The Diary of Othello: A Hero Who Has Won Eternal Love (Or Has He?)

Day 1

                I felt guilty marrying Desdemona in secret, and yet it was our love that drove us to wait no longer, how could we not? I can’t believe that I had to defend myself to the courts, how could her father ever think that I had ruined his daughter? Not only that but he said that I used magic to make her marry me! Standing before the council I told them the truth that “Of my whole course of love—what drugs, what charms, what conjuration, and what might magic (For such proceeding I am charged withal) I won his daughter.” I told them that she was the one who made the first move that she loved listening to my stories about my life of adventure after living a life of solitude. I went on to say that “She loved me for the dangers I have passed, And I love her that she did pity them. This is the only witchcraft I have used.” Luckily they believed me once Desdemona told them that it was true. I was shocked when her father placed our hands together, his approval of our marriage. Now we are on our way to Cyprus where I must defeat the Turks.

Day 2

                Arrived to find my love waiting for me on the docks. We embraced and kissed as if we had been apart for years, which it felt like to me. What great luck that the ship the Turks were on was eaten by the sea! Now I can simply enjoy being with my new wife and we can start our lives together. 

Day 3

                I cannot believe what happened. Last night I had to fire Cassio and strip him of his lieutenancy. What else was I to do? Iago was there and I know that his “honesty and love doth mince this matter, Making it light to Cassio.” I would have made an example of him right there had it not been for Desdemona. How can one I trusted so much betray me so much? It wouldn’t have been as bad if it hadn’t been Montano that he injured in his drunken fight! After all he is an official, how could I do anything less but demote Cassio?

Day 4

                “Excellent wretch!—Perdition catch my soul But I do love thy!” How can this be?! Desdemona turned demon! I would not believe it if it had not come from honest Iago. I even told him so, saying that “I know thou’rt full of honest and full of love and honesty and weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them breath”. Still I told him to show me proof. Which he did by telling me that Desdemona had given her handkerchief, her first gift from me, the one that my mother “dying, gave it to me, and bid me, when fate would have me wived, to give it to her”. I told her the power of the handkerchief and that “to lose’t or give’t away were such perdition as nothing else could match”. This is the greatest betrayal that she would give it to Cassio who was once my closest friend. When I asked her for it she did not have it, proving what Iago said to be true. 

Day 5

               
                What is left to be done, but to kill her so that she will not betray other men, like she did her father, and then me? “It is the cause…”. Emilia keeps trying to tell me that I have it all wrong, but what does a ladies maid know? After all, I have seen the proof of it with my own eyes, the handkerchief in Cassio’s hand. Plus, honest Iago tells me that it is true. Desdemona is now but a monument, a “cunning’st pattern” the prototype of beauty which can only be admired when she is lifeless. “It is the cause”, I must do it.

Editors note: Upon finding the diary, it was discovered that all quotes come from Shakespeare's play Othello. If he had lived longer he also would have been able to write about how he learned the error of his view of Desdemona, that she was in fact innocent. Instead of writing about it, Othello was so struck with grief about what he had done that he killed himself. Iago was seen for the snake he truly was, and Othello and Desdemona died next to each other.