V.i.
Roderigo & Iago
Iago instructs Roderigo on how to attack Cassio
Iago weighs the outcomes and realizes it’s best that both men die here
Roderigo tries to stab Cassio but he has armor on
Cassio retorts and stabs Roderigo
Iago stabs Cassio in the leg
Othello enters
Othello sees Iago’s work as inspiration
He leaves to commit his own murder
Venetians enter
Lodovico and Gratiano hear the men crying, but think it may be a trap
Iago enters pretending he was asleep
Lodovico and Gratiano realize Iago’s there and see it as safe (he’s a good man)
Cassio tells him of his plight
Iago finds and stabs Roderigo
Iago helps Cassio
Bianca Enters
She tries to help
Iago implies that because she’s a whore she has some connection to the crime
Roderigo is revealed as the dying one
A stretcher is brought for Cassio
Iago asks why Cassio fought him
Cassio doesn’t know him – and is carried off with Roderigo
Iago turns on Bianca pointing blame at her
Emilia Enters
Emilia is updated on what happened
Iago blames consorting with prostitutes
Iago tells Emilia to ask Cassio where he was for dinner – pointing at Bianca as nervous
Emilia blames her
Bianca defends herself
Iago sends Emilia to get Othello and Desdemona
Iago sees this night as the threat it may be for him
V.ii
Othello Soliloquy
He wants her dead, but loves her still
He realizes that once she’s gone there’s no turning back (like relighting a candle)
He feels like it is a moral imperative to kill her and save others
He still sees her beauty and will love her in death if she remains so
Desdemona awakes
Desdemona & Othello
Othello asks Desdemona to pray for her sins before he kills her
Desdemona is surprised at the mention of killing
Desdemona asks for heaven’s mercy – so does Othello
Desdemona rationalizes that he shouldn’t want her dead then
Desdemona says loving him was her only sin, Othello says that’s why she must die
Othello is shaking and overly emotional
Othello finally reveals his assumptions, bringing up the handkerchief
Desdemona denies it
Othello doesn’t care what she says, he’ll still kill her, so she may as well admit it
Desdemona’s denials only make him want to kill her more
Othello claims Cassio spoke of them in bed and reveals he’s dead (is he?)
Desdemona’s cries for him only make Othello worse
Desdemona begs for time
Othello smothers her
Emilia Coming
Othello keeps her out until Desdemona is dead
He immediately feels regret and the threat of being caught
He shuts the bed curtains
Emilia tells of Roderigo’s death and shows Cassio lives
Othello is upset that the revenge went awry
Desdemona moans from the bed about her guiltless death – and blames herself for it
Desdemona dies
Othello acts surprised – she said it wasn’t him
Emilia still needs to report it
Othello admits it and gives his reason regarding Cassio
Emilia insults him because he was wrong
Othello tells her to ask Iago – he wouldn’t have given her up without due cause
Emilia keeps repeating “my husband”
Emilia reveals Iago as a lying villian
Othello draws his sword
Emilia stands up to his threat w/o fear of death – she’ll still reveal the murder
Montano, Iago, Gatiano Enter
Emilia prods Iago about his role of mentioning what he saw, but tells her to keep quiet
Emilia reveals Desdemona’s murder and lays blame on Iago
Othello admits his part
Gatiano reveals that Brabantio died at home over Desdemona’s betrayal in marrying Othello
Othello mentions the handkerchief as part of his proof
Emilia realizes what happened
Iago draws his sword on her
Emilia admits her role in the plot
Emilia keeps calling attention to Othello not deserving such a good wife
Othello lunges at Iago, while Iago stabs Emilia
The men set guards and take Othello’s sword, while others go for Iago
Othello take out another sword and calls in Gratiano
Othello claims he is no threat and deserves burning in hell
Men Reenter
Othello stabs Iago, but he’s only hurt
Othello realizes he’d rather have him live
Othello asks for Cassio’s forgiveness
Othello wants to know why
Roderigo had letters in his pocket about Iago and his complaints regarding him/orders from him
Cassio explains finding the handkerchief
Cassio reveals (b/c of Roderigo) the plot to get him demoted
Othello will be tried while Cassio will govern Cyprus
Othello asks that they honestly relay his story, then talks about a man he stabbed to distract them as he stabs himself
Cassio is left in charge of Iago’s punishment
