Plot summaries

• Scene 1.1

  The play opens as Iago is telling Roderigo that he hates Othello because Othello has promoted Cassio to be his lieutenant instead of him, even though Cassio has much less experience. Iago tells Roderigo his feelings about Othello. The two men stand outside Brabantio's house and shout to wake him up. From the shadows, they tell him about his daughter’s secret marriage to Othello. Iago makes Brabantio angry by describing Othello and Desdemona using sexual animal imagery. Brabantio doesn't recognise them at first but eventually sees Roderigo and the scene ends with Roderigo offering to help Brabantio find the married couple. 
• 1.2

  Iago tells Othello that Brabantio knows about his marriage. Cassio then arrives with a message from the duke asking Othello to come to the Senate to talk about the war in Cyprus. Just as they are about to leave, Brabantio and Roderigo arrive with soldiers to arrest Othello for bewitching Desdemona. When he hears that the duke has called for Othello, Brabantio allows him to go. 
• 1.3

  Brabantio, Othello, Cassio, Iago and Roderigo arrive at the Senate while they are talking about the war. Brabantio tells the Duke that Othello has bewitched his daughter. The duke listens to Othello who explains that she fell in love with him as he told her stories about his life. Desdemona is called for and she tells the Senate she married Othello for love and her duty is now to him rather than her father. Desdemona asks to go with Othello to Cyprus. Othello asks Iago to bring his wife Emilia to Cyprus to attend on Desdemona. Iago persuades Roderigo to follow them to Cyprus, saying Othello and Desdemona’s love will not last long. Alone, Iago tells the audience of his plans to make Othello believe Desdemona is being unfaithful to him with Cassio. 
• 2.1

  News is brought to Montano, the Governor of Cyprus, that the war is ovr because the Turkish fleet has been badly damaged by storms. The messenger announces that Michael Cassio,has arrived. The next ship to arrive carries Desdemona, Iago and Emilia. Cassio describes Desdemona complimentary and greets her very affectionately. Observing how close Cassio and Desdemona seem, Iago begins to plan. Finally Othello’s ship arrives and he and Desdemona are delighted to be together again. Left alone with Roderigo, Iago convinces him that Desdemona is already bored with Othello and has switched her attention to Cassio and that Roderigo should provoke him into a fight later that evening. Alone with the audience, Iago offers more reasons why he hates Othello.
• 2.2

  Othello’s herald announces a party to celebrate the triumph over the Turks and Othello’s marriage to Desdemona.
• 2.3

  Othello leaves Cassio and Iago in charge of the party and goes to spend time alone with Desdemona. Iago convinces Cassio to drink even though Cassio protests. With Cassio clearly drunk, Iago secretly sends Roderigo to provoke Cassio to fight. Montano tries to stop the fight but Cassio fights him instead and injures him. Othello arrives asking and demands to know what is going on. Iago protests that he does not want to speak badly of Cassio. Hearing of Cassio’s drunkenness and fighting, Othello fires cassio as lietenant. Believing Iago is his friend, Cassio tells him how upset he is and that he doesn’t remember what happened. Iago tells him to ask Desdemona for help in convincing Othello to give him back his job and Cassio agrees. Left alone, Iago tells the audience his plans. Roderigo arrives, complaining that he is bruised from the fight, has no money left and thinks it’s time to go home. Iago assures him the plan is working well
• 3.1

  The morning after the fight, Cassio asks Emilia to help him speak to Desdemona and Iago offers further support. Emilia tells Cassio that Desdemona is already speaking up for him to. Cassio asks Emilia to help him speak with Desdemon alone.

   
• 3.2

  Othello passes through, talking to Iago and others about affairs of state.
• 3.3

  Desdemona reassures Cassio that she will continue to speak to Othello on his behalf. He says to Othello that it can’t have been Cassio. Desdemona then persuades Othello to talk to Cassio. Iago immediately begins to sow seeds of suspicion in Othello’s mind suggesting that something is going on between Cassio and Desdemona. As Desdemona tries to help him she drops her handkerchief. Left alone, Emilia picks it up and gives it to Iago. He tells the audience that he will plant the handkerchief in Cassio’s room, hoping it will provide further ‘proof’ of Cassio’s affair with Desdemona. He demands that Iago provide ‘ocular proof’ and Iago continues to antagonise him. He pretends he has heard Cassio talking in his sleep about the affair, then adds that he has seen Cassio using Desdemona’s handkerchief . Othello is convinced and vows a revenge. He asks Iago to kill Cassio and plans to kill Desdemona himself.
• 3.4

  Desdemona is upset about losing her handkerchief but Emilia pretends she knows nothing about it. Othello comes in acting strangely and asks to borrow the handkerchief, she tries to make him talk about Cassio but he keeps talking about the handkerchief until he walks off and she is left confused.Iago returns with Cassio and, hearing Othello was upset, Iago leaves to find him.Emilia thinks he is jealous but Desdemona says she never gave him reason to be. They leave and Bianca, a woman who is in love with Cassio, arrives. Cassio gives her the handkerchief and asks her to copy the design.

   

   
• 4.1

  Iago continues to torment Othello with vivid descriptions of Desdemona’s alleged sexual activity. Othello falls into an epileptic seizure. Iago next places Othello where he can see (but not hear) a conversation between Cassio and Iago about Bianca, telling Othello that the bawdy talk is about Cassio and Desdemona. Othello’s fury grows.Lodovico arrives from Venice with orders from the duke and senators that Othello return to Venice and that Cassio be appointed in his place. Othello strikes Desdemona in Lodovico’s presence, then rudely dismisses her, leaving in a jealous rage. Lodovico expresses his astonishment at the change in Othello.

   
• 4.2

  Othello questions Emilia about Cassio and Desdemona’s relationship, acting as if Emilia is the mistress of a brothel and Desdemona one of her prostitutes. Othello denounces Desdemona to her face as a whore. Desdemona turns for help to Iago, who reassures her.Roderigo, protesting to Iago that his gifts to Desdemona have won him no favor from her, threatens to ask for the return of the gifts. Iago counters this threat by telling Roderigo that Desdemona will leave for Mauritania with Othello unless Roderigo can delay them. The best way to do this, says Iago, is by killing Cassio.

   
• 4.3

  Othello, walking with Lodovico, orders Desdemona to go to bed and to dismiss Emilia. As Emilia helps Desdemona prepare for bed, they discuss marital infidelity, with Desdemona arguing that no woman would be unfaithful to her husband and Emilia arguing that women have the same desires as men do.

   

   
• 5.1

  In the dark streets of Cyprus, Roderigo attacks Cassio, who, uninjured, stabs Roderigo. Iago then wounds Cassio in the leg. Othello, hearing Cassio cry out, thinks that Iago has killed him, and departs to murder Desdemona. Iago then kills the wounded Roderigo. While Iago, Lodovico, and Gratiano tend to Cassio, Bianca arrives. Iago accuses her of being a whore and of engineering the plot against Cassio that led to his injury.

   
• 5.2

  Desdemona is asleep in bed when Othello enters. He kisses her and wakes her and once again charges her with infidelity. Over her protests of innocence, he smothers her. When Emilia comes to tell Othello about the violence in the streets, he acknowledges the killing, telling her that Iago had informed him of Desdemona’s infidelity. Emilia’s cries of “Murder” bring Iago, Montano, and Gratiano. Iago, under pressure, admits accusing Desdemona. When Emilia discloses the truth about the handkerchief, Othello tries, unsuccessfully, to kill Iago, and Iago kills Emilia. Othello, aware of his enormous error in regarding Desdemona as unfaithful, stabs himself, falling dead on the bed beside Emilia and Desdemona. Iago is taken away to be tortured and killed.