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Othello

Please see the bottom of this page for full explanatory notes.

ACT II SCENE II A street. 
 Enter a Herald with a proclamation; people following. 
Herald It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiant 
 general, that, upon certain tidings now arrived, 
 importing the mere perdition of the Turkish fleet, 
 every man put himself into triumph; some to dance,
 some to make bonfires, each man to what sport and  5
 revels his addiction leads him: for, besides these 
 beneficial news, it is the celebration of his 
 nuptial. So much was his pleasure should be 
 proclaimed. All offices are open, and there is full
 liberty of feasting from this present hour of five 
 till the bell have told eleven. Heaven bless the  11
 isle of Cyprus and our noble general Othello! 
 Exeunt 

Othello, Act 2, Scene 3

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Explanatory Notes for Act 2, Scene 2

From Othello. Ed. Brainerd Kellogg. New York: Clark & Maynard.

Abbreviations. — A.-S. = Anglo-Saxon: M.E. = Middle English (from the 13th to the 15th century) ; Fr. = French ; Ger. = German ; Gr. = Greek ; Cf. = compare (Lat. confer) ; Abbott refers to the excellent Shakespearean Grammar of Dr. Abbott; Schmidt, to Dr. Schmidt's invaluable Shakespeare Lexicon.

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2. Importing, relating.

3. Mere, absolute, complete.

9. Offices, serving-rooms.

11. Told, struck.

How to cite the explanatory notes:

Shakespeare, William. Othello. Ed. Brainerd Kellogg. New York: Clark & Maynard, 1892. Shakespeare Online. 20 Feb. 2010. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/othello_2_2.html >.

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