Act 2

Question 1

What happens in Act 2 Scene 1?

Answer 1

• News is brought to Montano, the Governor of Cyprus, that ‘our wars are done!’ because the Turkish fleet has been badly damaged by storms. The messenger announces that Michael Cassio, ‘lieutenant to the warlike Moor, Othello / Is come on shore’.
• The next ship to arrive carries Desdemona, Iago and Emilia. Cassio describes Desdemona as ‘a maid that paragons description and wild fame’ and greets her very affectionately.
• Observing how close Cassio and Desdemona seem, Iago tells the audience ‘with as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio’.
• Finally Othello’s ship arrives and he and Desdemona are delighted to be together again.
• Left alone with Roderigo, Iago convinces him that Desdemona is already bored with Othello and has switched her attention to ‘handsome, young’ Cassio, and that since Cassio is ‘rash and very sudden in choler’, Roderigo should provoke him into a fight later that evening.
• Alone with the audience, Iago offers more reasons why he hates Othello.

Question 2

What happens in Act 2 Scene 2?

Answer 2

• Othello’s herald announces a party to celebrate the triumph over the Turks and Othello’s marriage to Desdemona.

Question 3

What happens in Act 2 Scene 3?

Answer 3

• Othello leaves Cassio and Iago in charge of the party and goes to spend time alone with Desdemona. Iago convinces Cassio to drink even though Cassio protests he has ‘very poor and unhappy brains for drinking’.
• With Cassio clearly drunk, Iago tells Montano ‘I fear the trust Othello puts him in’ and secretly sends Roderigo to provoke Cassio to fight. Montano tries to stop the fight but Cassio fights him instead and injures him.
• Othello arrives asking ‘Are we turned Turks?’ and demands to know what is going on. Iago protests that he does not want to speak badly of Cassio, ‘Yet I persuade myself to speak the truth’. Hearing of Cassio’s drunkenness and fighting, Othello says ‘Cassio, I love thee, but never more be officer of mine’.
• Believing Iago is his friend, Cassio tells him how upset he is, ‘O, I have lost my reputation, I have lost the immortal part of myself and what remains is bestial’, and that he remembers ‘a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore’.
• Iago tells him to ask Desdemona for help in convincing Othello to give him back his job and Cassio agrees saying ‘You advise me well’.
• Left alone, Iago tells the audience that as Desdemona ‘for him pleads strongly to the Moor’ he ‘will pour this pestilence into his ear: that she repeals him for her body’s lust’.
• Roderigo arrives, complaining that he is bruised from the fight, has no money left and thinks it’s time to go home. Iago assures him the plan is working well.