Summary:
The play opens in the powerful city state of Venice, renowned for its military strenght, trade and banking. It is the early hours of the morning, two men; Roderigo, a young gentleman and former suitor of Senator Brabantio’s daughter Desdemona, and Iago, an ensign who claims to have been passed over for promotion by Othello, are outside Senator Brabantio’s house, to inform  him of his daughter’s love escapade with Othello, the Moor.

After sharing the details of this secret and unathorised marriage, using calculated words so as to alarm the Senator, the treacherous and vindictive Iago quickly departs, thus leaving Roderigo to confirm the story. Thereafter, feigning friendship and concern, Iago meets with Othello and tells him of Brabantio’s reaction. Brabantio, Othello, and Desdemona are subsequently summoned to appear before the Duke of  Venice. Although Brabantio accuses Othello of seducing his daughter by using witchcraft, Othello justifies himself by pointing out that he won Desdemona over, by telling her of his adventures. Subsequently, Desdemona when called to testify, reassures the senators that she followed Othello of her own free will, and married him for love.

Othello by order of the Duke, is appointed general of the defense forces against the Turks, and must leave for Cyprus immediately. Desdemona asks permission to accompany Othello to Cyprus. With the Duke’s consent, Othello makes  arrangements for Desdemona to follow him at a later date in another ship accompanied by Iago, whom he mistakenly believes to be a trusted friend, and Iago’s wife, Emilia. Iago persuades Roderigo that Desdemona will soon tire of Othello and therefore he should follow her to Cyprus. Iago decides to make use of Cassio, the man he deeply resents and who received the promotion he himself wanted, as the instrument with which to destroy Othello.

Uppon arrival in Cyprus, Iago plots against Othello, planting the seed of doubt regarding Desdemona’s faithfulness and implicating Cassio as her lover. Using Roderigo, Iago arranges a fight that ultimately results in Cassio’s demotion. Believing that he stands a better chance of reinstatement if Desdemona pleads his case to her husband, Cassio, with Iago’s help, arranges a private meeting with Desdemona, whom promises to speak on his behalf to Othello so that he an Othello may reconcile.

As Cassio is leaving, Iago and Othello appear. Othello notices Cassio’s hasty departure, and Iago quickly seizes the opportunity to point out that Cassio seems to be trying to avoid the Moor. Desdemona as she had promised, promptly and enthusiastically begins to petition Othello to pardon Cassio, she incessantly pleads with him untill finally preoccupied with other thoughts, he agrees. However, the instant Desdemona and Emilia leave, Iago begins to plant seeds of doubt and suspicion in Othello’s mind.
Othello, plagued by uncertainty and anxiety, later demands Iago for proof of Desdemona unfaithfulness. Using a handkerchief that Desdemona had previously inadvertently dropped, Iago convinces Othello that she has been unfaithful, thus he stages a conversation with the innocent Cassio that further hardens the Moor’s heart against his wife and her supposed lover. Convinced of his wife’s betrayal, enraged and grief-stricken, Othello springs into action, arranging with Iago for the disposal of Cassio’s body after he himself has killed Desdemona.

Desdemona, true to her word given to Cassio, continues to plead on his behalf, thus unknowingly confirming to Othello her unfaithfulness. He accuses her of insincerity, and Desdemona, not knowing what she has done to offend him, can only but assure him that she loves him.
Meanwhile, the gullible Roderigo has abandoned all hope of being with Desdemona, nevertheless Iago urges him to kill Cassio and rekindle his hopes. Late that night, they ambush Cassio in the street, but it is Cassio who wounds Roderigo. Iago rushes out and stabs Cassio in the leg. Othello, hearing Cassio’s cries for help, believes that half of the revenge is completed and hastens to fulfil his undertaking.
Desdemona is in bed when Othello enters the room. He tells her to say her last prayers, as he has no wish to kill her soul. Realizing that he plans to murder her, Desdemona protests her innocence. Knowing that he doesn’t believe her, she begs him to let her live just a little longer, but he smothers her with a pillow.

Emilia, Desdemona’s servant and Iago’s wife, upon discovering the deception, raises the alarm and declares Iago a liar before Montano and Gratiano. She explains how Desdemona’s handkerchief came into Cassio’s possession, when she refuses to be silent, Iago mortaly stabs her. Cassio, even though wounded confirms Emilia’s story. A soldier to the last, Othello stands by his honor, well aware that this is the end, he asks to be remembered as “one that loved not wisely but too well.” He then stabs himself and falls onto the bed, besides his wife, where he dies.