Shakespear's Tragedies: Level 5

The Tragedy of Othello

Iago Was Unhappy

Iago was unhappy. He was an officer in the army of Venice. He was an ensign. An ensign was an important soldier in the army, but a lieutenant was a more important soldier. Iago wanted to be a lieutenant.

The general, who was much more important than either an ensign or a lieutenant, decided he needed a new lieutenant. Iago thought the general would choose him, but the general chose Cassio instead. That’s why Iago was unhappy. He was also quite angry. He believed he was the best man for the job. He knew Cassio did not have enough experience to do the job properly. He knew some important people had told the general he should choose Iago. He believed the general gave Cassio the job because he was a friend.

He complained about this to his friend Roderigo.

Why do you still work for him? asked Roderigo. You should look for another job.

No, said Iago. I will stay with him as his ensign. I will pretend to serve him, but I will serve myself.

The general’s name was Othello. He was unusual in Venice because he was a black man. He was a very good and brave soldier, and the duke was happy to make him a general. Othello, however, was in love, and he was a possessive man. He loved Desdemona, the beautiful daughter of a senator. Cassio spoke to Desdemona about Othello and told her what a good and brave man he was. That is why Othello made him a lieutenant. Roderigo also loved Desdemona, and asked her father Brabantio if he could marry her. However, Brabantio had refused. He thought she should marry somebody more important than Roderigo.

One night, Iago discovered that Desdemona had escaped from her father’s house and secretly married Othello. He told Roderigo about it as soon as he could. Now Roderigo was angry too. Her father should have allowed him to marry her. Now she had run away and secretly married a black man. He was sure that Brabantio would not be happy about this when he discovered it. The two angry friends decided to tell Brabantio. It was late at night, but they went to his house and began to shout.

Brabantio! Brabantio! Wake up! Thieves and robbers! Brabantio! Wake up!

Brabantio woke up and came to the window in his night clothes to see what the noise was all about.

What do you want? What is all this noise for?

There are thieves, Brabantio. Look out for your daughter! Are your doors locked? Is your family safe inside?

Why are you asking this?

"An old black ram has run away with your little white ewe!" shouted Iago.

Are you mad? Who are you?

Don’t you recognize my voice? asked Roderigo. I am Roderigo.

Brabantio was angry. Roderigo, I told you not to come to my house. You are making trouble because I did not give you my daughter. Go away!

Wait, Brabantio, insisted Iago. We are telling you the truth. The black man Othello has stolen your daughter.

Go and see if she is in the house, said Roderigo. If she is there, you can put me in jail for making trouble. However, I am sure you will not find her.

Brabantio decided to check. While he was checking, Iago went to find Othello, leaving Roderigo to talk to Brabantio. Brabantio was very angry when he discovered that Roderigo and Iago were right. Desdemona was gone!

Where is she? he screamed. Has she married the black man? I will be unhappy forever! Are you sure it was her? Where did you see her? How did she get out? I wish I had allowed you to marry her!

He pulled his hair and shook his fists and stamped his feet, but it did not bring Desdemona back. She was gone.

Brabantio thought Othello must have used magic to get her out of the house. Roderigo agreed, and promised to help him find his lost daughter.

Iago found Othello and pretended to be his friend. He warned him that Brabantio was angry about the marriage and would try to get Desdemona back. As they were speaking, Cassio, the new lieutenant, arrived with a message from the duke. There was trouble in Cyprus, and the duke wanted to see Othello immediately. At the same time, Brabantio and his men arrived and found them. Brabantio wanted to fight Othello, and Iago pretended to help Othello by threatening Roderigo, who was with them. Brabantio accused Othello of using magic to get his daughter.

There can be no other explanation! he exclaimed. Take him, men, and put him in prison! He is a sorcerer!

Before Brabantio’s men could take him, Othello told Brabantio that the duke wanted to see him immediately about trouble in Cyprus. Brabantio, being a senator, was probably wanted too. They decided to go to the duke together.

The duke was meeting with the senators. It was an emergency. Messengers had told them that the Turks were sailing toward the island of Cyprus, and the duke wanted to send Othello to defend it. When Brabantio and Othello arrived, Brabantio anxiously told the duke that the general had used magic to steal his daughter.

My daughter would not marry a black man, he said. It must have been magic.

Othello admitted he had taken away the old man’s daughter and married her, but he denied using magic.

The only magic I used, he said, was the magic of my stories. I have had many adventures in my life and traveled to many places. Brabantio was my friend and liked to hear the stories of my adventures. His daughter listened to these stories, too, and asked me to tell her more. I did. She fell in love with me, and I fell in love with her.

The duke called on Desdemona, and she agreed with Othello. The duke asked Desdemona who she was more loyal to, her husband or her father. Desedemona responded that she loved her father, but she felt that she must change her primary loyalty from her father to her husband. Brabantio understood Othello was telling the truth, and reluctantly agreed to accept Othello as his daughter’s husband.

The senators decided that Othello should go to Cyprus immediately, and he agreed. However, Desdemona did not want to stay with her father, and he did not want her to stay with him, either. She asked the duke if she could go to Cyprus with Othello. This was unusual, but Othello promised the senators that he would still be able to do his job properly. The senators agreed. They wished him well and told him to take care of Desdemona. He decided to leave that night, and Desdemona would follow him a day later.

My ensign Iago is an honest man, and I trust him, said Othello. He will travel with her to Cyprus.

Brabantio was still angry at his daughter, so he warned Othello to be careful. She deceived her father. She may deceive you, too.

Othello left for Cyprus that night. Desdemona left the following morning with Iago and Roderigo.

Trouble in Cyprus

Roderigo still loved Desdemona and was disappointed that she had married Othello. He told Iago that he was thinking about killing himself.

Don’t be stupid,