Othello Scene by Scene

to know the play inside out!

Act 1 Scene 1

Exposition - Roderigo and Iago rouse Brabantio from his bed to tell him of Desdemona’s marriage to Othello

• Titular character not seen - audience opinion created by Iago’s description

• Establishes Iago as manipulative from beginning ‘I am not what I am’

• Characters: Iago, Roderigo, Brabantio

Act 1 Scene 2

Cassio tells Othello of the threat to Venice of Turks invading Cyprus, but Brabantio demands Othello’s arrest for stealing his daughter

• audience meet Othello and find him to actually be heroic

• Wider political context established

• Brabantio makes 1st accusation of witchcraft

• Characters: Othello, Iago, Brabantio, Cassio, Officers

Act 1 Scene 3

Brabantio accuses Othello before the Duke, but Othello defends himself and his marriage is blessed. Othello is commissioned to lead a Venetian force to Cyprus, and Desdemona asks to go with him. Iago manipulates Roderigo (put money in thy purse) to follow to Cyprus, and ends with a soliloquy revealing his initial plan

• first time hearing Desdemona, she is given a platform/voice - feminist?

• audience is witness to the birth of the ‘scheme’ - impetus to plot

Act 2 Scene 1

Storm at sea. News is brought to Montano that the Turkish fleet is scattered. Cassio arrives safely in Cyprus, followed by D and I, waiting anxiously for O. Husband and wife are reunited, but I seems determined to wreck their happiness

• Turkish defeat suggests main plot will be personal, not political

• Introduction of Emilia, Iago’s big sexist joke stand up routine

• Further Iago soliloquies eg ‘lay thy finger thus’, and final speech gives insight on motivation, ‘wife for ‘wife’

Act 2 Scene 2

The Herald reads Othello’s proclamation of a public holiday until evening - device to further plot, celebrates both Turkish defeat and Othello’s marriage

Act 2 Scene 3

Iago encourages Cassio to drink until, provoked by Roderigo, he becomes quarrelsome. Othello dismisses him from his office, but Iago advises him to seek Desdemona’s assistance. Roderigo threatens to return to Venice.

• STAGECRAFT - Iago has full control over the scene, entirely present throughout as other characters rotate around him.

• Themes of professional/personal honour

Act 3 Scene 1

Cassio asks Emilia to help him gain access to Desdemona

• comic relief, the clown and musicians make sexual innuendo

• Iago uses his unknowing wife to further the scheme

Act 3 Scene 2

Othello sends letters to Venice - brief scene

• irony - Othello focuses on military matters when great personal drama is brewing

Act 3 Scene 3

Most busy scene - Iago sows suspicion into Othello’s mind until he is convinced that Desdemona is unfaithful

• ‘green eyed monster’ speech

• the handkerchief device is employed, Desdemona drops it and Emilia gives it to Iago at his request

• Othello demands occular proof

• Ends with a parody of a wedding ceremony between O and I - homosociality

Act 3 Scene 4

Desdemona persists in the recommendation of Cassio, but Othello is obsessed with the handkerchief. Iago and Cassio pass along the street, and Cassio is met by his mistress Bianca, to whom he gives Desdemona’s handkerchief

• Emilia gives her ‘men are stomachs’ speech

Act 4 Scene 1

Iago continues to prompt Othello’s jealousy and Othello overhears Iago teasing Cassio about some woman, whom he presumes to be Desdemona (really Bianca). Visiting Venetian Lodovico is outraged to see Othello strike Desdemona

• Othello’s downfall begins, he is now violent, misogynistic and as Iago ironically states, ‘much changed’

Act 4 Scene 2

Othello questions Emilia, but refuses to believe what he is told and confronts D with his suspicions. D turns to Iago for help and Roderigo returns to reproach Iago for unfair dealings. Iago promises both of them separately that all will be well - I and R plan to kill Cassio.

• made to write whore upon speech

• Irony - Emilia guesses the scheme that some one has manipulated Othello, but does not know it is her husband

• infectious/continuing nature of jealousy - says someone did that to I, making him suspect her and Othello

Act 4 Scene 3

Desdemona prepares for bed as her husband walks home with guests

• the Willow song

• ‘but I do think it is their husband’s fault’ speech from Emilia - rational examination of marriage/gender relations

• Impending sense of dread - death is unavoidable

Act 5 Scene 1

Roderigo and Iago lie in wait for Cassio, there is a struggle in which both Roderigo and Cassio are injured, Iago kills Roderigo after Othello, apparently approving his actions, goes home to Desdemona

• ‘it is a heavy night’ mirrors 1.1

• Iago’s blatant lying and disguising his actions

• the scheme is coming to and end, ‘this is the night that makes me, or fordoes me quite’

Act 5 scene 2

Othello comes home from the fight to find D in her bed, She asserts her innocence, but he strangles her. Emilia discovers the murder and denounces her husband, who kills her. Cassio is brought to the scene and Othello asks for his pardon. Othello is arrested by Lodovico, but before he can be taken away he has a final act to perform

• the ‘tragic loading of the bed’ 3 notable deaths

• Emilia finally speaks and voices audience outrage - ‘all cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak’

• Othello’s ‘base Indian’ speech shows his downfall

• order is restored - Cassio rules in Cyprus, Lodovico tells the state what happened - resolution