Othello is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1604. It is one of the four great Shakespearean tragedies, the other three being Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. What sets Othello apart from the other three tragedies is the vicious villain Iago. Due to Iago’s plotting and Othello’s complexes, it is hard to decide which character is to be blamed for the outcomes of the play.
Set in Venice, the play starts with Iago and Roderigo, a wealthy man. Iago is paid by Roderigo to get Desdemona’s affection. However, he finds out that Desdemona is already married to the Venetian General, Othello. Iago is also angered by Othello, as he has supposedly overlooked him for the position of Lieutenant. He instead gave this position to Michael Cassio, a young and handsome soldier.
Iago manipulates Roderigo into calling out for Brabantio, who is Desdemona’s father and a senator, in the middle of the night to inform him that Othello has taken his daughter away. After confirming Desdemona’s absence, Brabantio sends officers to search for her. In the meantime, Iago goes to Othello to tell him that Brabantio has found out about his marriage. However, Othello seems confident as he knows he is an honourable man, who has achieved a lot for the Venetian army and is liked by the Duke.
Cassio informs Othello that the Duke is urgently calling for him. Right before they can leave, Brabantio and Roderigo arrive at the scene and threaten Othello. When they learn that the Duke has called for Othello, they decide to settle this matter there. In the Senate, Othello is accused by Brabantio of having bewitched Desdemona into marrying him. Othello, however, assures them that his wife fell in love with him due to his stories about his adventures and tales of war. After Desdemona confirms his statements, the Duke rules in favour of the couple. After that, the Duke informs Othello that they need his help in Cyprus in their fight against the Turks. They decide that Othello will go first to Cyprus and that Desdemona will follow with Iago.
While a storm has destroyed the Turkish fleet, Cassio’s ship was spared. After Cassio’s ship arrives, the ship with Iago, Emilia (Iago’s wife), Roderigo and Desdemona follows. The third ship to come ashore is that of Othello.
When everyone but Iago and Roderigo have left, Iago tells him that Desdemona will soon search for another man, which is likely to be Cassio. Hence, Roderigo agrees to Iago’s plan to initiate a fight with Cassio in order to have him lose his reputation.
During Cassio’s duty as a guard, Iago persuades him to drink, knowing that he gets drunk easily. As planned, a fight between Roderigo and Cassio starts. Consequently, Othello removes Cassio from his position as a lieutenant. Afterwards, Iago convinces the ashamed Cassio to ask Desdemona to talk to Othello and plead for his re-instatement. Iago tells the audience that his next step is to make it look as if Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair in order to spark jealousy in Othello.
After Cassio’s first attempt to persuade Othello with musicians fails, he lets Desdemona be called. Meanwhile, Iago arrives at the scene and tells Cassio that he will keep Othello away so that Cassio can freely talk to Desdemona. After Desdemona arrives, she hears Cassio out and assures him that she will try her best in convincing Othello to restore his position. Right before Cassio leaves, Othello and Iago come back and see Cassio departing. Iago takes advantage of the situation and tries to instil jealousy in Othello. When Desdemona pleads in favour of Cassio, Othello becomes even more doubtful of her faithfulness.
Later, Othello feels ill and Desdemona wants to wrap her handkerchief around his head. As the handkerchief is too small, Othello denies her attempt and the handkerchief falls to the ground. After the couple has left, Emilia remembers that Iago had wanted her to steal the handkerchief, so she takes it with her. Being now in the possession of the handkerchief, Iago leaves it in Cassio’s room. Cassio then finds it and asks Bianca, a prostitute, who is in love with him, to copy the design.
Othello cannot stop thinking about Iago’s accusations and is now in a state of agitation. He wants solid proof of his wife’s affair. To this, Iago responds that he has seen Cassio use Desdemona’s handkerchief before. Othello cannot believe that Desdemona would present Cassio with something so special to him and is convinced of her deception. In a rage, he swears that he will have his wife and Cassio punished and Iago agrees to help him. When Othello sees Desdemona again, he demands to see the handkerchief. Desdemona innocently thinks he is just trying to change the topic so that she cannot appeal for Cassio.
Iago’s devilry becomes clear as he calls for Cassio while Othello is hiding. He asks Cassio about his relationship with Bianca; however always refers to her in a lowered voice. Therefore, Othello believes that all of Cassio’s answers are about Desdemona. After he sees his handkerchief in Bianca’s hand, Othello becomes furious.
Desdemona and Lodovico enter the scene. Lodovico hands Othello a letter which states that he is to come home from Cyprus and will be replaced by Cassio. When Desdemona again talks about Cassio, Othello slaps her. Afterwards, Othello calls out Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, which she and Emilia strongly deny. Iago tells the women that he blames the letter for Othello’s behaviour.
Later, Othello questions Emilia about Desdemona’s faithfulness, to which she swears that Desdemona is of no guilt. She suggests that Othello is being manipulated by someone; however, Iago denies this. Afterwards, Iago meets Roderigo, who is still frustrated that Desdemona has not fallen for him. Iago convinces him that it would be the best to kill Cassio, to which Roderigo finally agrees.
Meanwhile, Desdemona and Emilia are sitting together and Desdemona is singing a sad song about death, foreshadowing her own impending doom.
Roderigo and Cassio fight and both get injured due to Iago’s involvement. Gratiano and Lodovico find the badly wounded men. Iago sees that Roderigo is still alive and secretly kills him. Iago tries to put the blame on Bianca, who has just arrived at the scene. At the same time, Othello is preparing to kill Desdemona. She again affirms her faithfulness to him. However, Othello is sure of her guilt and kills her. Emilia comes into the room to tell him that Roderigo is dead. Othello is unhappy to hear that Cassio is still alive. In this moment, Desdemona speaks of her murder; however, in her last words, she says that she has done this to herself.
Emilia again tries to convince Othello that Desdemona was wrongly accused. Montano, Gratiano and Iago also enter the room. When Othello mentions the handkerchief as his key evidence, Emilia realises what her husband has done and tells everyone the truth. Only then does Othello understand his doings and is overwhelmed by sadness and regret. During his rage, Iago kills Emilia and flees the scene. However, shortly after, he is captured again and Cassio is also brought in.
The desperate state, Othello wounds Iago. Lodovico tells Othello that he has to go with him to Venice for his trial. Othello reminisces on his life and then kills himself. In the end, Lodovico also gives a speech. He orders Gratiano, a relative of Desdemona, to inherit Othello’s belongings and he commands for Iago to be executed.