Othello, by William Shakespeare | Summary

➣➣Summary of OTHELLO, — by William Shakespeare:

SUMMARY

Brabantio was a wealthy Senator of Venice. He had a lovely gentle daughter named Desdemona. Many handsome young man of her ‘cline and complextion’ wanted to marry her but she ignored all of the because she prioritised human heart. It was Othello, a Moor whom she loved.

Othello was a brave soldier. By his victory against the Turks, he had risen to the rank of a general in the army. He was honoured and trusted  by the state. When Othello used to came to their mason, he would tell Desdemona the story of his adventures in different lands. By listening to the fantastic stories of varied experiences of his life, the nobel lady fell in love with him. Othello too felt her charm, and they decided to marry secretly.

The married did not remain secret for long. When Desdemona’s father knew all, he approached the Duke of Venice to take action against Othello who might have by means of witchcraft married Desdemona without his consent.

At that moment the Turks were approaching Cyprus to recapture that island from the Venetians. The state considered Othello the right person to defend Cyprus against the mighty invaders. Othello stood as an accused before the council. He explained the situation and was ably supported by Desdemona. The old senator expressed his sorrow for his unjust behaviour. He accepted his daughter’s decision to marry the black Moor.

No sooner had Othello and Desdemona arrived in Cyprus than the news came that a severe storm had dispersed the Turkish fleet. So the island was free from external aggression. But something more dengerous was in store for Othello.

Cassio was Othello’s most confidential associate. He was a young soldier, a Florentine. He was always cheerful, pleasant and favourite with women. Othello employed him as his envoy to Desdemona during their love-affair. Thus Cassio also earned Desdemona’s confidence. He was a frequenter to their house. Cassio and Desdemona would laugh and talk but Othello was never jealous of their intimacy.

Othello had lately promoted Cassio to the post of lieu-ten-ant, a place of trust, only next to the post of the general. This promotion made lago, an older officer, very much jealous. Iago hated Cassio and Othello as well for favouring Cassio. Iago thought of a horrible scheme of revenge which would involve both Cassio, the Moor and Desdemona. Lago was very shrewd and had studied human nature deeply. He thought that if he could succeed in making Othello jealous of Cassio, it would be an ideal plot of revenge against both Othello and Cassio.

Cyprus being secured from enemy attack, Othello made a sort of holiday. It was a moment of feasting and merry-making. Cassio was given the charge to keep the soldiers away from excessive drinking. That night Iago laid his dangerous plot. He made Cassio drink freely. Heavy drinking made Cassio lose his balance. In his drunken state, he began to praise Desdemona’s beauty. After a while a fight broke out in a large scale. The alarm bell was rung. Othello arrived at the scene. Iago put the blame on Cassio. He was immediately removed from the post of lieu-ten-ant.

A part of Iago’s plot was thus successful. Now he was eager to work out the second part of his mischievous scheme. He advised Cassio to approach Desdemona whose intervention and pleading Othello could never resist. Desdemona warmly accepted Cassio’s prayer. She began to persuade Othello to change his hasty decision. 

Iago was true to his diabolical nature. He suggested to Othello that Cassio was, and had been Desdemona’s lover. Iago arranged through his wife Emilia that Othello should see Cassio to possess the handkerchief of Desdemona. Othello believed in lago’s words. He began to burn in jealousy.

Immediately after that, Othello feigned to have a headache and asked his wife to lend the handkerchief to hold on to his both sides of forehead. He scolded her because of her failure and said that an Egyptian woman gifted it to his mother to subdue his father to her love. But in case of dispossession of it, she would fall a prey to father’s ‘loathsome’ eye. Othello stated that it was a magical handkerchief. Desdemona was anxious that she had lost it. She tried to divert Othello by telling him that all his talk about the lost handkerchief was a bid to put her off from Cassio’s suit. On hearing her admire Cassio, Othello rushed out of the room. He was suspected to be jealous of Cassio.

During the next meeting, he accused Desdemona of being unfaithful and of loving another man. Desdemona was stunned to react to his charge. She went to bed expected Othello would follow her. She soon fell asleep. Othello entered the chamber with the decision to put her wife to death without bloodshed to stop betraying forever. He awakened Desdemona with his kisses. In frenzied jealousy Othello told the name of Cassio, and the handkerchief she had given him. Othello did not hear Desdemona’s reply. He instantly covered her up in the bed-clothes and stifled her to death.

On the other hand, Iago set one of his followers to murder Cassio. That man failed to do this. So lago himself killed that man. Certain letters were found in his pockets which proved that Iago was guilty and that Cassio was innocent. This discovery made Othello feel that he was no better than a murderer. His Desdemona was pure, innocent and faithful. He could not endure the extreme mental agony. At last Othello threw himself upon a sword and killed himself.

Othello, a loving husband was remembered afterwards for his merits and valour. Iago was killed legally. Venice mourned the loss of their eminent General.

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