William Shakespeare Quotes

Othello, Act 1, Scene 3. Reluctantly Brabantio gives his blessing to Othello on the marriage to his daughter. Brabantio doesn’t like it, but Desdemona has consented to Othello as her husband before the Duke and Senate of Venice. So Brabantio vents his anger over what he sees as his daughter’s betrayal. Showing disapproval of the marriage, he says that if he had other children he would lock them up to stop them making bad decisions. In a metaphor he refers to Desdemona as a "jewel." This would ordinarily be seen as a compliment from a father. But Brabantio has already spoken of his daughter as if she were a piece of property. So he is in effect bemoaning the loss of a prized possession, as well as a daughter.