As they wait for Othello, Cassio greets Desdemona by clasping her hand. Once they have landed, Othello’s ship is sighted, and the group goes to the harbor.

Cassio, whose ship did not suffer the same fate, arrives soon after, followed by a second ship carrying Iago, Roderigo, Desdemona, and Emilia, Iago’s wife. A third gentleman arrives and reports that the Turkish fleet has been wrecked in a storm at sea. In Cyprus the following day, two gentlemen stand on the shore with Montano, the governor of Cyprus. Desdemona insists that she accompany her husband on his trip, and preparations are made for them to depart that night. The duke says that Othello must go to Cyprus to aid in the defense against the Turks, who are headed for the island. Brabanzio is frustrated, but acquiesces and allows the senate meeting to resume. The duke finds Othello’s explanation convincing, and Desdemona herself enters at this point to defend her choice in marriage and to announce to her father that her allegiance is now to her husband. Given a chance to speak for himself, Othello explains that he wooed and won Desdemona not by witchcraft but with the stories of his adventures in travel and war. The duke and senate are very sympathetic toward Othello. When he finds out that Othello is on his way to speak with the duke, -Brabanzio decides to go along and accuse Othello before the assembled senate.īrabanzio’s plan backfires. Not long afterward, Brabanzio arrives with Roderigo and others, and accuses Othello of stealing his daughter by witchcraft.

At Othello’s lodgings, Cassio arrives with an urgent message from the duke: Othello’s help is needed in the matter of the imminent Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Not wanting his hatred of Othello to be known, Iago leaves Roderigo and hurries back to Othello before Brabanzio sees him. Brabanzio finds that his daughter is indeed missing, and he gathers some officers to find Othello. Unseen, Iago and Roderigo cry out to Brabanzio that his daughter Desdemona has been stolen by and married to Othello, the Moor. Iago says he hates Othello, who recently passed him over for the position of lieutenant in favor of the inexperienced soldier Michael Cassio. But Roderigo has just learned that Desdemona has married Othello, a general whom Iago begrudgingly serves as ensign.

Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him in his suit to Desdemona. Othello begins on a street in Venice, in the midst of an argument between Roderigo, a rich man, and Iago.

Othello story by william shakespeare