Othello

Roles

• Iago - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Male

About this piece

Iago scolds Roderigo for wanting to drown himself because of his love for Desdemona

Summary

The story is set in Venice. The play starts with Roderigo, a rich and foolish gentleman, complaining to Iago, a high ranking soldier, about Desdemona's secret marriage to a Moorish general in the Venetian army, Othello. Desdemona is Roderigo's love interest and he has been paying Iago to help him seduce her. Iago tells him he hates Othello since he didn't give him a promotion that he thought he deserved and instead gave it to another man. Iago suggests to wake Desdemona's father, Brabanzio, and tell him about Othello's affair with his daughter. Brabanzio at first is skeptical but then believes them. He calls his men and goes out to get Othello. When he finds him, at first he accuses him of having stolen his daughter and "abused her delicate youth" and then orders his men to subdue him. He decides to solve the matter before the Duke of Venice but the Duke dismisses Brabanzio's plea, since he considers Desdemona's love for him genuine and admires Othello as a valiant military man. At the end of scene 3, Roderigo laments to Iago about the fact that now he doesn't have a chance anymore to win Desdemona's heart. When he tells him that wants to drown himself Iago mocks him and scolds him. He tells him that we can choose what we want to be and our "bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners". He urges him to continue his pursuit of Desdemona. Her love for Othello won't last, he argues, and he will help him in his pursuit.

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