This is a story about a man named Othello
who is a general in the Venetian military.
He marries a beautiful woman named Desdemona,
wooing her through his tales of war and adventure.
A man named Iago is upset that he was passed
over for a position as lieutenant, which was
given to a man named Cassio, and vows to get
his revenge against Othello.
Roderigo, who is in love with Desdemona, befriends
Iago, who begins to manipulate him in his
plan for revenge.
As the Venetians are at war with the Turks,
Othello is sent to Cyprus and accompanied
by Iago, Desdemona, Roderigo, Cassio, and
Emilia, Iago’s wife.
Noticing how friendly Cassio is with Desdemona,
Iago decides that his plan of revenge is to
make Othello mad with jealousy by lying about
an affair between Cassio and Desdemona.
Iago manipulates Roderigo, asking him to start
a fight with Cassio.
Later that evening, Iago gets Cassio drunk
and Cassio gets into a fight with Montano,
a Cyprus official.
Othello strips Cassio of his officer position
and Cassio is depressed that his reputation
is tarnished.
Iago advises Cassio to talk to Desdemona alone
and have her speak on his behalf to Othello
to have him reinstated.
Cassio thinks this is a good idea, even though
Iago uses the situation to create a wedge
between Desdemona and Othello.
As Cassio and Desdemona talk in the distance,
Iago speaks to Othello and implies that he
suspects there might be something going on
between Cassio and Desdemona.
Desdemona accidentally drops a handkerchief
that Othello gave her and Emilia picks it
up and gives it to Iago, who plants it in
Cassio’s room for him to find.
Othello asks Iago if he knows of any proof
of the affair between Desdemona and Cassio
and Iago lies that he heard Cassio call out
Desdemona’s name in his sleep.
Othello is furious and asks Iago to kill Cassio,
to which he agrees.
The tension rises between Othello and Desdemona
as he asks her to show him the handkerchief,
but she cannot.
Cassio talks to a Bianca, a prostitute, and
he gives her the handkerchief before dismissing
her.
Iago further lies to Othello about the affair,
which sends Othello into epileptic shock.
When Othello recovers, he sees Iago and Cassio
talking and thinks that Cassio is laughing
about the affair.
As Othello and Iago plan Cassio’s death,
Desdemona’s cousin, Lodovico, arrives to
recall Othello back to Venice.
Othello questions Emilia about the interactions
between Cassio and Desdemona and learns that
they have never been inappropriate.
Still, Othello accuses Desdemona of being
unfaithful and her feelings are hurt in the
accusation.
Roderigo confronts Iago and begins to suspect
that Iago has been lying to him.
Iago convinces Roderigo to help him kill Cassio
so that Othello and Desdemona will not return
to Venice.
Roderigo and Iago wait for Cassio that evening
and in the fight, Roderigo is wounded by Cassio
and Iago wounds Cassio before running away.
Iago reappears and kills Roderigo and Cassio
is carted away for medical attention.
Enraged, Othello kills Desdemona in bed, even
though she pleads that she is innocent.
Othello tells Emilia why he killed Desdemona
and Emilia tells him that Iago has been lying
the entire time.
Iago appears, kills Emilia as she unravels
his lies, and runs away.
Iago and the wounded Cassio are brought before
Lodovico and Othello, who confesses that he
had arranged Cassio’s murder.
After Roderigo’s involvement is revealed
by a series of letters, Othello sees his mistakes,
stabs himself, and dies.
In the end, Cassio is responsible for punishing
Iago and Lodovico goes back to Venice to share
the news of what happened.
