Othello Plot Analysis

Plot analysis Act : Exposition and Inciting Incident The inciting incident is the elopement of Othello and Desdemona, which occurs prior to the events in scene i. In act I, we meet Iago and learn of his relationship with Roderigo and his feelings toward Othello. We also meet Othello and Desdemona and hear them speak before the Senate in defense of their love, in response to the charge by Desdemona's father that the Moor has taken his daughter by unlawful means. Once Brabantio's charges have been dismissed, the Duke announces that Othello must be sent immediately to Cyprus in order to ward off an attack by the enemy Turks. He gives Othello permission to bring along his bride. At the end of the act, Iago explains in a soliloquy how he plans to get his revenge on Othello: he will "abuse Othello's ear / That [Cassio] is too familiar with his wife." Act : Rising Action At the beginning of act II, several weeks have passed and the conflict with the Turks has ended, the Turkish fleet destroyed by a storm at sea. The characters all land safely on the island of Cyprus and a party is planned for that evening. During the night's, Iago enacts the first part of his plan by getting Cassio drunk. As the pair had arranged earlier, Roderigo picks a fight with the drunken Cassio, and a fight ensues. Othello intervenes, and finding Cassio at fault, dismisses him from his position as lieutenant. Iago encourages Cassio to appeal to Desdemona for help in winning back Othello's favor. Act : Crisis and Climax The rising action continues in act III, Cassio visits Desdemona and she promises to help. Iago and Othello spot Cassio leaving, and Iago suggests to Othello that Cassio looks guilty. He insinuates Cassio and Desdemona, have been intimate. When Othello presses for proof, he tells him that he's seen Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's hand. This pushes Othello to the breaking point and brings about the crisis of the playÑ a point we can also consider to be the climax. Othello is completely convinced and vows his revenge. He asks Iago to kill Cassio for him, and promotes Iago to lieutenant. Now crisis or climax has been reached, the action begins to fall to its inevitable conclusion. In act III, scene iv, Othello questions Desdemona about the handkerchief, which was stolen by Emilia and given to Iago, who placed it in Cassio's chamber. Desdemona tries to change the subject with Cassio's case, Othello becomes even more enraged by what he sees as proof of her love for Cassio. Act : Falling action Iago continues with his lies, telling Othello that Cassio admitted to sleeping with Desdemona. Othello hides while he Iago questions Cassio about Desdemona, but really asks Cassio about Bianca, a subject which makes Cassio laugh. Bianca comes by with Desdemona's handkerchief, which Cassio gave her to copy. This serves as the "ocular proof" Othello had wanted, he is now completely convinced that his wife has been unfaithful, and is going mad with grief and the desire for vengeance. Emissaries arrive from Venice at the end of act IV, scene i with the news that Othello is recalled to Venice, leaving Cassio as governor of Cyprus. When Desdemona declares that she is happy about this, Othello strikes her, shocking everyone. In act IV, scene ii, Othello questions Emilia about Desdemona's fidelity, but refuses to believe her that Desdemona is chaste. Later in that scene, Iago and Roderigo plot Cassio's murder. In scene ii, Desdemona waits for Othello in their bed, and as Emilia helps her prepare for bed, the women talk about infidelity. Desdemona says that she would never cheat on Othello for "all the world." Act : Resolution and Denouement The falling action continues in act V. In scene i, Roderigo and Iago fail in their attempt to murder Cassio. Roderigo and Cassio are both wounded, and Iago kills Roderigo to cover up for his role in the attack. In scene ii, Othello enters the room to kill Desdemona. When she realizes what he is about to do, she begs for mercy, but he smothers her. Emilia comes in and discovers the murder, and Othello tells her Desdemona was unfaithful and that Iago knew the whole story. A stunned Emilia repeats, "My husband!" She calls for help, and Montano, Gratiano, Iago, and the others enter. In front of everyone, Emilia accuses her husband of bringing on the murder of Desdemona, and an enraged Iago stabs her. Now that Iago's role in the tragedy is clear, Othello stabs him, then stabs himself. Othello's death is the catastrophe, the event that resolves the central conflict and makes the tragedy complete. The denouement is in Lodovico's lines at the end of the play, we learn that Gratiano will inherit all of Othello's possessions, and that Cassio will supervise the punishment and torture of the villain Iago. The exposition is the part of a plot that provides background information about the characters, setting, or conflict. ¥The inciting incident is the event that sets into motion the central conflict, or struggle. ¥The rising action, or complication, develops the conflict to a high point of intensity. ¥The crisis, or turning point, presents a decisive occurrence that determines the future course of events in the play. This event may or may not be the same as the climax. ¥The falling action is all the events that come as the result of the crisis. ¥The resolution is the point at which the central conflict is ended, or resolved. In a tragedy, this event is called the catastrophe because it marks the ultimate fall of the central character. ¥The denouement is any material that follows the resolution and that ties up loose ends.