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 Othello

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Test Yourself

What do you remember about the play?

From memory, type in the numbered gaps in this brief summary of the play using the words below.

quarrel prayers magic proof escape
stabbed allegiance mad kisses offended
confronts promises fires Turks kill
jealous affair handkerchief married

In Venice, Othello and Desdemona have fallen in love and (1) in secret. Desdemona's father, Brabantio, is informed of this by Iago, who is always eager to cause trouble for Othello. Brabantio tries to get the Duke to take Desdemona away from Othello. The Duke, however, highly respects Othello and wants him to lead the Venetian forces against an attack from the (2) . They send for Desdemona to see what her side of the story is.

When Desdemona arrives she stands by Othello and tells how she loves him and owes more (3) to him than to her father, now that he is her husband. Brabantio hints that Othello has won her love by (4) , but there is nothing he can do. When Othello is posted to Cyprus to fight the Turks there, Desdemona asks if she can go along, too. She is given permission to follow Othello on the next ship and as Othello leaves he asks Iago to look after her.

In Cyprus, Iago continues to look for ways to trouble Othello. He says he is jealous of him and (5) that Othello made Cassio lieutenant instead of him. He also suspects that Othello has had an (6) with his wife Emilia. Iago also wants to cause trouble for Cassio so that he will get fired and Iago can have his job.

Iago invites Cassio to go out drinking and when he is drunk he fuels a (7) between Cassio and Montano. As they fight, Montano is badly wounded, and when Othello finds out he (8) Cassio. Iago pretends to be sorry for Cassio and suggests that he asks Desdemona for help in getting back in Othello's good books. What Iago really wants to happen is for Othello to think that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio and that that is why she wants him to be reinstated as lieutenant.

Cassio asks Desdemona for help and she (9) to ask Othello to forgive him. In the meantime, however, Iago slyly hints to Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are spending too much time together. When Desdemona comes to Othello on Cassio's behalf, he suspects that she is in love with Cassio. He is abrupt with her and pushes her away, so that she drops her (10) . Emilia finds this handkerchief, which was the first present Othello gave his wife, and gives it to Iago, who has always wanted to get hold of it. He is going to plant the handkerchief in Cassio's room so that when Othello sees him with it he will take it as (11) that Desdemona is having an affair with him.

Othello becomes increasingly (12) and obsessed by thoughts of Desdemona's unfaithfulness. When he hears that Cassio has the handkerchief he thinks that Desdemona has given it to him and he vows to (13) them both. When Iago promises to help him, Othello makes him his new lieutenant.

Iago carries on insinuating and hinting at Desdemona's unfaithfulness whenever he is with Othello, even at one point tormenting him so much that Othello almost goes (14) with jealousy and anger. Iago even arranges for Othello to overhear a conversation with Cassio that makes it seem like Cassio is boasting about having Desdemona as a lover (though in fact he is really talking about Bianca).

Othello is so overcome by jealousy and rage that he decides to kill Desdemona. That night, when she has gone to bed, he steals into her room, but as he sees her sleeping he realises how much he loves her. She wakes up and he makes sure that she has said her (15) that evening (because he doesn't want her soul to go to hell) and then he strangles her. Emilia arrives just as Desdemona is dying, to tell Othello that Cassio has been (16) in the street, and when she sees Desdemona she cannot believe Othello's story of her affair. As she calls for help, Montano, Gratiano and Iago come to see what is wrong and she (17) Iago.

Othello tells them all about the handkerchief to prove that Desdemona was unfaithful, but Emilia tells them the truth of how she gave it to Iago and how he must have put it in Cassio's room. Iago lunges at Emilia to stop her from speaking. He kills her and tries to (18) , but he is caught and imprisoned.

Othello is about to be taken back to Venice to face punishment, but he falls on his own sword and, as he dies, he drags himself over to Desdemona and (19) her one last time.