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Chronology of Events in Othello
Chronology of Events in Othello
Act 1
1. Iago talks with Rodrigo about how they hate
Othello; they’re plotting to get Othello in trouble
with Brabantio for running away with his
daughter.
2. They wake up Brabantio.
3. Iago then talks to Othello and says that Brabantio
has said bad things about him
4. Everyone gathers at the senate talking about the
Turks trying to invade Cyprus (pg 29).
5. Othello enters and tells his story about how
Desdemona fell in love with him
6. Brabantio says angrily, “fine, marry my
daughter.”
7. Roderigo realizes that Desdemona doesn’t love
him; he says he’s going to drown himself. Iago
makes fun of him and says, “Sell your land to get
money” (49). Iago plans to use this money for
his own ends.
8. Iago’s plot… he’s going to get Othello to go
against Cassio by telling Othello that Cassio has
slept with his wife and Iago will use Rodrigo’s
money that he gets from his land.
Act 2
1. Montano (an official/soldier on Cyprus) says
Turkish ships didn’t survive the storm
2. A ship comes in carrying Iago, Emilia,
Desdemona, and Roderigo
3. Iago puts down women says “You rise to play
and go to bed to work” maybe meaning that
they’re all prostitutes.
4. Othello arrives, greets his wife joyfully, and
plans a party to celebrate the Turks’ defeat and
the marriage of Desdemona and himself
5. Iago gives speech about his plot… “wife for
wife” and in this speech he plans to abuse
Cassio by making Othello think Cassio is
cheating with Desdemona. He plans to use
Roderigo in this plot.
6. Iago gets Cassio drunk even after the lieutenant
admits that he has “poor brains for drinking.”
7. Roderigo starts a fight with Cassio; Cassio
chases him, and Montano intervenes. Roderigo
escapes and Iago causes the town to wake up.
Othello arrives on the scene; listens only to
Iago’s side of the story and punishes Cassio.
8. Cassio laments the loss of his reputation, and
Iago suggests that he pressure Desdemona to
talk her husband into giving Cassio back his
position.
Act 3
Act 5
Scene 1:
1. Roderigo tries to hurt Cassio but is stabbed
instead, so Iago hurts Cassio’s leg and exits.
2. Othello overheads the cries and thinks Iago has
succeeded in fatally wounding Cassio. He exits
after declaring his resolve to ‘avenge’ himself
upon his wife.
3. Lodovico and Gratiano hear Roderigo and
Cassio’s cries. Iago enters and pretends to be
surprised by what he sees. While Lodovico and
Gratiano are not looking, he fatally stabs
Roderigo. We later learn that Roderigo does not
die right away and that he has letters in his
pockets that incriminate Iago.
4. Bianca enters and Iago attempts to frame her—
perhaps a sign that his is becoming less skillful
in his scheming.
Scene 2:
1. Othello opens the scene with his famous “Put out
the light, then put out the light” speech. He is
psyching himself up to kill D.
2. He asks her if she had prayed and then lies and
tells her that Cassio has confessed to an affair
with her.
3. D. asks that he call Cassio and ask him to
confirm this in person, but Othello says “his
mouth is stopped” i.e. that Cassio is dead.
4. D. cries realizing her alibi is gone, and O.
smothers her.
5. Emilia knocks on the door and enters with the
news that Roderigo is dead and Cassio is hurt.
6. D cries out, and Emilia hears her dying words.
7. Emilia ask why O killed his wife and he answers
that Iago told him of Desdemona’s infidelity.
Emilia insists that Iago told a lie, and O. draws a
sword on her.
8. Montano, Gratiano and Iago enter. Othello
continues to state D’s “crimes,” and Iago admits
that he told the general that his wife was false.
Othello is so caught up in his lie, that he states
again that Cassio confessed to the sin.
9. Gratiano states that Brabantio has died of grief,
and it is good that he did not live to see his only
child murdered at the hands of her new husband.
10. Emilia explains that she gave the
handkerchief to Iago, and Othello begins to
grasp his mistake. He turns to stab Iago but is
disarmed, and Iago stabs his wife and exits.
11. Gratiano stays and guards O while the others
chase Iago.
12. Emilia dies.
13. Lodovico, Montano, and Cassio (in a chair)
enter with captive Iago.
14. Othello tries to kill Iago and wounds him
15. Othello apologizes to Cassio
16. Roderigo’s letters are presented, and Iago’s
plotting becomes known.
17. We learn that Roderigo told that others that
Iago set him up to kill Cassio and then stabbed
him in the dark after Cassio injured him.
18. Othello’s command is taken way, and Cassio
is made governor.
19. Othello makes his final speech and kills
himself.
20. Gratiano points out that a suicide cannot go
to heaven.
21. Lodovico asks Cassio to decide how to
torture Iago and promises to return to Venice and
tell what has happened.