Othello

Roles

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

About this piece

Iago plans to make Othello jealous of Cassio

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. The Duke sends Othello to war, to protect the island of Cyprus against the Turks. Desdemona, Iago and Roderigo go as well. At the end of the scene Iago tells Roderigo that he plans to have Cassio fall out of favor with Othello. He urges him to start a quarrel with Cassio the same night. That night Iago gets Cassio drunk and sends Roderigo to start a quarrel with him. The plan works and Cassio chases Roderigo to beat him. When Montano, the governor of Cyprus, tries to stop him, Cassio stabs him. Cassio's reputation is ruined and Othello takes away Cassio's title as lieutenant. As Cassio despairs, Iago suggests to use Desdemona as an intermediary to ask Othello to forgive him. When Cassio leaves Iago jokes to the audience that he actually gave Cassio good advice. However, he will exploit the situation to make Othello believe that Cassio is having an affair with his wife.

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