Othello Summary Essay, Research Paper

Plot Summary Iago is passed over for a promotion by his commander, Othello, a

Moor and a general in the service of Venice, and vows revenge. Othello has just

married Desdemona, the daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian Senator, and Iago

enlists the aid of Roderigo, a rejected suitor, to tell Desdemona’s father about

the marriage. Brabantio goes to seize his daughter, but is interrupted by news

of a Turkish attack on Cyprus. The Duke and the Senate convene, and after

hearing Desdemona and Othello testify to their love for one another, they allow

her to accompany him to Cyprus, which he will defend against the Turks. Iago,

whom Othello regards as honest and trustworthy, is given charge of Desdemona on

the journey. At Cyprus, Iago has Roderigo start a brawl, in which Cassio,

Othello’s lieutenant, wounds another man. Othello strips Cassio of his command,

and Cassio goes to Desdemona to ask her to convince her husband to reinstate

him. Iago, meanwhile, sets about convincing Othello that Desdemona has been

unfaithful to him{with Cassio. Through innuendo and pretended hon- esty, Iago

makes Othello almost mad with jealousy, until the Moor names him his lieutenant

and makes Iago promise to help him kill Cassio and Des-demona. Desdemona has

lost a handkerchief that Othello gave her as a love-token, and Emilia, Iago’s

wife, _nds it and gives it to her husband. Iago plants the handkerchief in

Cassio’s house, and then arranges for Othello to see Cassio give it to his

mistress, Bianca. Othello is now convinced that Cassio has betrayed him with

Desdemona, and that Cassio is aunting his sexual conquest by giving Desdemona’s

handkerchief to a common whore. Othello begins abusing his wife in front of

messengers from Venice, who are amazed to see this change in a man they thought

to be noble. That night, Othello tells his wife to wait for him in bed and goes

out to walk about the city. Iago has convinced Roderigo that if he kills Cassio,

Desdemona will sleep with him, so Roderigo attacks the former lieutenant. Cassio

is saved by his mail shirt and wounds Roderigo; Iago ees, stabbing Cassio as he

goes. Othello, passing, hears the cries and thinks that Cassio is killed, and so

returns to the castle to kill Desdemona. Meanwhile, Iago and the Venetian

messengers _nd the wounded men; Iago secretly kills Roderigo and sends Emilia to

the castle with news of the brawl. Othello awakens Desdemona, tells her that she

must die, and strangles her. Emilia returns and _nds her mistress; Desdemona

revives for a moment and then dies, saying as she passes away that Othello is

innocent of her death. Her husband, however, proclaims his own guilt, and as the

others return, Emilia realizes her husband’s plot and exposes it. Iago, furious,

stabs her and ees; he is captured, and ordered to be tortured to death. Othello,

heart-stricken, makes a _nal speech in which he passes sentence on himself, and

then commits suicide. He falls beside Desdemona.