In Venice, the General Othello secretly marries Desdemona

N
In Venice, Othello secretly marries Desdemona.
R
Many of the characters go to Cyprus to fight in the war there.
J
Alone, Othello asks Desdemona if she has prayed, confronts her with his suspicions (all of which she
denies), and then strangles her.
I
As Desdemona goes to bed she can’t get a sad song out of her head. She can’t understand how she’s
upset Othello.
D
Desdemona’s father confronts Othello, who explains that Desdemona loves him and he loves her. Her
father warns that if she betrayed her own father she could betray Othello.
G
Desdemona’s upset that she’s lost her strawberry handkerchief, especially when Othello asks to see
it. Desdemona tries to change the topic of conversation to Cassio – which angers Othello even more.
M
Emilia enters to hear Desdemona’s last words that she is “falsely murdered,” and shouts for help. She
realises what Iago has done, explains to Othello what happened with the handkerchief and is stabbed
by her husband to silence her.
A
Emilia steals Desdemona’s strawberry handkerchief for Iago, who then puts it in Cassio’s chamber.
Othello, who was given it by his mother, gave the handkerchief to Desdemona.
S
Furious, Othello says he wants Cassio dead.
E
Iago and Roderigo wake up Desdemona’s father to tell him that a “black ram is tupping his white ewe.”
F
Iago confesses that he “does hate the Moor” and plots to get revenge for not being promoted to
Lieutenant.
Q
Iago convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio. In the fight Cassio is wounded but lives and Iago secretly kills
Roderigo.
B
Iago persuades Roderigo to get Cassio drunk and then get into a fight with him; Cassio is demoted for
fighting and being drunk on duty.
O
Iago suggests that Othello strangle Desdemona in bed. Othello is furious and mad with jealousy,
thinking Cassio and Desdemona are lovers.
L
Iago suggests to Cassio that he should get Desdemona to talk to Othello to get his job back.
Desdemona agrees to help Cassio.
K
Iago tells Othello Cassio is calling out Desdemona’s name in his sleep and that he’s also seen him
wipe his beard with the handkerchief.
T
Iago tells Othello that Cassio is bragging about sleeping with Desdemona and gets Othello to hide
while he really talks about Bianca. Bianca throws Desdemona’s handkerchief at Cassio saying he
must be seeing another woman. Othello misunderstands.
H
Othello hits Desdemona and calls her “whore” and “devil.”
C
Othello now sees that he has been tricked by Iago and stabs him – but does not kill him, “I bleed sir,
but not killed.” Othello begs Cassio’s pardon, stabs himself and lies down beside Desdemona to die.
P
When Othello sees Cassio talking to Desdemona, Iago provokes him and says he should beware
jealousy, the “green eyed monster”.
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Othello