Day 1:
III.i
Music
Cassio pays musicians to get Othello in a better mood
A clown is sent to tell them to stop by Othello
Cassio pays the clown to ask Emilia to come speak with him
Iago & Cassio
Cassio informs Iago that he will ask Emilia’s permission to speak with Desdemona
Iago goes to fetch her and to busy Othello to get him out of the way
Emilia & Cassio
Emilia informs Cassio that Othello had to fire Cassio because of who he hurt, but that he is looking for a way to reinstate him without causing issues
Cassio asks to speak with Desdemona anyway
III.ii
Othello and Company
Othello and others go to inspect the fortification walls of Cyprus
III.iii
Desdemona & Cassio
Desdemona promises to try to help Cassio win Othello’s favor (and his job back)
Desdemona confirms that Othello doesn’t hate him, but can’t speak to him due to politics
Cassio leaves when he sees Othello and Iago approach
Othello & Iago Enter
Othello sees him leave, but Iago spins it – saying he wouldn’t hide like a guilty man from Othello
Desdemona pleads his case, begging Othello to call him back and welcome him because it was just a mistake, not an evil action
Othello says he can’t yet, but will to make her happy, Desdemona wants a specific time when this will happen
Desdemona cites the way Cassio would help Othello win her by smoothing his faults in her eyes
Othello concedes, but seems frustrated
Desdemona persists – claiming it seems like a huge favor when it is actually for his own good
Othello ends the spat by saying he would deny her nothing, as long as she goes away for a bit
Iago & Othello
Iago prods Othello about Cassio’s role in his winning Desdemona
Claims he didn’t realize they knew each other
Othello notes that he would carry notes for them
Othello’s interest is piqued – he wonders whether Cassio is honest (irony?)
Othello takes the bait and directly asks Iago what he thinks is going on
Othello claims if Iago were a liar, he wouldn’t wonder, but since he’s honest he seems to be wrestling with some moral dilemma which he should speak of
Iago keeps playing – still saying Cassio’s honest while leading Othello on
Iago warns that his thoughts may be incorrect so he doesn’t want to share them, but Othello insists he does as a good friend
Iago speaks to tarnishing a reputation (opposite of what he told Cassio earlier)
Iago continues to warn him now against jealousy (starting to lead him there)
Othello claims he can’t fall into jealousy because Desdemona picked him and he would need actual proof, which, when attained would end both his love and his jealousy
Iago FINALLY warns Othello about Desdemona and Cassio – just to watch and be wary
Iago cites the great acting job Desdemona did against her father
Othello still says he wouldn’t believe her cheating on him, but seems troubled
Iago cites fears that she’ll want someone more like herself eventually
Othello’s aside shows the seed’s been planted – he thinks Iago knows more than he says
Iago advises Othello to not reinstate Cassio yet and see how he tries to win it back
Othello’s soliloquy shows he fully doubts Desdemona already – saying he’s been cheated on, he now hates marriage because of the pain in his heart at her unfaithfulness
Day 2:
Desdemona and Emilia join Othello
Othello ends trying not to believe she cheated
Othello tells Desdemona he had a head ache – she offers to wrap his head in her handkerchief to help him, but he says not to bother and it falls to the floor
Emilia takes the handkerchief because Iago asked her to get it for him, so she plans to copy it and give him the copy since it is the first token Othello gave Desdemona
Iago & Emilia
Iago bugs Emilia, until she says she got the handkerchief
He gets it, but she says she should give it back unless he really needs it
He won’t tell her why, just that she deny knowledge of where it is
Iago (alone) sees the usefulness of the handkerchief – he can plant it at Cassio’s and use it to make Othello nuts
Othello & Iago
Othello goes off on a tangent about knowing vs. not knowing someone is cheating
He is already plagued by Iago’s words
Othello tells Iago he’d better prove her infidelity or he’ll face his wrath for making him crazy
Iago whines about the problems of being too honest (such that he’d rather lie)
Othello comforts him, but wants him to find proof
Iago cites how unlikely it would be to actually catch them in bed, but offers circumstantial evidence
He claims Cassio was moaning about her in his sleep (the extra info. Othello thought he had)
Othello interprets the dream as a memory
Iago plants the idea of Cassio having the handkerchief as proof tied to the other evidence
Iago says he’ll be Othello’s hands for him in revenge
Othello tells Iago to kill Cassio within three days
Iago pleads for her life
Othello says he must plan to kill her
III.iv
Desdemona & Clown
Desdemona asks the clown where Cassio is
Clown messes with her for a bit
She finally gets him to bring a message that she spoke on his behalf and he’ll probably get his job back
Desdemona & Emilia
Desdemona is freaking out because she can’t find her handkerchief
Desdemona worries (even though Othello IS NOT a jealous person)
Othello Enters
He notes her palm is sweaty – indicating love
She claims it is for him
Othello is having trouble pretending he doesn’t doubt her
Desdemona says she sent for Cassio to come speak to him
Othello feigns a cold and asks for her handkerchief
Desdemona gives a different one
Othello claims the handkerchief is charmed – that as long as a woman carries it, their man will love and adore her, but if lost or given away, he’ll hate her and cheat
Othello sticks to seeing the handkerchief, while Desdemona claims it isn’t lost, but asks what would happen if it were
Desdemona makes the mistake of still harping on Cassio while he gets steadily more angry and leaves
Desdemona & Emilia
Emilia sarcastically asks about Othello being jealous
Iago and Cassio enter
Cassio prods Desdemona for a final answer regarding his job so he won’t go crazy
Desdemona says the time isn’t right – that Othello isn’t acting like himself – he’s mad about something
Desdemona rationalizes that he must be upset about something political and that’s making him upset about every little thing (transference)
Emilia hopes it’s politics and not her, but she won’t hear of it being her fault
Cassio & Bianca
Cassio asks that Bianca copy the handkerchief
Bianca thinks it’s from another woman – though Cassio swears he just found it and likes it
Bianca wants him to walk with her, but he won’t – they have a lover’s spat over it
