| Act 1 Scene 1 | Characters: Iago, Roderigo, & Brabantio Setting: VenicePlot: Iago tells Roderigo of his hatred for Othello, who has given Cassio the lieutenancy that Iago had wanted. At Iago’s suggestion, he and Roderigo (a former suitor of Desdemona), awake Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, to tell him that Desdemona and Othello had just eloped. This news enrages Brabantio, who then organizes an armed band party to search for Othello. |
| Act 1 Scene 2 | Characters: Iago, Othello, Cassio, Brabantio, Roderigo, & OfficersSetting: VenicePlot: Iago warns Othello of Brabantio’s anger, but Othello is confident in his own strength and in his love for Desdemona. Cassio arrives with orders for Othello; Othello is to meet with the Duke and senators about a Turkish invasion of the Venetian colony of Cyprus. Brabantio and his armed band come to seize Othello, who persuades Brabantio to accompany him to the Duke, where Brabantio can present his case against Othello for his “theft” of Desdemona. |
| Act 1 Scene 3 | Characters: Duke, Senators, Brabantio, Othello, Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Desdemona, & OfficersSetting: VenicePlot: Brabantio and Othello arrive, and the Duke insists on evidence to support the old man’s charge that Othello has bewitched Desdemona. At Othello’s suggestion, the Duke sends for Desdemona. Othello describes his courtship of Desdemona, who, when she enters, tell her father and the Senators that she has married Othello because she loves him. The duke orders Othello to immediately to leave for Cyprus and grants Desdemona her wish to join him there. Alone with Iago, Roderigo, now in despair of winning Desdemona’s love, threatens suicide, but Iago persuades him instead to sell his lands for ready cash and to pursue Desdemona to Cyprus. Iago, alone, then begins to plot how he may use Othello’s marriage to get back at Othello and to get Cassio’s place as lieutenant. |
| Act 2 Scene 1 | Characters: Montano, Cassio, Desdemona, Iago, Emilia, Roderigo, & OthelloSetting: CyprusPlot: The Turkish fleet is destroyed in a storm, while Cassio and then Desdemona, Emilia, Iago arrive safely at Cyprus. Desdemona anxiously waits for Othello. When his ship arrives, he and Desdemona joyfully greet each other. Iago, putting his plot into action, persuades Roderigo that Desdemona should help get Cassio dismissed from his lieutenancy. |
| Act 2 Scene 3 | Characters: Othello, Cassio, Iago, Montano, Roderigo, & Desdemona Setting: CyprusPlot: Iago gets Cassio drunk, making it easy for Roderigo to provoke Cassio into a brawl, first with Roderigo and then with Montano, whom he wounds. Othello, called from his bed by the noise, stops the brawl and strips Cassio of his lieutenancy. Iago advises Cassio to seek Desdemona’s help in getting reinstated. The next step in Iago’ plan is to tell Othello that Desdemona supports Cassio because Cassio is her lover. |
| Act 3 Scene 1 | Characters: Cassio, Iago, & EmiliaSetting: CyprusPlot: Cassio arrives with musicians to honor Othello and Desdemona. As Iago has recommended, Cassio asks Emilia to arrange a meeting with Desdemona even though Emilia assures him that Desdemona is already urging Othello to reinstate him. |
| Act 3 Scene 3 | Characters: Desdemona, Emilia, Cassio, Iago, & OthelloSetting: CyprusPlot: Desdemona’s interview with Cassio is cut short by the arrival of Othello. Cassio leaves hastily in order to avoid speaking with Othello. Desdemona pleads to Othello on Cassio’s behalf. When she exits, Iago says that Cassio’s avoidance of Othello is suspicious and that Cassio may not be honorable, all the whole insinuating that he, Iago, knows more than he is willing to say. He warns Othello against becoming jealous of Desdemona. When Desdemona enters and Othello complains of an aching head, Desdemona offers to bind his head with her handkerchief. As they exit, the handkerchief drops unnoticed by either of them. Emilia picks it up and gives it to Iago, who has often asked for it. Othello reenters and, now tormented by jealous, threatens Iago with death unless he provides proof of Desdemona’s infidelity. Iago alleges that Cassio one night talked in his sleep about making love to Desdemona and that Cassio once wiped his beard with the lost handkerchief. Othello is convinced by this “proof” and vows to kill Desdemona; Iago agrees to kill Cassio. Othello then appoints Iago to lieutenancy. |
| Act 3 Scene 4 | Characters: Desdemona, Emilia, Cassio, Othello, Iago, & BiancaSetting: CyprusPlot: Desdemona, still actively seeking to have Cassio reinstated, is worried about the loss of her handkerchief. her anxiety about it increases when Othello asks her for it and then sternly rebukes her when she cannot produce it. Cassio approaches her, but she must now, because of Othello’s anger, postpone her efforts on his behalf. As he waits, Bianca, his lover, appears. Cassio has found Desdemona’s handkerchief in his room (placed by Iago) and he asks Bianca to copy the embroidery work for him. |
| Act 4 Scene 1 | Characters: Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Cassio, Bianca, & LodovincoSetting: CyprusPlot: Iago continues to torment Othello with Desdemona’s “affair” until he goes into a trance (seizure). Iago shows Othello Cassio speaking about Bianca, but Othello believes Cassio is speaking about Desdemona because he cannot hear their words. Lodovinco comes from Venice to say Othello must return and Cassio take his place. To Lodovinco’s surprise, Othello strikes Desdemona and leaves in a jealous rage. |
| Act 4 Scene 2 | Characters: Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Emilia, & RoderigoSetting: CyprusPlot: Othello questions Emilia about Cassio and Desdemona relationship, acting as if Emilia is the mistress of a brothel and Desdemona is one of her prostitutes. Othello denounces Desdemona to her face as a *****. Desdemona turns to Iago for help who reassures her. Roderigo protests to Iago that 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 with Othello unless Roderigo can delay them. The best way to do this, says Iago, is by killing Cassio. |
| Act 4 Scene 3 | Characters: Othello, Lodovinco, Desdemona, & Emilia Setting: CyprusPlot: Othello orders Desdemona to go to bed and to dismiss Emilia, who helps Desdemona get ready for bed. They talk about marital infidelity . Desdemona says no woman would cheat while Emilia says women are the same as man (women have the same desires as men) |
| Act 5 Scene 1 | Characters: Iago, Roderigo, Cassio, Gratiano, Lodovinco, Emilia, & BiancaSetting: CyprusPlot: At night, Roderigo attacks Cassio, who, uninjured, stabs Roderigo. Iago then wounds Cassio in the leg. Othello, hearing Cassio cry out, thinks Iago has killed him, and departs to murder Desdemona. Iago then kills the wounded Roderigo. While Iago, joined by Lodovinco and Gratiano, tends to Cassio, Bianco arrives. Iago accuse her of being a ***** and of engineering the plot against Cassio that led to his injury. |
| Act 5 Scene 2 | Characters: Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Emilia, Gratiano, & MontanoSetting: CyprusPlot: Othello enters Desdemona’s chamber, wakes her, and questions her about her “infidelities”. She claims she is innocent, but yet he still smoothers her. After this Emilia comes in and discovers Othello’s crimes. Iago, Montano, and Gratiano come in and Iago admits to his plan which brings Othello to try and stab Iago, but instead Iago kills Emilia. Othello kills himself via stabbing. |
| Chiasmus | def: reversing the order of a phrase to creat new meaning purpose: emphasis; add depth to a phrases meaning |
| Anadiplosisi | def: repetition of concepts; end of the 1st clause begins the 2nd clausepurpose: emphasis |
| Apostrophe | def: addressing someone (or something) that is currently not presentdef: emphasis on the dramatic relationship |
| Litotes | def: denies negativity to create positivity |
Othello Test
September 8, 2019