Summary: Act Three Scene Four

Setting : Before the castle
Characters involved : Desdemona, Emilia, Clown, Othello, Iago, Cassio, Bianca.

The scene opened when Desdemona asked the clown where her husband was and only then she realized that she had lost her favourite handkerchief. When Othello approaches her, he asked her for her missing handkerchief and she did not manage to give him an answer. When Othello left, Iago and Cassio came in; Iago then asked her if Othello was mad at her and he too left. Emilia and Desdemona discussed about Othello's personality precisely regarding his jealousy. Then, Bianca comes in to meet Cassio, he gave her the handkerchief of Desdemona which he found in his chamber, and insisted her to make a copy of it as the design is nice. The scene ended when he became angry at Bianca as she assumed that he got the handkerchief from some other woman. However, Bianca was not disturbed and left with it.

"Lend me thy handkerchief"
"Here my lord"
"That which I gave you"
"I have it not about me" -p127

Source : The Arden Edition of the Works of William Shakespeare

Summary: Act Three Scene Three

Setting : Garden of the castle
Characters involved : Desdemona, Cassio, Emilia, Iago and Othello.

The act begins with Desdemona was convincing Cassio that she will help him out with his problems by persuading Othello. However, when Iago walks in with Othello, Cassio leaves; therefore it created suspicion in Othello regarding Desdemona's infidelity. Othello puts off the conversation with Desdemona when she was seem to pushing him a lot into accepting Cassio back. When Desdemona leaves with Emilia, Iago tried to poison Othello's mind regarding Desdemona & Cassio's affair, thus created jealousy in Othello. When Othello approached Desdemona, she offered to massage his hand with the handkerchief he had given her as a token of love in their first meeting. However, he refused and Desdemona dropped the handkerchief there and walks with him inside. Just to please Iago, Emilia who was by chance standing there, stole the handkerchief for him. Iago then took it and placed the handkerchief in Cassio's room and makes Othello to watch it himself as a proof of infidelity. It was the moment when Othello had just gained the trust in his lady love, when Iago comes in and shook his mind off once again. Iago came up with another story that he slept with Cassio when he heard Cassio was expressing his love and lust towards Desdemona in his dreams. He also mentioned that Cassio wiped his beard with Desdemona's handkerchief. The scene ended by Othello being in rage and told Iago to kill Cassio within 3 days time and claims that he will offer Iago the post Cassio was having then.

"Let me but bind your head, within his hour, It will be well again"
"Your napkin is too little" (She drops her handkerchief)
"Let it alone, come, I'll go in with you" - p111

Source : The Arden Edition of Works of William Shakespeare.

Summary: Act Three Scene Two

Iago, Othello, and a gentlemen walk together at the citadel. Othello gives Iago some letters to deliver and decides to take a look at the town's fortification.

References:

Shakespeare, W. (1993). Othello. United States of America: Washington Square Press

Sparksnotes. (2010). Othello. Retrieved January 14, 2011, from http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/section5.rhtml

Summary: Act Three Scene One

Continues from the previous scene, audiences now knows of Iago's dark plans. Iago approaches Cassio to tell him that he will find Emilia, his wife and ask her to distract Othello so Cassio will have the chance to converse privately with Desdemona.After Iago exits, Emilia comes in and inform Cassio that Othello has been discussing his problem with Desdemona. But it seems like Othello cannot do anything to return the lieutenant post to Cassio because of Montana influence in Cyprus.Emilia allows him to come in and tells him to wait for Desdemona.

References:

Shakespeare, W. (1993). Othello. United States of America: Washington Square Press

Sparksnotes. (2010). Othello. Retrieved January 14, 2011, from 

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/section5.rhtml

Summary: Act Two Scene Three

This long and intense part of act two is the climax of this play. In the beginning of this scene, Othello leaves Cassio on guard. When Othello leaves, Iago comes and they speak of Desdemona. Iago tells Cassio that he suspects Desdemona is a temptress, but Cassio stands the on the opposite idea of  Iago think that Desdemona is a modest person. Iago then persuades Cassio to take a drink and to invite other gentlemen to join them.Whilst Cassio leaves to fetch the gentlemen, Iago tells audiences of his plans, which is

1- to keep the drunk Rodrigo and others gentlemen on guard with him and Cassio

2- In the middle of their guard, Iago will persuade the drunk Cassio to commit bad thing.

Cassio arrives with Montano and other gentlemen, already drunk. When Cassio leaves, Iago informs to Montana of his worry about Cassio's drinking problem. Montana suggest that they should tell Othello about this. In meanwhile, Rodrigo arrives. He  been chases by drunk Cassio who threats to beat him. Montano steps in between Cassio and Rodrigo to stop the fight, but somehow in the middle of the chaos, Cassio stabs Montano. Rodrigo with Iago advise manage to escape.

Othello awakes from his sleep by the noise from the fight. He then demands Iago to tell the whole story which Iago did by not revealing Rodrigo's name.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.

Now,things seems like to go well with Iago's plans. Cassio is sad of what he did. Iago advises him to seek Desdemona and ask for her help to get back his lieutenant post.

The next step in Iago's plans is to tell Othello that Desdemona supports Cassio because she is his lover.

References:

Shakespeare, W. (1993). Othello. United States of America: Washington Square Press

Sparksnotes. (2010). Othello. Retrieved January 14, 2011, from 

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/section4.rhtml

Summary: Act Two Scene Two

In scene 2, the main event that happen is the herald announce that Othello plans revelry because Cyprus is safe from the Turks.Besides, it is also a celebration of Othello's marriage with Desdemona.

Reference:
Shakespeare, W. (1993). Othello. United States of America: Washington Square Press.
Sparksnotes. (2010). Othello. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/section1.rhtml

Summary: Act Two Scene One

Characters involved: Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Roderigo, Cassio, Emilia, Montano.

The act started in Cyprus where the governor,Montano and two gentleman witness a storm. Even though, there are not many ships that survived in the storm, but it is still uncertain whether Othello's ship is one of them.Iago, Emilia, Desdemona and Roderigo arrived with the second ship. While waiting Othello to arrive with the third ship, Cassio and Desdemona tease Emilia of being a chatterbox but Iago criticize woman in general by saying that all woman are lazy in all except in sex:

"You rise to play and go to bed to work," (II.i.118)

While Cassio takes Desdemona for a talk about Othello, Iago had plans to frame him as a revenge so that he won't get promoted.

Othello arrive and greet Desdemona. While Roderigo are unloading the ship, Iago try to tell stories to him that Desdemona will get tired of Othello and will soon go with another man, which is Cassio. Roderigo explains that Cassio's act of holding Desdemona' hand were probably a symbol of respect. But, Roderigo start to get convinced with Iago and started a quarrel with Cassio that evening.

At the end of the act, Iago explains to the audience about his actions.He is confessing that he is in lust with Desdemona. He suspect that Othello had slept with Emilia, therefore, Iago wanted to get 'wife for wife'. However, if his plans doesn't work, he wants Othello to become insane and mad by thinking that his lieutenant is sleeping with his wife.

Reference:
Shakespeare, W. (1993). Othello. United States of America: Washington Square Press.
Sparksnotes. (2010). Othello. Retrieved January 16, 2011, from http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/section1.rhtml