Othello- Act 2 Summary

Summary:
Scene 1:
-​ In Cyprus, Montano (the governor) and some gentlemen observe the storm and figure that is has
drowned the Turks
-​ Another gentleman confirms this which means the war is over before it began
-​ Cassio witnessed that the Turks lost most of their fleet in the tempest
-​ It is still uncertain whether Othello’s ship has been able to survive the storm
-​ Hope lifts as voices offstage announce the sighting of a sail offshore, but the new ship turns out to
be carrying Iago, Emilia, Desdemona, and Roderigo
-​ Desdemona disembarks, and no sooner does Cassio tell her that Othello has yet to arrive than a
friendly shot announces the arrival of a third ship
-​ While they wait for the ship, Cassio and D tease Emilia for being a chatterbox
-​ Iago takes the opportunity to criticise women in general by offending his wife: describing her as
deceptive and hypocritical and saying she’s only good for sex
-​ Cassio takes Desdemona away to speak with her privately about Othello’s arrival
-​ Iago notices that Cassio takes Desdemona’s hand as he talks to her, and Iago plots to use Cassio’s
hand-holding to frame him so that he loses his newly gained promotion to lieutenant
-​ Othello arrives and happily greets D
-​ All but Roderigo and Iago head to the castle to celebrate the drowning of the Turks
-​ Iago tells the despondent Roderigo that Desdemona will soon grow tired of being with Othello
and will long for a more well-mannered and handsome man
-​ But, Iago continues, the obvious first choice for Desdemona will be Cassio
-​ Roderigo tries to argue that Cassio was merely being polite by taking Desdemona’s hand, but
Iago convinces him of Cassio’s ill intentions and convinces Roderigo to start a quarrel with
Cassio that evening
-​ He posits that the uproar the quarrel will cause in the still tense city will make Cassio fall out of
favour with Othello
-​ He wants C to have a bad reputation
-​ Left alone on stage, I has a soliloquy where he explains that he secretly lusts after Desdemona,
partially because he suspects that Othello has slept with Emilia, and he wants to get even with
Othello
-​ Iago then continues to say that if he is unable to get his revenge by sleeping with Desdemona,
Roderigo’s accusation of Cassio will make Othello suspect his lieutenant of sleeping with his wife
and torture Othello to madness
Scene 2:
-​ Othello’s messenger comes in to announce that Othello says there will be a party to celebrate the
victory against the Turks
-​ He also wants to celebrate his marriage
-​ He calls for a night of revelry to celebrate the annihilation of the Turkish fleet

Scene 3:
-​ This scene begins with Othello, Desdemona & Cassio
-​ Othello tells Cassio not to drink too much because he is on guard duty
-​ Othello and Desdemona go off to consummate their marriage (have sex)

, -​ Iago returns and begins to speak to Cassio
-​ Iago says Desdemona is beautiful and attempts to sexualise her
-​ He says Desdemona is a temptress (seductive femme fatale), but C responds in a respectful
manner and remains modest
-​ Then, despite Cassio’s protestations, Iago persuades Cassio to take a drink and to invite some
revellers to join them
-​ Once Cassio leaves to fetch the revellers, Iago tells the audience his plan: Roderigo and three
other Cypriots, all of whom are drunk, will join Iago and Cassio on guard duty
-​ Amidst all the drunkards, Iago will lead Cassio into committing an action that will disgrace him
(being drunk)
-​ Cassio returns, already drinking, with Montano and his attendants
-​ It is not long before he becomes intoxicated and wanders offstage, assuring his friends that he
isn’t drunk
-​ Iago and Montano stand as guards as the rest leave
-​ Once Cassio leaves, Iago tells Montano that while Cassio is a wonderful soldier, he fears that
Cassio may have too much responsibility for someone with such a serious drinking problem
-​ He successfully slips negative thoughts into Montano’s mind
-​ Roderigo enters, and Iago points him in Cassio’s direction
-​ As Montano continues to suggest that something be said to Othello of Cassio’s drinking problem,
Cassio chases Roderigo across the stage, threatening to beat him
-​ Montano steps in to prevent the fight and is attacked by Cassio
-​ Iago orders Roderigo to leave and “cry a mutiny”
-​ As Montano and others attempt to hold Cassio down, Cassio stabs Montano
-​ An alarm bell is rung, and Othello arrives with armed attendants
-​ Othello enters the scene and witnesses the damage
-​ O is shocked because he assumed Cassio to be a calm and collected character
-​ He asks Montano to speak but he is too injured to explain
-​ Montano insists that Iago explains
-​ Iago says Cassio was chasing a man that he ‘doesn’t know’
-​ Iago says that when he saw this man and Cassio running he went to tell people a fight had broken
out
-​ When he came back, M and R were in a fight
-​ Othello falls into Iago’s trap, stating that he can tell that Iago softened the story out of honest
affection for Cassio
-​ Othello dismisses Cassio from his service
-​ Desdemona has awakened but Othello brings her back to bed
-​ Iago and C are left alone and Cassio laments the permanent damage he has done as he has lost his
reputation for life
-​ Iago asks Cassio if he remembers who chased him but he doesn’t
-​ Iago tells Cassio to ask for D for help because in getting his role back because O loves D and will
listen to her
-​ Now that Iago will be spending time with Desdemona, Iago will find it all the easier to convince
Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio