Act I begins on a stormy night at a harbour in Cyprus, where local people anxiously await the arrival of Otello, their new governor. His ship battles through the tempest, and the crowd prays for the safe return of all aboard. When the vessel finally reaches the harbour, Otello greets the people and announces victory over Turkey. Iago, Otello’s ensign, urges Roderigo, a gentleman, to pursue Otello’s wife, Desdemona. Iago, furious that Otello appointed Cassio as Captain of the Navy—a position he coveted—plots revenge.
During the victory festivities, Iago and Roderigo continue conspiring against Otello and Cassio. They lure Cassio into drinking heavily and provoke him into drawing his sword against Roderigo. Cassio’s drunken behaviour draws the attention of Otello and Montano, Cassio’s predecessor. In the ensuing struggle, Cassio accidentally wounds Montano. Desdemona is frightened, and Otello, angered by Cassio’s conduct, demotes him. He then comforts Desdemona, and the couple tenderly recall their courtship and reaffirm their love.
Act II
In the castle garden, Iago reassures the disgraced Cassio and advises him to seek Desdemona’s help in regaining Otello’s favour. Cassio leaves to speak with her. Watching from a window, Iago is soon joined by Otello, who asks why he appears troubled. Seizing his chance, Iago subtly plants seeds of suspicion in Otello’s mind, implying an illicit intimacy between Desdemona and Cassio. Knowing that Cassio once brought gifts to Desdemona on Otello’s behalf, Iago twists this into something sinister and cautions Otello to remain vigilant.
Otello tries to dismiss Iago’s insinuations and joins Desdemona in the garden, admiring her beauty. But when she mentions Cassio’s demotion, Iago’s words return to him and jealousy begins to take hold. Otello feigns a headache, prompting Desdemona to soothe him with her handkerchief—an innocent gesture that enrages him. He throws it aside. Emilia, Iago’s wife, picks it up intending to return it to Desdemona, but Iago demands it. Though reluctant, she is overruled when he snatches it and orders her to say nothing.
Tormented, Otello demands proof of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness. Iago invents a tale, claiming to have overheard Cassio dreaming about Desdemona and whispering of their supposed affair. As “evidence”, he says the handkerchief is now in Cassio’s possession. This is enough to convince Otello, who vows revenge on both his wife and Cassio.
Act III
Iago and Otello strategise about killing Cassio. Iago steps away to bring Cassio, and Desdemona enters, warmly greeting her husband and once again pleading for him to reconsider Cassio’s punishment. Otello asks her to soothe his aching head with her handkerchief, but when she produces a different one, he demands the original. Desdemona confesses she no longer has it. Otello, enraged, curses her and warns that failure to produce it will bring misfortune. Their argument intensifies—Desdemona steadfastly defending her fidelity while Otello accuses her of deceit.
After she leaves, Otello’s rage collapses into despair. He prays for answers, lamenting the torment he suffers, and darkly warns that Desdemona will soon be punished. Iago arrives to announce Cassio’s approach, and Otello hides. Iago leads Cassio into a jovial conversation about Cassio’s true lover, Bianca. From afar, Otello hears only fragments, which seem to confirm Iago’s lies. When Iago later finds Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s lodgings, he ostentatiously waves it so Otello can see. Convinced of Desdemona’s betrayal, Otello commands Iago to arrange Cassio’s murder while he himself will kill Desdemona. Iago accepts and is promoted to Captain of the Navy.
The Venetian Ambassador, Lodovico, arrives with dignitaries. They greet Otello but note Cassio’s absence. Iago claims Cassio has been demoted, but Desdemona insists he may soon be reinstated. When Lodovico asks whether she truly wishes this, she replies that she does. Otello, enraged, attempts to strike her, but Lodovico intervenes. Cassio is summoned, and Otello instructs Iago to observe Desdemona closely whenever Cassio is near.
Lodovico delivers a message: Otello is recalled to Venice, and Cassio will replace him as governor of Cyprus. Otello interprets this as Desdemona’s doing and attacks her, throwing her to the ground before the assembled nobles. Amid the chaos, Iago urges Otello to commit the murders that night. Iago then manipulates Roderigo, telling him that Desdemona will leave Cyprus with Otello unless Cassio is killed. Hoping to win Desdemona, Roderigo agrees to assault Cassio.
Otello, increasingly unstable, rants at the guests. Iago pretends the governor is ill, masking his descent into madness. Desdemona tries to calm him, but he curses her and collapses. The crowd disperses, leaving Iago alone to revel in the triumph of his plot. As Cypriots outside praise Otello, Iago tosses the handkerchief beside the fallen governor.
Act IV
Later that night, Emilia visits a subdued Desdemona in her chamber and inquires about Otello’s mood. Desdemona claims he has calmed and is coming to her soon. She asks Emilia to lay out her bridal gown, as she would like to be buried in it. As Emilia combs her hair, Desdemona tells the story of her mother’s maid Barbara, who had been abandoned by her lover. When Emilia leaves, Desdemona prays before a Madonna idol and goes to bed.
When Otello enters, he extinguishes the candles and kisses her three times, prompting her to ask who is there. He questions whether she has prayed and if she has anything to confess. She replies that she has prayed for mercy for them both. Otello accuses her of loving Cassio. She denies it and asks him to summon Cassio so he may attest to her innocence. Otello coldly replies that Cassio is dead, then strangles Desdemona as she prays for mercy.
There is frantic knocking, and Emilia calls out that Cassio has killed Roderigo. In her dying moments, Desdemona insists she is unjustly punished. Emilia enters to find Otello standing over the lifeless Desdemona. Horrified, she confronts him. Otello declares that Cassio and Desdemona betrayed him. Though he threatens her, Emilia denounces him and raises the alarm throughout the castle.
Lodovico, Cassio and Iago rush into the chamber and are appalled by Desdemona’s death. Emilia demands that her husband disprove Otello’s claim of infidelity, but Iago remains silent. Cassio and Emilia recount how Iago stole the handkerchief and later planted it in Cassio’s room. Montano reports that Roderigo, before dying, confessed Iago’s machinations. Otello commands Iago to speak, but he refuses and flees as the guards pursue him.
Realising Iago’s treachery and the enormity of his own deeds, Otello is overcome with grief. Producing a small dagger, he stabs himself. In his final moments, he approaches Desdemona’s bed and kisses her before dying beside his innocent wife.
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