Chronology of events in Othello
Act 11. Iago talks with Rodrigo about how they hate Othello; they’re plotting to get Othello in trouble with Brabantio for running away with his daughter.
2. They wake up Brabantio.
3. Iago then talks to Othello and says that Brabantio has said bad things about him
4. Everyone gathers at the senate talking about the Turks trying to invade Cyprus (pg 29).
5. Othello enters and tells his story about how Desdemona fell in love with him
6. Brabantio says angrily, “fine, marry my daughter.”
7. Roderigo realizes that Desdemona doesn’t love him; he says he’s going to drown himself. Iago makes fun of him and says, “Sell your land to get money” (49). Iago plans to use this money for his own ends.
8. Iago’s plot… he’s going to get Othello to go against Cassio by telling Othello that Cassio has slept with his wife and Iago will use Rodrigo’s money that he gets from his land.
Act 2
1. Montano (an official/soldier on Cyprus) says Turkish ships didn’t survive the storm
2. A ship comes in carrying Iago, Emilia, Desdemona, and Roderigo
3. Iago puts down women says “You rise to play and go to bed to work” maybe meaning that they’re all prostitutes.
4. Othello arrives, greets his wife joyfully, and plans a party to celebrate the Turks’ defeat and the marriage of Desdemona and himself
5. Iago gives speech about his plot… “wife for wife” and in this speech he plans to abuse Cassio by making Othello think Cassio is cheating with Desdemona. He plans to use Roderigo in this plot.
6. Iago gets Cassio drunk even after the lieutenant admits that he has “poor brains for drinking.”
7. Roderigo starts a fight with Cassio; Cassio chases him, and Montano intervenes. Roderigo escapes and Iago causes the town to wake up. Othello arrives on the scene; listens only to Iago’s side of the story and punishes Cassio.
8. Cassio laments the loss of his reputation, and Iago suggests that he pressure Desdemona to talk her husband into giving Cassio back his position.
Act 3
1. Cassio tries to get into Othello’s good graces so he sends musicians to sing for him.
2. Cassio talks Emilia into helping him get a chance to talk to Desdemona because he knows that Othello will listen to her.
3. Desdemona promises to do anything she can to help Cassio
4. Cassio doesn’t feel comfortable being in Othello’s presence at the time so he leaves very quickly when Othello and Iago enters.
5. Othello asks if that was Cassio he saw leaving the room, and Iago said that ‘oh Cassio wouldn’t act like a guilty man when you approach’ = more reverse psychology.
6. Othello and Desdemona argue… Desdemona asks Othello to make Cassio his lieutenant again, and he says he will talk to him, but Desdemona persists, and Othello says he wants to be left alone
7. Iago and Othello are now alone and Iago suggests the affair between Cassio and Desdemona. Othello asks if Cassio is honest (a key word in the play), and Iago pretends to be reluctant so that it seems as if he is trying to be nice and “protect” Cassio. Iago makes Othello think about adultery and suggests that Othello watch Desdemona when she is with Cassio…
8. Othello tells Iago to tell Emilia to watch Desdemona when she’s with Cassio…
9. Desdemona and Emilia tell Othello that he is wanted at dinner, but Othello says that he has a pain in his forehead, and Desdemona says, “Here I’ll wrap it in my handkerchief.” But with enmity Othello pushes it away saying its too small and it falls to the ground
10. Emilia grabs the handkerchief after Desdemona and Othello leave it behind. She knows that Iago asked her to take it several times, so she teases him with it and he is very pleased to take it from her.
11. Iago plots to have Emilia plant the handkerchief in Cassio’s room
12. Othello enters and flies into rage.
13. He wants Iago to get him visual evidence that Desdemona’s unfaithful, but Iago says it would be impossible to actually see her having sex with Cassio.
14. Iago lies and tells Othello that while Cassio and Iago shared a bed, Cassio called out Desdemona’s name in his sleep took his hand kissed it and threw his leg over Iago’s thigh. Othello is OUTRAGED.
15. Othello kneels and vows to heaven that he will get his revenge on Desdemona and Cassio
16. Iago kneels with him vowing to help execute his master’s vengeance.
Act 4
1. The act opens with Iago questioning Othello about his jealous thoughts—a reversal of the previous act’s question-and-answer technique. This beginning shows that Othello is obsessed now with the topic of D’s virtue and that he is far from his old self.
2. Iago points out that imagining D’s betrayal is one thing, but the handkerchief = solid proof.
3. Othello falls into a trance on and his state enables Iago to greet Cassio and set up Othello for the “overhearing scene” in which he thinks Cassio is talking about various antics with Desdemona.
4. Bianca enters and yells at Cassio and throws the handkerchief at him which plays right into Iago’s scheme.
5. Iago tells O how to kill Desdemona.
6. Lodovico and attendants enter from Venice with a letter ordering Othello to return home. Othello should regain his composure but fails to do so and strikes Desdemona who weeps, not understanding why her husband is angry with her.
7. Scene 2: an essential scene for setting up the terms for Othello’s unequivocal damnation. He asks Emilia if she has seen Desdemona cheating on him. She replies “never!”, but unconvinced, Othello bids D. enter and calls her a whore and gives her money. In academic circles this scene is referred to as the “brothel scene.”
8. Iago enters after O. exits and he tries to comfort Desdemona. Emilia guesses that some “scurvy fellow/eternal villain” has been spreading lies about her mistress. Iago commands Emilia to be silent. Desdemona fails to attend to their discussion, and finally the two women exit to have dinner.
9. An angry Roderigo enters and expresses his frustrations with Iago. Iago manages to sooth him with more false promises and persuades him to kill Cassio with him, arguing that the newly weds can not leave Cyprus if Cassio cannot become governor.
Scene 3:
1. Othello bids D. to go to bed and dismisses Emilia for the night.
2. Emilia has laid the wedding sheets on the bed and Desdemona is haunted by a song a servant who was abandoned by her lover used to sing.
3. The two women discuss the price of adultery—Emilia would commit the act if she might gain the world in return, but D. says otherwise.
4. The scene concludes with a long speech in which Emilia decries the women’s unfair treatment by men.
Act 5
Scene 1:
1. Roderigo tries to hurt Cassio but is stabbed instead, so Iago hurts Cassio’s leg and exits.
2. Othello overheads the cries and thinks Iago has succeeded in fatally wounding Cassio. He exits after declaring his resolve to ‘avenge’ himself upon his wife.
3. Lodovico and Gratiano hear Roderigo and Cassio’s cries. Iago enters and pretends to be surprised by what he sees. While Lodovico and Gratiano are not looking, he fatally stabs Roderigo. We later learn that Roderigo does not die right away and that he has letters in his pockets that incriminate Iago.
4. Bianca enters and Iago attempts to frame her—perhaps a sign that his is becoming less skillful in his scheming.
Scene 2:
1. Othello opens the scene with his famous “Put out the light, then put out the light” speech. He is psyching himself up to kill D.
2. He asks her if she had prayed and then lies and tells her that Cassio has confessed to an affair with her.
3. D. asks that he call Cassio and ask him to confirm this in person, but Othello says “his mouth is stopped” i.e. that Cassio is dead.
4. D. cries realizing her alibi is gone, and O. smothers her.
5. Emilia knocks on the door and enters with the news that Roderigo is dead and Cassio is hurt.
6. D cries out, and Emilia hears her dying words.
7. Emilia ask why O killed his wife and he answers that Iago told him of Desdemona’s infidelity. Emilia insists that Iago told a lie, and O. draws a sword on her.
8. Montano, Gratiano and Iago enter. Othello continues to state D’s “crimes,” and Iago admits that he told the general that his wife was false. Othello is so caught up in his lie, that he states again that Cassio confessed to the sin.
9. Gratiano states that Brabantio has died of grief, and it is good that he did not live to see his only child murdered at the hands of her new husband.
10. Emilia explains that she gave the handkerchief to Iago, and Othello begins to grasp his mistake. He turns to stab Iago but is disarmed, and Iago stabs his wife and exits.
11. Gratiano stays and guards O while the others chase Iago.
12. Emilia dies.
13. Lodovico, Montano, and Cassio (in a chair) enter with captive Iago.
14. Othello tries to kill Iago and wounds him
15. Othello apologizes to Cassio
16. Roderigo’s letters are presented, and Iago’s plotting becomes known.
17. We learn that Roderigo told that others that Iago set him up to kill Cassio and then stabbed him in the dark after Cassio injured him.
18. Othello’s command is taken way, and Cassio is made governor.
19. Othello makes his final speech and kills himself.
20. Gratiano points out that a suicide cannot go to heaven.
21. Lodovico asks Cassio to decide how to torture Iago and promises to return to Venice and tell what has happened.