Play Synopsis

Act One - Othello has married Desdemona

• Iago talks to Rodrigo about his hatred for Cassio and Othello. Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him seduce Desdemona, but she secretly married Othello. Iago persuades Roderigo to tell desdemona’s father Brabantio, about the marriage.

• Brabantio finds Othello and accuses him of stealing his daughter.

• Brabantio and Othello go to see the Duke. The Duke summons Desdemona, who says that she loves Othello. As a result, Brabantio disowns his daughter.

• The Duke sends Othello to defend Cyprus against the Turks. Othello agrees to let Desdemona go with him, but he asks lago's wife, Emilia, to look after her. lago tells Roderigo to come to Cyprus. Alone on stage, lago then reveals his plan to convince Othello that Desdemona is sleeping with Cassio.

Act Two - Cassio gets drunk and falls out with Othello

• On the voyage to Cyprus, there is a huge storm which destroys the Turkish Fleet. All the Venetians arrive safely.

• Iago tells Roderigo that Cassio is another love rival, and persuades him to start a fight with Cassio.

• After lago persuades Cassio to drink, Cassio gets into a drunken fight with Roderigo. During the fight, Cassio stabs Montano, the governor of Cyprus. Othello removes Cassio from his position.

• lago tells Cassio that he should ask Desdemona to speak to Othello about getting his job back.

Act Three - Emilia steals the handkerchief

• Desdemona asks Othello to reinstate Cassio. lago encourages Othello to think that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. At first, Othello refuses to believe it, but lago convinces him that it's true.

• Othello claims that he's sick. Desdemona dabs Othello's forehead, but accidentally drops her handkerchief.

• Emilia picks up the handkerchief and gives it to lago. Alone on stage, lago plans to put the handkerchief in Cassio's lodgings.

• Othello asks lago for proof of Desdemona's infidelity. lago tells Othello that he has seen Cassio with her handkerchief. Othello takes this as proof and asks lago to murder Cassio and makes lago his lieutenant.

• Othello confronts Desdemona about the handkerchief, but she tries to talk about Cassio. Othello storms off in anger.

• Cassio asks his mistress, Bianca, to make a copy of the handkerchief, but Bianca worries that Cassio has a new lover

Act Four - Othello starts to lose control of himself

• Iago continues to convince Othello of Desdemona’s affair

• Othello's madness becomes more severe and he falls into a fit. Cassio enters and lago tells him that Othello is unwell. lago tells Cassio to return shortly, and Cassio leaves.

• lago persuades Othello to eavesdrop on Cassio. When Cassio returns, he jokes with lago about how much Bianca loves him, but Othello thinks that they are talking about Desdemona.

• Bianca enters and angrily returns the handkerchief to Cassio. This convinces Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful.

• Bianca leaves and Cassio follows. Othello again tells lago to kill Cassio, and reveals that he plans to murder Desdemona.

• Lodovico enters with news that Othello is to return home, and that Cassio is to take Othello's place as governor of Cyprus. Othello strikes Desdemona in a rage in front of Lodovico.

• Othello accuses Desdemona of being unfaithful, but Desdemona denies doing anything wrong.

• Roderigo confronts lago about his lack of success with Desdemona. lago convinces Roderigo that killing Cassio will help him seduce Desdemona.

Act Five - Othello finds out the truth but it’s too late

• In a fight organised by lago, Roderigo tries to stab Cassio but misses, and Cassio injures Roderigo instead. lago secretly stabs Cassio and leaves.

• Lodovico, Gratiano and lago find Roderigo and Cassio bleeding. lago pretends to help, but secretly stabs and kills Roderigo so that he can't reveal the truth.

• Bianca enters, and lago blames her for the attack.

• In a soliloquy, Othello resolves to kill Desdemona as she sleeps in their marriage bed. He wakes her and tells her that he's going to kill her. Desdemona denies being unfaithful but Othello smothers her.

• Desdemona's murder is discovered by Emilia, Montano, Gratiano and lago. When Emilia finds out that Othello killed Desdemona because of the handkerchief, she reveals that lago is responsible.

• lago kills Emilia, then runs away. Montano and Gratiano give chase, and return with lago, Lodovico and Cassio. Othello wounds lago and admits that he ordered Cassio to be killed.

• Cassio and Lodovico produce letters written by Roderigo that prove lago's guilt, but lago refuses to talk.

• Lodovico tells Othello he must go on trial for his crimes, but Othello refuses and kills himself. Lodovico announces that Cassio will be made governor, then returns to Venice to tell the Duke what has happened.