summary act 1 the seeds of Evil the play starts by laying out the problem that will drive everything Iago hates Othello because Othello passed him over for a promotion Iago Wants Revenge and it starts right away Iago and rodargo show up at verbancho's house to tell him that Othello's sleeping with his daughter brabancho challenges Othello to explain himself but Casio lets him know the Dukes called a meeting about the war so brabancho goes there too says that Othello must have used magic but Othello explains that his War Stories were enough to win desdemona's heart the Duke ends up praising Othello and sending him to Cyprus to fight the Turkish Fleet sailing there Act 2 space for evil to grow the ACT opens in Venice the Turkish Fleet is destroyed by a massive storm which is great for Venice but terrible for Othello because now Iago has time to work his plans he starts with an odd one he tells rodargo that Desdemona is in love with Cassio he convinces rodargo that they have to get Cassio out of the way and then does nimona will love him later Iago gets Cassio drunk and arranges for rodargo to start a fight Cassio ends up fired act three evil grows now things really start to turn Twisted Cassio and Desdemona are friends so she says she'll get Othello to rehire him at the same time though Iago tells Othello that he thinks Desdemona is attracted to Cassio Othello puts Iago to work watching Desdemona for signs of lust at dinner Desdemona drops a handkerchief that had been a gift from Othello and Iago gets a hold of it he tells Othello he saw Cassio using it act four Othello loses it Iago paints such a nasty picture of Cassio and Desdemona together that Othello falls into a trance and just stands there twitching Iago then tells Othello he'll get more proof and has Othello watch while he talks to Cassio who eventually tells some passionate stories but about Bianca a local prostitute cassio's been seeing Othello though thinks he's talking about Desdemona a letter from the Duke comes calling Othello home and putting Cassio in his place the fellow quizzes Amelia who is iago's wife to see if she's seen anything but by this time even her statements that Desdemona is pure fall on deaf or at least mad ears the ACT ends with Othello calling Desdemona to get ready for bed she knows something is wrong but she comes anyway Act five blood death and guilt Iago gets rodargo to attack Cassio he does but Casio stabs him so Iago stabs Cassio Othello thinks Iago is doing this for him a best friend acting in his interests a friend so loyal that he'll kill the guy sleeping with his wife Iago then secretly finishes off rodargo tying up Loose Ends Othello accuses Desdemona of sleeping with Cassio she denies it he then asks for the handkerchief she says she lost it Othello says that Cassio has it and he's dead Desdemona cries for her friend and Othello takes this as guilt he smothers her the authorities arrest Othello but he's got a hidden weapon and he stabs himself as for Iago he's arrested too but he's alive and everyone who crossed him angered him trusted him or loved him is dead