Summary
ACT 1
SCENE 1: Begins in medias res in the midst of an argument between Roderigo and Iago. Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him win Desdemona's hand in marriage, but he has seen no progress, and he has just learned that Desdemona has married Othello. Iago reassures Roderigo that he hates Othello. Cassio has been recently promoted to the post of lieutenant. Othello chose to give the position to a man with no experience. Hence, Iago is pretending to serve Othello as he waits for an opportunity to further his own self-interest. The two men come to the street outside the house of Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, and cry out that he has been robbed. Iago vulgarly telling the senator that his daughter and Othello are having sex. As Iago departs, Brabantio comes out of his house, furious that his daughter has left him.
SCENE 2: Iago arrives at Othello’s lodgings, where he warns the general that Brabantio will not hesitate to attempt to force a divorce. Othello sees a party of men approaching, and Iago, thinking that Brabantio and his followers have arrived, counsels Othello to retreat. Othello stands his ground, but the party turns out to be Cassio and officers from the Venetian court. They bring Othello the message that he is wanted by the duke of Venice about a matter concerning Cyprus. As Cassio and his men prepare to leave, Iago mentions that Othello is married, but before he can say any more, Brabanzio, Roderigo, and Brabantio’s men arrive to accost Othello. Brabantio orders his men to attack Othello. Othello brings the confrontation to a halt by calmly and authoritatively telling both sides to put up their swords. Hearing that the duke has summoned Othello to the court, Brabantio decides to bring his cause before the duke himself.
SCENE 3: The military meeting is interrupted by the arrival of Brabantio, Othello, Cassio, Iago, Roderigo, and officers. Brabanzio demands that all state business be put aside to address his own grievance—his daughter has been stolen from him by spells and potions. The duke is initially eager to take Brabanzio’s side, but he becomes more skeptical when he learns that Othello is the man accused. Othello admits that he married Desdemona, but he denies having used magic. He explains that Brabanzio frequently invited him to his house and questioned him about his remarkable life story. Desdemona overheard parts of the story and found a convenient time to ask Othello to retell it to her. Desdemona was moved to love Othello by his story. Desdemona enters, and Brabanzio asks her to tell those present to whom she owes the most obedience. Desdemona confirms that she married Othello of her own free will and so she must shift her primary loyalty from father to husband. The duke decides that Othello must go to Cyprus to defend the island from the Turks.The couple then leaves to prepare for the night’s voyage. Iago delivers his first soliloquy, declaring his hatred for Othello and his suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia. He lays out his plan to cheat Roderigo out of his money, to convince Othello that Cassio has slept with Desdemona, and to use Othello’s honest and unsuspecting nature to bring him to his demise.
ACT 2
SCENE 1: On the shores of Cyprus, Montano, the island’s governor, watches a storm with two gentlemen. As his ship travelled from Venice, Cassio witnessed that the Turks lost most of their fleet. It is still uncertain whether Othello’s ship has been able to survive the storm. The ship carrying Iago, Emilia, Desdemona, and Roderigo arrives. Desdemona disembarks, and no sooner does Cassio tell her that Othello has yet to arrive than a friendly shot announces the arrival of a third ship. While the company waits for the ship, Cassio and Desdemona tease Emilia about being a chatterbox, but Iago quickly takes the opportunity to criticise women in general. Cassio takes Desdemona away to speak with her privately about Othello’s arrival. Iago notices that Cassio takes Desdemona’s hand as he talks to her. Iago plots to use Cassio’s hand-holding to frame him so that he loses his newly gained promotion. Othello arrives safely and greets Desdemona, expressing his devotion to her. Roderigo tries to argue that Cassio was merely being polite by taking Desdemona’s hand, but Iago convinces him of Cassio’s ill intentions. Iago explains his actions to the audience in a soliloquy. He secretly lusts after Desdemona, partially because he suspects that Othello has slept with Emilia.
SCENE 2: A herald announces that Othello plans revelry for the evening in celebration of Cyprus’s safety from the Turks, and also in celebration of his marriage to Desdemona.
SCENE 3: Othello leaves Cassio on guard during the revels. Othello and Desdemona leave to consummate their marriage. Iago tells Cassio that he suspects Desdemona to be a temptress, but Cassio maintains that she is modest. Despite Cassio’s protestations, Iago persuades Cassio to take a drink and to invite some revelers to join them. Iago tells Montano that while Cassio is a wonderful soldier, he fears that Cassio may have too much responsibility for someone with such a serious drinking problem. Cassio chases Roderigo across the stage, threatening to beat him. Montano steps in to prevent the fight and is attacked by Cassio. Cassio stabs Montano. An alarm bell is rung, and Othello arrives with armed attendants. Othello dismisses Cassio from his service after Iago tells the story of what happened. Othello leads Desdemona back to bed, saying that he will look to Montano’s wound. ago argues that Desdemona’s kindheartedness will prompt her to help Cassio if Cassio entreats her. Now that Cassio will be spending time with Desdemona, Iago will find it all the easier to convince Othello that Desdemona is having an affair. Roderigo enters, upset that he has been beaten and angry because Iago has taken all his money.
ACT 3
SCENE 1: Cassio sends musicians to play music beneath the Othello's window to win him over. Othello sends his servant, a clown, to tell the musicians to go away. Cassio asks the clown to entreat Emilia to come speak with him, so that he can ask her for access to Desdemona. Iago enters and tells Cassio that he will send for Emilia straightaway and figure out a way to take Othello aside so that Cassio and Desdemona can confer privately. Emilia tells Cassio that Othello and Desdemona have been discussing his case. Desdemona has pleaded for Cassio, but Othello worries that Montano’s influence and popularity in Cyprus would make Cassio’s reappointment impractical. Emilia allows Cassio to come in and tells him to wait for Desdemona.
SCENE 2: Iago, Othello, and a gentleman walk together at the citadel. Othello gives Iago some letters to deliver and decides to take a look at the town’s fortification.
SCENE 3: Desdemona vows to do everything she can on Cassio’s behalf. Cassio quickly departs, protesting to Desdemona that he feels too uneasy to do himself any good. Othello asks whether it was Cassio he saw leaving the room, and Iago responds that surely Cassio would not behave like a guilty man at Othello’s approach. Desdemona entreats Othello to forgive Cassio and reinstate him. Othello tells Desdemona that he will deny her nothing but wishes to be left to himself for a little while. Alone with Othello, Iago begins his insinuations of an affair between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago plants in Othello’s mind thoughts of adultery, cuckoldry, and hypocrisy. Iago suggests that Othello observe his wife closely. Othello tells Iago to have Emilia watch Desdemona. Othello muses that his wife no longer loves him. Othello says that he has a pain in his forehead, and Desdemona offers to bind his head with her handkerchief. The handkerchief drops to the floor. Emilia picks up the handkerchief and gives it to Iago. Othello demands that Iago bring him visual evidence that Desdemona is a whore. Iago tells Othello that while Cassio and Iago were sharing a bed, Cassio called out Desdemona’s name. Iago then claims to have witnessed Cassio wiping his beard with the handkerchief. The two men kneel on stage and Othello promotes Iago to lieutenant.
SCENE 4: Desdemona wonders to Emilia where her handkerchief might be. Othello chastises Desdemona for her hand’s moistness, which suggests sexual promiscuity. Othello asks her to lend him her handkerchief. When Desdemona cannot produce the handkerchief he wants to see, Othello explains the handkerchief’s history. Desdemona is unsettled by the story and says that she has the handkerchief, but not with her. Othello does not believe her. Emilia speculates that Othello is jealous. Bianca, a prostitute, reprimands Cassio for not visiting her more frequently, and he apologises, saying that he is under stress. He asks her to copy the embroidery of the handkerchief. Bianca accuses him of making her copy the embroidery of a love gift from some other woman, but Cassio tells her she is wrong. They make a plan to meet later that evening.
ACT 4
SCENE 1: Othello focuses obsessively on the handkerchief and keeps pumping Iago for information about Cassio’s comments to Iago. Finally, Iago says that Cassio has told him he has lain with Desdemona. Cassio enters, and Iago mentions that Othello has fallen into his second fit of epilepsy in two days. Iago orders Othello to hide nearby and observe Cassio’s face during a conversation. Iago explains that he will make Cassio retell the story of sleeping with Desdemona. Iago informs the audience that he will joke with Cassio about the prostitute Bianca. Cassio laughs uproariously as he tells Iago the details of Bianca’s love for him, and even makes gestures in an attempt to depict her sexual advances. ust as Cassio says that he no longer wishes to see Bianca, she herself enters with the handkerchief and again accuses Cassio of giving her a love token given to him by another woman. Othello suggests that he will poison his wife, but Iago advises him to strangle her. Iago also promises to arrange Cassio’s death. Othello has been called back to Venice. When Desdemona hears the news that she will be leaving Cyprus, she expresses her happiness, whereupon Othello strikes her. Lodovico cannot believe that the Othello he has just seen is the same self-controlled man he once knew.
SCENE 2: Othello interrogates Emilia about Desdemona’s behavior, but Emilia insists that Desdemona has done nothing suspicious. Othello sends Emilia to guard the door. Alone with Desdemona, Othello weeps. When Desdemona fervently denies being unfaithful, Othello sarcastically replies that he begs her pardon. Othello storms out of the room, and Emilia comes in to comfort her mistress. Desdemona tells Emilia to lay her wedding sheets on the bed. ago assures Desdemona that Othello is merely upset by some official business.
SCENE 3: Othello sends Desdemona to bed, telling her that he will be with her shortly and that she should dismiss Emilia. Desdemona seems aware of her imminent fate as she prepares for bed. She says that if she dies before Emilia, Emilia should use one of the wedding sheets for her shroud. Desdemona sings a song called 'Willow' which she learnt from a maid who died singing the song after she had been deserted by her lover. The song makes Desdemona think about adultery, and she asks Emilia whether she would cheat on her husband. This leads Emilia to speak about the fact that women have appetites for sex and infidelity just as men do, and that men who deceive their wives have only themselves to blame if their wives cheat on them.
ACT 5
SCENE 1: Iago and Roderigo wait outside whilst Cassio visits Bianca. Iago positions Roderigo with a rapier in a place where he will be able to ambush Cassio. Iago leaves. Cassio enters, and Roderigo stabs at him but fails to pierce Cassio’s armor. Cassio stabs and wounds Roderigo. Iago darts out in the commotion, stabs Cassio in the leg, and exits. At this moment, Othello enters. Hearing Cassio’s cries of murder, Othello believes that Iago has killed him. Inspired by what he believes to be Iago’s successful vengeance, Othello returns to his bedroom to kill Desdemona. Lodovico and Graziano enter and hear Cassio’s and Roderigo’s cries. Iago enters and pretends to discover Cassio and then stumbles upon Roderigo, whom Iago stabs without hesitation. Bianca enters and begins to cry out when she sees the wounded Cassio. Cassio can provide no explanation for what has happened. Iago suggests that Roderigo is to blame. Emilia enters, and Iago tells her what has happened. He and Emilia chastise Bianca. Iago takes Bianca under arrest, and sends Emilia to tell Othello and Desdemona what has happened.
SCENE 2: Othello stands over the sleeping Desdemona and prepares to kill her. He bends down to kiss her once before he does. Desdemona asks her husband why he means to kill her, and Othello responds that she has been unfaithful. Othello refuses to believe Desdemona’s denial of the charge. As she begs to be allowed to live just a little longer, Othello succeeds in smothering his wife. Othello draws the bed curtains and lets Emilia in. Emilia informs Othello that Cassio has killed Roderigo. Desdemona cries out that she has been murdered, but then blames herself for her death. Othello admits to Emilia that he killed Desdemona. Othello tells her that Iago opened his eyes to Desdemona’s falsehood. Graziano expresses relief that Brabantio is dead. Othello still clings to his belief in Iago’s truth and Desdemona’s guilt. Emilia explains how she found the handkerchief and gave it to Iago. Iago stabs his wife. Othello stabs Iago, wounding him. Lodovico produces a letter found in Roderigo’s pocket that reveals everything that has happened. Lodovico tells Othello that he will be stripped of his power and command and put on trial. Othello stabs himself and falls onto the bed with his wife’s body. Lodovico names Graziano as Othello’s heir, and puts Montano in charge of Iago’s execution.