn’t matter# Desdemona seems to have forgotten the romantic hope that she could reconcile Othello.
23	shroud me: It was customary to save one of the best sheets to wrap the dead body before burial.
24	you talk: you’re talking nonsense.
25	Barbary: an old form of “Barbara”.
27	of willow: the willow-tree was the emblem of forsaken lovers. Desdemona’s song intensifies the pathos of the scene.
30	I have much to do: I find it hard to stop myself.
32	dispatch: hurry up.
33	nightgown: dressing-gown.
34	proper: good-looking# the two women discuss the departed guest.
35	speaks well: talks interestingly.
37	touch . . . lip: a kiss.
38	sycamore: probably a kind of fig-tree.
46	Lay by these: Put away these (i.e. her jewels).
47	hie thee: go away.
51	that’s not next: The line that Desdemona has just sung does not come from the song — but it tells of her own feelings towards Othello.
55	couch: sleep.
57	bode: foretell.
59	in conscience: honestly.
61	such gross kind: i.e. by committing adultery.
63	by this heavenly light: perhaps Desdemona is swearing by God’s light, although Emilia (in an attempt to amuse her mistress) assumes that the reference is to the moonlight.
68	small vice: Emilia dismisses the sin that is causing so much anguish to Othello and Desdemona.
70	undo’t: cancel# probably Emilia means that she would deny the adultery.
71	joint ring: a ring made in two separate parts.
72	measures of lawn: lengths of fabric.
73	exhibition: allowance of money.
74	Ud’s pity: Emilia swears by “God’s pity”, an oath that was omitted (probably for reasons of censorship) from the Folio text.
76	venture purgatory: risk being condemned to purgatory.
84	to th’vantage: in addition.
store: populate.
85	But I do think: This is the first time in the play that Emilia has been allowed to speak her real mind# Desdemona seems not to hear, being absorbed in her own troubled thoughts.
86	fall: sin.
slack their duties: fail to perform their sexual obligations.
87	Making love to other women.
89	Throwing . . . us: Restricting our freedom.
90	scant: reduce.
former having: what we used to have.
in despite: out of spite.
91	galls: spirits capable of resentment.
grace: i.e. to forgive them.
93	sense: feelings.
96	sport: for amusement.
97	affection: desire.
101	use us well: treat us kindly.
102	ills: wrongs.
instruct us so: teach us to do the same.
103	Good night: Throughout Emilia’s worldly-wise soliloquy, Desdemona has been silent# now she articulates a quite different philosophy.
104	pick: learn.
by bad mend: amend myself by learning from bad examples, or from my own suffering.