Othello Christmas Notes:

Character Profiles:
from memory added research
OTHELLO:
- Moor (darker skin)
- married to Desdemona
- high rank/status in society

IAGO:
- Second in command to Othello
- Wants to get revenge on Othello for giving Cassius a higher rank instead of giving it
to him
- Villain

DESDEMONA:
- Wife of Othello, in love with him after hearing his tales of strife
- Daughter of Brabantio

CASSIUS:
- has just been given a higher status by Othello
- Is a pawn in Iago’s plot against Othello
- Young and inexperienced

BRABANTIO:
- Father of Desdemona
- Not in favour of Desdemona and Othello’s marriage, and takes this complaint to the
Duke (who approves of it)

BIANCA and EMILIA:

- secondary characters
- Emilia is Iago’s wife, and Desdemona’s attendant
- Bianca is a courtesan/ prostitute in Cyprus who likes Cassius

RODERIGO:
- another young and foolish character
- In love with Desdemona, Iago
uses this to his advantage in the first
scene of the play
- Cassio’s assistant
Plot Summary
1. The play starts with Iago and Roderigo talking about Othello- outside of
Brabantio’s house- and we see that they are both annoyed at him: Iago for giving the
inexperienced Cassius a promotion instead of him, and Roderigo because he is
in love with Othello’s wife, Desdemona. They decide that just to annoy Othello they
would tell Brabantio about his marriage to Desdemona.
2. Brabantio is furious (since their comments were very crude and graphic) and decides
that Othello must’ve used witchcraft to woo Desdemona, and so takes this issue to
the Duke, along with most of the characters so far, to appeal the marriage. The Duke
is empathetic towards Othello and approves of the marriage, and then reminds him of
his needed presence in Cyprus in their fight against the Turks.
3. Almost all the characters go to Cyprus, where instead of war they are met with
celebration, as the Turk ships have been destroyed at sea. At this party we meet
Cassius whom Iago was talking about earlier. His plan begins. He persuades
Cassius to drink while working (to taint his reputation) and provokes him to start a
fight with Roderigo. This fight escalates and leads to Cassius stabbing a governor.
4. Othello demands to know who began the fight, and Iago tells him of Cassius drinking
and starting the fight, so Othello strips him of his new duty. Iago’s plan is working! He
tells us that he will make Othello think that Cassius and Desdemona are having
an affair. After some faffing about with a clown and a band, we see Desdemona
sympathising with Cassius and tells him she will try her best to make Othello
forgive him.
5. Cassius then leaves Desdemona, and Othello sees him leaving. Iago heightens
Othello’s suspicions. This really pisses him off, and after a chat with Desdemona
about forgiving Cassius, his suspicions are justified. He becomes unwell, and
Desdemona offers her handkerchief, which he rejects and drops on the floor.
6. Emilia picks the handkerchief up, telling us that Iago has been asking her to get it
for him. Iago, ecstatic, takes the handkerchief and plants it in Cassius’ room as
‘evidence’ for the affair. When Othello finds out about this he’s fuming and vows to
get revenge on both his wife and Cassius. He then bumps into Desdemona, who
when asked says she doesn’t have the handkerchief and changes the subject back
to Cassio’s forgiveness. Enraged. Cassius finds the handkerchief and is like what is
this and then a prostitute comes in (of course) who he asks to take the handkerchief
to copy the embroidery (of course).
7. Due to Iago’s manipulation, Othello gets so freaked out that he goes into an epileptic
seizure. Cassio walks by as Othello’s having his fit so Iago tells him that now's not
the best time, come later. When Othello’s up, Iago tells him of the meeting he’s
planned with Cassius, and tells him to hide. In this meeting with Cassius, Iago gets
him to talk about the prostitute, Bianca, but making it look like he’s talking
about Desdemona.
8. Bianca comes in, annoyed about the handkerchief business, and then Desdemona
and some guy come in, who tells Othello that he has been replaced by Cassius so
he storms out after hitting Desdemona. Later, he accuses her of being a whore and
ignores any reason given by Emilia. Iago then tells a moping Roderigo that to get to
Desdemona he must kill Cassius.
9. That all goes badly leaving both Cassius and Roderigo injured, and on hearing
Cassius’ cry, Othello thinks that Iago has fulfilled his order of killing Cassius for him.
Iago finishes Roderigo off and Cassius is taken to hospital
10. Othello then smothers Desdemona with a pillow. Emilia then comes in with news
of Roderigo’s death and Cassio being alive. With some confusion about
Desdemona’s death, she dies, and then everyone comes in and pieces together
Iago’s plan, led by Emilia. Devastated, Othello tries to kill Iago but misses. Iago
then kills his wife for betraying him, which leads to his arrest by some guys from
earlier. In guilt and for not wanting to be put in jail, Othello kills himself.