Actul I

Locuitorii insulei Cipru ocupat de veneieni, printre care Cassio i Iago, doi ofieri ai lui Otello, guvernatorul maur (arab) al insulei, Desdemona, frumoasa soie a acestuia, Rodrigo, un tnr nobil veneian i localnicul Montano se afl la malul marii. Toi ateapt cu nfrigurare ntoarcerea navei lui Otello, dup o aprig lupt pe care acesta o purtase mpotriva turcilor. Furtuna izbucnete. Corabia apare la orizont, dar se apropie cu greu de tarm. n sfrsit, acosteaza i aclamat de multime, Otello debarc i anunta victoria mpotriva turcilor. Multimea ovationeaza, dar doi oameni l privesc cu dusmanie pe Otello: Rodrigo, ndragostit de Desdemona i Iago, care si uraste de moarte comandantul fiindc nu a fost ridicat la rangul pe care socotea c-l merita. Se aprind focuri i petrecerea ncepe. Nebanuit de nimeni, Iago urzeste un plan diabolic, menit s-l distruga pe Otello. l consoleaza pe Rodrigo, sfatuindu-l s nu piarda speranta mplinirii visurilor sale de dragoste, apoi, acelasi Iago, l ndeamna pe Cassio s bea pahar cu pahar, desi, n curnd, tnarul cpitan trebuie s intre n garda. Perfid, Iago atrage atentia nobilului Montano asupra starii n care a ajuns Cassio i l cheama pe Rodrigo s adreseze celui ametit cuvinte jignitoare. Cei doi tineri se nfrunta, dar lupta dintre ei este ntrerupta de aparitia lui Otello i a Desdemonei. Judecndu-l aspru pe Cassio, guvernatorul l destituie. Multimea se mprastie. Ramasi singuri, Otello i Desdemona se mbratiseaza cu dragoste. [modific+ Actul II

Pentru c nu a putut obtine iertarea stapnului su, Cassio cere sfatul lui Iago si, la sugestia acestuia, se adreseaza Desdemonei. Bucuros c totul se desfasoara conform planului, Iago da glas credintei sale neclintite n fortele raului, vicleniei i minciunii. Apropiindu-se de Desdemona, Cassio i cere acesteia s-l ajute s obtina iertarea lui Otello. Cei doi tineri sunt zariti de ctre maurul cruia, prin vorbe cu doua ntelesuri, Iago i strecoara n suflet gelozia. Locuitorii Ciprului i ofera Desdemonei flori i daruri. Zmbind, aceasta se apropie de Otello cerndu-i fara ocolisuri, bunavointa pentru Cassio; Otello o refuza cu duritate. ntmplarea vine n ajutorul lui Iago. Soia sa, Emilia, a gasit o frumoas batista pe care Desdemona o primise de la sotul ei i a pierdut-o. Din disparitia acestei batiste Iago si va face cea mai puternic arma cu care l va dobor pe Otello. "L-am auzit pe Cassio rostind n somn numele Desdemonei !", sopteste Iago la urechea lui Otello. "Cassio are batista pe care tu i-ai daruit-o soiei tale !", continua el. Otello sufera groaznic, i este gata s se razbune pe aceea care l-a nselat. Mimnd supunere i devoiune, Iago se obliga s-i mai ofere o dovada zdrobitoare a necredintei Desdemonei. *modific] Actul III

Incertitudinea l chinuie pe Otello. Nebanuind nimic, Desdemona i cere, din nou, iertare pentru Cassio. Otello izbucneste cu gelozie i i cere Desdemonei batista pe care i-o daruise. Ea nu mai stie unde se afla batista. nnebunit de banuieli, Otello i arunc cuvinte jignitoare i

ramne surd la ncercrile Desdemonei de a se dezvinovati. Iago continua s unelteasc: i propune lui Otello ca, ascuns fiind, s asculte o discutie ntre el i Cassio. ndragostit de Bianca, dar fara a-i pronunta numele, tnarul comandant i povesteste lui Iago despre ntlnirile sale de dragoste: Iago face n asa fel nct Otello s creada c femeia despre care Cassio vorbeste, cu atta usurinta, este Desdemona. n plus, Iago strecurase n camera lui Cassio batista Desdemonei pe care acesta o tinea, acum, n mna. Otello este definitiv convins - Desdemona l-a nselat. Un trimis al Senatului din Venetia, Lodovico, l anunta pe Otello c este chemat s participe la marele consiliu al Republicii. n timpul absentei, Cassio l va nlocui pe guvernatorul Ciprului. n prezenta ambasadorilor, Otello nu se mai poate stapni i si insulta soia. Victoria lui Iago este deplina. n noaptea care va urma, Rodrigo l va ucide pe Cassio, iar Desdemona va muri i ea. *modific+ Actul IV

n camera sa, Desdemona se pregateste de culcare. Chinuita de presimtiri negre, si aminteste un cntec ascultat n copilarie, cntecul slciei. Asteptndu-si sotul, tnara femeie rosteste o rugaciune, apoi adoarme. Otello vine hotart s o ucida pe aceea care i-a nselat dragostea i ncrederea. Nimic nu-l poate opri. Desdemona moare rostind, "Sunt nevinovata !". Agitata, Emilia vine s-si anunte stapnii c, lovit de moarte n lupta cu Cassio, Rodrigo a dezvaluit toate planurile lui Iago i descopera ngrozita trupul nensufletit al Desdemonei. Atrasi de tipetele ei, sosesc Cassio, Iago i Lodovico. n fata tuturor, Emilia marturiseste ceea ce stia despre intriga tesuta n

jurul batistei pierdute. Otello ordona arestarea lui Iago, apoi nfigndusi un pumnal n piept se prabuseste alaturi de cea care a murit nevinovata.

The play opens with Roderigo, a rich and dissolute gentleman,

complaining to Iago, a high-ranking soldier, that Iago has not told him about the secret marriage between Desdemona, the daughter of a Senator named Brabantio, and Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army. He is upset by this development because he loves Desdemona and had previously asked her father for her hand in marriage. Iago is upset with Othello for promoting a younger man named Michael Cassio above him, and tells Roderigo that he plans to use Othello for his own advantage. Iago's argument against Cassio is that he is a scholarly tactician with no real battle experience from which he can draw strategy; in contrast, Iago has practical battle skills. By emphasizing Roderigo's failed bid for Desdemona, and his own dissatisfaction with serving under Othello, Iago convinces Roderigo to wake Brabantio, Desdemona's father, and tell him about his daughter's elopement. Next, Iago sneaks away to find Othello and warns him that Brabantio is coming for him.

However, before Brabantio reaches Othello, news arrives in Venice that the Turks are going to attack Cyprus; therefore Othello is summoned to advise the senators. Brabantio arrives and accuses Othello of seducing Desdemona by witchcraft, but Othello defends himself successfully before an assembly that includes the Duke of Venice, Brabantio's

kinsman Lodovico and Gratiano, and various senators, explaining that Desdemona became enamored of him for the stories he told of his early life.

By order of the Duke, Othello leaves Venice to command the Venetian armies against invading Turks on the island of Cyprus, accompanied by his new wife, his new lieutenant Cassio, his ensign Iago, and Emilia as Desdemona's attendant.

The party arrives in Cyprus to find that a storm has destroyed the Turkish fleet. Othello orders a general celebration. Iago schemes to use Cassio to ruin Othello and takes the opportunity of Othello's absence at the celebration to persuade Roderigo to engage Cassio in a fight. He achieves this by getting Cassio drunk on wine. The brawl greatly alarms the citizenry, and Othello is forced to quell the disturbance. Othello blames Cassio for the disturbance, and strips him of his rank. Cassio is distraught, but Iago persuades him to importune Desdemona to act as an intermediary between himself and Othello, and persuade her husband to reinstate him.

"Desdemona in bed asleep", from Othello (Act V, scene 2), part of "A Collection of Prints, from Pictures Painted for the Purpose of Illustrating the Dramatic Works of Shakespeare, by the Artists of Great-Britain", published by John and Josiah Boydell (1803)

Iago now persuades Othello to be suspicious of Cassio and Desdemona. As it happens, Cassio is having a relationship of sorts with Bianca, a prostitute. Desdemona drops a handkerchief that was Othello's first gift to her and which he has stated holds great significance to him in the context of their relationship. Iago asks Emilia to steal it. Emilia, unaware of what Iago plans to do with the handkerchief, steals it. Iago plants it in Cassio's lodgings as evidence of Cassio and Desdemona's affair. After he has planted the handkerchief, Iago tells Othello to stand apart and watch Cassio's reactions while Iago questions him about the handkerchief. Iago goads Cassio on to talk about his affair with Bianca, without mentioning her name; because no name is mentioned, Othello thinks that Cassio is referring to Desdemona. Bianca, on discovering the handkerchief, chastises Cassio, accusing him of giving her a secondhand gift which he received from another lover. Othello sees this, and Iago convinces him that Cassio received the handkerchief from Desdemona. Enraged and hurt, Othello resolves to kill his wife and Iago offers to kill Cassio. Othello proceeds to make Desdemona's life a misery, hitting her in front of her family. Desdemona laments her suffering, remembering the fate of her mother's maid, who was forsaken by her lover.

Iago convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio instead, because Cassio has just been appointed in Othello's place, whereas if Cassio lives to take office, Othello and Desdemona will leave Cyprus, thwarting Roderigo's plans to win Desdemona. Roderigo attacks Cassio in the street after Cassio leaves Bianca's lodgings. They fight and both are wounded. Cassio's leg is cut from behind by Iago who manages to hide his identity as perpetrator. Passers-by arrive to help; Iago joins them, pretending to

help Cassio. Iago secretly stabs Roderigo to stop him from confessing and accuses Bianca of conspiracy to kill Cassio.

In the night, Othello confronts Desdemona, and then kills her by smothering her in bed, before Emilia arrives. At Emilia's distress, Othello tries to explain himself, justifying his actions by accusing Desdemona of adultery. Emilia calls for help. The Governor arrives, with Iago and others, and Emilia begins to explain the situation. When Othello mentions the handkerchief as proof, Emilia realizes what Iago has done; she exposes him, whereupon Iago kills her. Othello, realizing Desdemona's innocence, attacks Iago but does not kill him, saying that he would rather have Iago live the rest of his life in pain. Lodovico, a Venetian nobleman, apprehends both Iago and Othello, but Othello commits suicide with a dagger before they can take him into custody. At the end, it can be assumed, Iago is taken off to be tortured and possibly executed.