Student Question
Does Iago's phrase "put money in thy purse" from Othello have a hidden significance, possibly hinting at Desdemona?
Quick answer:
The phrase "put money in thy purse" from Othello may hint at Desdemona, as she is often equated with wealth and treasures throughout the play. However, it is commonly interpreted in footnotes as either "make money" (advising Roderigo to sell his land to pursue Desdemona) or "you can count on it" (assuring Roderigo of success in winning her love).
I like this connection very much. Throughout the play Desdemona is equated with money and jewels. Iago tells Brabantio that his house is robbed, a metaphor to explain Desdemona's elopement. Othello even refers to Desdemona as a prize to be won. At the end of the play, Othello equates Desdemona to the "dearest pearl" that was cast away. So, I think your idea is worth exploring.
In all the different editions of Shakespeare's Othello that I've read, the phrase "put money in thy purse" is defined, in the footnotes, as meaning one of two things: either "make money" (in this case, Iago is telling Roderigo to sell his land so he can make the trip to Cyprus to win Desdemona's love), or "you can count on it." (If we plug in the latter explanation, it would seem that Iago is using a common phrase from...
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the time period to assure Roderigo that, if he follows Iago's advice, he can count on getting Desdemona's love.)
Your ideas, though, are very interesting!