Plot

Question 1

What happens in A1S1?

Answer 1

• Begins in media res
• Roderigo is unhappy with Iago for failing to promote his marriage to Desdemona and Iago is unhappy with Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant
• Roderigo and Iago inform Brabantio of Desdemona’s clandestine marriage to Othello

Question 2

What happens in A1S2?

Answer 2

• Othello is called to the Venetian council on urgent military business
• Iago’s first sign of deceit as he warns Othello that Brabantio knows of his marriage
• Brabantio accuses Othello of bewitching his daughter
• They all go to the Senate

Question 3

What happens in A1S3?

Answer 3

• The Senate discuss the war with the Turks
• Othello responds to Brabantio’s accusation and calls for Desdemona to speak
• Desdemona expresses her love Othello and asks to go to Cyprus with him
• Brabantio’s warning of D’s deceit
• Iago convinces Roderigo to come to Cyprus to plan his revenge against Othello

Question 4

What happens in A2S1?

Answer 4

• News comes that the Turkish fleet is destroyed by a storm
• Cassio greets Desdemona affectionately in Cyprus
• Othello arrives and is happy with Desdemona
• Iago involves Roderigo in his plan to discredit Cassio by claiming D is in love with him

Question 5

What happens in A2S2?

Answer 5

• Short scene to announce the festivities that will take place to celebrate both winning the war and Othello’s recent marriage

Question 6

What happens in A2S3?

Answer 6

• Iago convinces Cassio to get drunk
• Iago gets Roderigo to pick a fight with Cassio
• Montano tries to stop the fight and becomes wounded
• Othello arrives and angry and fires Cassio
• Cassio goes to Iago for support, who suggests going to Desdemona for help
• Iago reveals to audience his plan to suggest Desdemona having an affair to Othello

Question 7

What happens in A3S1?

Answer 7

• Cassio asks Emilia for help to speak with Desdemona alone

Question 8

What happens in A3S2?

Answer 8

• Plot device to set up next big scene
• Othello talks about state affairs with Iago
• O is absorbed by military affairs while his personal affairs are being steadily undermined
• Cassio will take this opportunity to see Desdemona, falling into Iago’s trap

Question 9

What happens in A3S3?

Answer 9

• Desdemona agrees to help Cassio regain Othello’s trust
• Iago stages this event to convince Othello that his wife is in love with Cassio
• Desdemona comes back to comfort Othello and drops her handkerchief
• Emilia picks it up, telling the audience Iago has been asking for it (he tells the audience he will plant it to use as proof of the affair)
• Othello demands ‘ocular proof’ from Iago who claims Cassio was talking about the affair in his sleep and that he has the handkerchief
• Othello is now fully convinced, asking Iago to kill Cassio and stating he shall kill Desdemona

Question 10

What happens in A3S4?

Answer 10

• Desdemona is upset about losing the handkerchief and Emilia pretends to know nothing about it
• Othello comes in asking about the handkerchief. We learn of its backstory (motif of storytelling)
• Bianca arrives to see Cassio and becomes angry when he asks her to copy the design of the handkerchief because she believes it is from someone else

Question 11

What happens in A4S1?

Answer 11

• Othello collapses in an epileptic fit
• Iago stages it so that Othello hears a conversation between him and Cassio about Bianca to convince him of the affair
• Othello plans to kill Desdemona by smothering her
• A letter comes from Venice whilst Desdemona tries to defend Cassio. Othello hits her in public
• Lodovico is shocked at Othello’s behaviour and Iago suggests that he’s become increasingly erratic

Question 12

What happens in A4S2?

Answer 12

• Othello questions Emilia about Desdemona, then speaks with D calling her a whore
• Emilia suspects a villain has turned Othello against his wife
• The women leave and Iago urges Roderigo to kill Cassio in order to keep Othello and Desdemona in Cyprus

Question 13

What happens in A4S3?

Answer 13

• Emilia helps Desdemona to get ready for bed (one of few intimate moments between the two women)
• D sings the Willow song
• She asks for her wedding sheets to be put on the bed

Question 14

What happens in A5S1?

Answer 14

• At night, Iago instructs Roderigo to ambush Cassio, but Cassio wounds Roderigo
• Iago stabs Cassio in the leg and runs away. Cassio cries murder.
• Thinking Iago has killed Cassio, Othello goes on with his plan to kill Desdemona
• Lodovico and Gratiano hear yelling and meet Iago who pretends to be horrified at Cassio’s injury.
• Iago secretly finds the injured Roderigo and kills him

Question 15

What happens in A5S2?

Answer 15

• Desdemona is asleep when Othello wakes her up, urging her to pray and confess about the handkerchief
• She denies the accusation and pleads for her life but Othello suffocates her
• Emilia comes in just as D dies and O admits to murder
• Emilia calls everyone in and Iago’s plans are revealed
• Iago stabs Emilia and tries to run away
• Othello stabs himself, kisses Desdemona and dies
• Order is restored, Cassio becomes governor and Iago is taken to prison