Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man: He says thou told'st him that his wife was false: I know thou didst not

Disprove this villain, if thou be’st a man:
He says thou told’st him that his wife was false:
I know thou didst not, thou ‘rt not such a villain:
Speak, for my heart is full.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 5, Scene 2. Emilia has shown blind loyalty towards her husband Iago. She demands that he speak up and prove false Othello’s claim that Iago told him about Desdemona’s infidelity. Still naively believing in Iago, she cannot accept that she could be married to such a villain. This is an example of dramatic irony, Iago’s villainy being already known to the audience.

William Shakespeare Quotes