Othello
Why do we do the things we do?
Plot Summary and Comprehension Questions
Read each scene’s summary and answer the questions in complete sentences before you read
each scene in the actual play.
Act 1 Scene 1
It is nighttime when Iago and Roderigo stand outside Desdemona’s house talking. Iago tells Roderigo
how much he hates working for Othello and how furious he is that Othello promoted someone else
(Cassio) instead of him. Instead of a lieutenant, Iago is just Othello’s advisor—his “ancient”. Roderigo
loves Desdemona and wants Othello out of the way so he can marry her. Iago pretends that he can help
Roderigo win over Desdemona. Iago and Roderigo yell loudly to wake up Desdemona’s father and tell
him that Othello and Desdemona have secretly been married. Iago and Roderigo want Othello to get
into trouble. Iago doesn’t reveal himself to Desdemona’s father so that he can still pretend to be
Othello’s good friend.
1. What does Roderigo want?
2. Why is Iago angry with Othello?
3. True or False—Iago tells Desdemona’s father who he is.
Act 1 Scene 2
It is the same night. Iago runs to tell Othello that Brabantio has found out about him and Desdemona.
Cassio comes to tell Othello that the Duke and the senators need to talk to him about military matters.
Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, comes to confront Othello about marrying his daughter without his
permission.
1. True or False—Othello knows that Iago is the one who told Brabantio about his marriage with
Desdemona.
Act 1 Scene 3
It is the same night. Othello, Iago, Cassio, and Brabantio go to talk to the Duke and the senators.
Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, tells the Duke about how Othello has taken his daughter without his
permission. Othello says Desdemona fell in love with him because he told her the story of his life.
Brabantio thinks that Othello might have put some kind of spell on Desdemona. Desdemona is asked to
come and tell her side of the story. She tells her father that she is in love and has married Othello of her
own free will. The Duke and senators tell Othello he must go to Cyprus because of the war. The Duke
says it is OK for Desdemona to go with Othello there. After everyone’s left, Iago convinces Roderigo to
go to Cyprus as well in order to win over Desdemona. Then Iago is left alone on stage to talk about his
hate for Othello.
1. Why did Desdemona marry Othello?
2. Where are Othello, Iago, Cassio, and Desdemona going?
3. What does Iago tell Roderigo to do?
Othello
Why do we do the things we do?
Plot Summary and Comprehension Questions
Read each scene’s summary and answer the questions in complete sentences before you read
each scene in the actual play.
Act 2 Scene 1
Several days later, the ships are arriving at Cyprus. The first ship to come in is Cassio’s. Then Iago, his
wife Emilia, and Desdemona arrive. They all stand on the dock joking and teasing one another. Cassio
and Desdemona are good friends. Finally Othello’s ship arrives. When everyone’s gone from the dock,
Iago meets with Roderigo. Iago tells Roderigo that Cassio is in love with Desdemona. Roderigo is in love
with Desdemona and so he wants Cassio out of the way. Iago tells Roderigo to pick a fight with Cassio
later so that Cassio will get into trouble. Then Iago is left alone on stage to talk about why he wants
revenge on Othello. Iago says that Othello may have slept with his wife, Emilia.
1. What does Iago persuade Roderigo to do?
Act 2 Scene 2
Othello’s herald announces the arrival of Othello and Desdemona to Cyprus and tells people to
celebrate their marriage.
Act 2 Scene 3
Soldiers are celebrating. Iago convinces Cassio to drink even though Cassio refuses at first. Cassio
becomes drunk. Iago gets Roderigo to pick a fight with Cassio who ends up trying to kill a fellow officer.
Othello is furious. Cassio loses his position as Othello’s lieutenant. Iago and Cassio are left alone to
talk. Iago convinces Cassio to ask Desdemona for help getting back onto Othello’s good side. Then Iago
is left alone on stage to talk about how he’s going to set up Othello to think Cassio and Desdemona are
having an affair.
1. What did Iago convince Cassio to do?
2. Why did Roderigo pick a fight with Cassio?
3. What does Iago tell Cassio he should do to get his job back?
Act 3 Scene 1
Cassio goes to talk with Desdemona about getting Othello to forgive him. Iago encourages Cassio to talk
with Desdemona. Emilia, Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s lady-in-waiting, lets Cassio into the house.
1.
Why does Cassio want to talk secretly with Desdemona?
Act 3 Scene 2
Othello gives Iago some important military papers to deliver.
Act 3 Scene 3
Cassio talks with Desdemona. Desdemona promises to talk with Othello about Cassio and ask Othello to
forgive him for his drunken behavior. Iago and Othello see Cassio talking with Desdemona from a ways
off. Iago says Cassio seems like he’s acting sneaky or guilty. This makes Othello think there is something
going on between Cassio and Desdemona. Desdemona asks Othello to forgive Cassio and invite him
over sometime soon to talk. Then Iago and Othello talk about whether Cassio and Desdemona might be
having an affair. Othello gets very upset. Desdemona comes to talk with him and offers him her
handkerchief. He doesn’t want it. She accidentally drops the handkerchief on the floor. Emilia, Iago’s
wife, picked up the handkerchief to give to Iago. This is a special handkerchief that Othello had
inherited from his mother and had then given Desdemona. Othello and Iago talk some more because
Othello can’t sleep. Othello can’t stop thinking about Desdemona possibly having an affair with Cassio.
Iago lies and says that Cassio talks about Desdemona in his sleep. At the end of the scene, Othello
wants Iago to kill Cassio.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What does Othello think when he sees Cassio talking with Desdemona?
True or False: Cassio and Desdemona are in love with eachother.
What does Desdemona accidentally drop?
What does Emilia give to Iago?
What does Othello want Iago to do at the end of this scene?
Act 3 Scene 4
Desdemona cannot find her special handkerchief. Othello asks her for it. Othello gets angry when she
doesn’t have it. Desdemona talks more with Cassio in private. Cassio finds Desdemona’s handkerchief
in his room (Iago had it put there). Cassio goes to visit his girlfriend, Bianca, and gives her the
handkerchief to take out the stitching.
1. What has Desdemona lost?
2. Who put Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s room?
3. Who does Cassio give the handkerchief to?
Othello
Why do we do the things we do?
Plot Summary and Comprehension Questions
Read each scene’s summary and answer the questions in complete sentences before you read
each scene in the actual play.
Act 4 Scene 1
Iago and Othello talk more about whether Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio or not. Othello
gets so upset that he has a seizure! Iago has Othello watch secretly while Iago and Cassio talk. Othello
thinks that the two men are talking about Desdemona, but they are really just talking about Bianca,
Cassio’s prostitute girlfriend. Othello thinks Cassio is laughing about Desdemona, but really he’s talking
about Bianca. Bianca comes to talk with Cassio. She brings him Desdemona’s handkerchief saying she is
not going to take out the stitching. Othello sees Cassio with Desdemona’s handkerchief. Othello is
ready to kill them both. Desdemona and her cousin Lodovico come to talk to Othello about the war.
Othello loses his temper and hits Desdemona in front of everyone.
1. Who are Iago and Cassio talking about?
2. Who does Othello think they are talking about?
3. Why does Othello hit Desdemona?
Act 4 Scene 2
Othello yells at Desdemona, calling her a liar and a whore. Desdemona is devastated. She talks with
Emilia. Then she talks with Iago and asks his advice. He says Othello must be upset about the war.
Then Iago goes to talk with Roderigo. Iago tells Roderigo to go kill Cassio.
1. Why does Othello yell at Desdemona?
2. What does Iago want Roderigo to do?
Act 4 Scene 3
Emilia and Desdemona talk. Desdemona sings. She is very confused and upset. Then she goes to sleep.
1.
Why is Desdemona confused?
Othello
Why do we do the things we do?
Plot Summary and Comprehension Questions
Read each scene’s summary and answer the questions in complete sentences before you read
each scene in the actual play.
Act 5 Scene 1
Roderigo attacks Cassio. Roderigo gets stabbed by Cassio. Iago stabs Cassio in the leg from behind.
Other men come to see what is going on. Iago stabs Roderigo. Bianca, Cassio’s girlfriend, comes to
help Cassio.
1. Why does Roderigo attack Cassio?
2. Who stabs Cassio?
Act 5 Scene 2
Desdemona is in bed asleep. Othello wakes her up to talk to her. Othello strangles Desdemona. Emilia
comes into the room and finds Desdemona dying. Iago and other men come into the room as well.
Emilia tells the truth and reveals Iago’s evil doings. Othello stabs Iago. Lodovico finds letters in
Roderigo’s pockets that prove Iago was using Roderigo to do harm to Cassio. Othello stabs himself,
kisses Desdemona, and dies.
1. Who kills Desdemona?
2. Who reveals Iago as a liar?
3. Who stabs Iago?
4. Who stabs Othello?