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Iago sets Roderigo to pick a fight with Cassio. He, in the meantime, plies Cassio with alcohol and gets
him thoroughly drunk. When Roderigo sets upon him later, therefore, Cassio loses his temper.
Montano gets involved, tries to separate the two combatants but gets injured in the process. The
commotion disturbs Othello, and he is so angry with Cassio that he demotes him. Thereafter Iago
promises Cassio that he will work to restore him with Othello's favour.
IAGO'S CUNNING PLAN
Iago does not have an overall plan. He improvises as he goes along.
He appears to know that Michael Cassio has a short temper and will react violently if someone insults him.
He therefore sets Roderigo to pick a quarrel which will of course cause a disturbance on the very night
on which Othello is celebrating the festivities of his marriage, and his first night with his wife.
The plan has an advantage in that Cassio does not know Roderigo. Indeed, Roderigo is a stranger to
everyone on Cyprus and will therefore not be recognised or brought to book for his role.
Events work in Iago's favour. Othello has proclaimed an evening of festivities. Cassio, who does not hold
his alcohol very well, has already drunk a cup of wine before he meets Iago. He is easily persuaded to
have another, and then another.
Very soon he is drunk and is accosted by Roderigo in the dark. Roderigo provokes him into a fight. No
one gets hurts in the ensuing brawl except Montano who attempts to separate the two combatants.
The noise, however, disturbs Othello -- which, of course, is the plan. He personally intervenes and then
demands to know of Iago who is responsible for the brawl.
Iago, while supposedly attempting to remain neutral, places the blame firmly on Cassio whom Othello
promptly demotes from his rank as lieutenant, not even bothering to investigate any further.
Iago thereupon initiates the next plan. He persuades Cassio to approach Desdemona to intervene on his
behalf.
He, in the meantime, will poison Othello's ear but putting him on his guard to watch for an adulterous affair
between Desdemona and Cassio. Othello has merely to watch for Desdemona's extravagant pleading
of Cassio's cause.
All very cunning indeed!
Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:
"Come, lieutenant, I have a stoup of wine."
- How much is a "stoup"? (2)
[Need help?]
A "stoup" is just over two litres. In other words, it's about three of our modern bottles of wine.
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"Not to-night, good Iago: I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking."
- Comment on Cassio's words in the knowledge of what is to follow. (4)
[Need help?]
Cassio admits that he cannot hold his drink and that he gets drunk after but very little wine. And yet he
allows Iago to twist his arm into drinking far too much.
Consider: Cassio is the senior ranking officer and allows a junior to twist his arm into drinking too much.
What type of leader is this?
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IAGO: What, man! 'tis a night of revels: the gallants desire it.
CASSIO: Where are they?
IAGO: Here at the door; I pray you, call them in.
CASSIO: I'll do't; but it dislikes me.
- Who would "the gallants" be? (2)
[Need help?]
"The gallants" is probably another word for "the revellers". It refers to Montano and a couple
of other "gentlemen".
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- Comment on Iago's words, "I'll do't; but it dislikes me." (2)
[Need help?]
Cassio again admits that he cannot drink too much alcohol without its befuddling his mind: "It dislikes
me." And yet, with very little twisting of his arm, he accepts to drink too much.
Would you trust your nation's army to such a man?
Notice that Cassio says, "It dislikes me." He does NOT say, "I dislike it."
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"If I can fasten but one cup upon him,
With that which he hath drunk to-night already,
He'll be as full of quarrel and offence
As my young mistress' dog."
- Show how Cassio is putty in Iago's hands. (4)
[Need help?]
Iago recognises that it will only take but one cup of wine (bigger than our modern wine glasses) to get
Cassio thoroughly drunk because Cassio admits to having already drunk a cup.
This is a man who is Othello's 1st Lieutenant and upon whom Cyprus depends for its defences! He is also
one who knows he cannot drink too much alcohol without its destroying his mind! And yet, he puts up
almost no resistence. What type of leadership is this?
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"Now, 'mongst this flock of drunkards,
Am I to put our Cassio in some action
That may offend the isle."
- What does Iago mean when he says that he will get Cassio to "offend the
isle"? (4)
[Need help?]
Drunken people usually offend the neighbourhood by their noise. Iago, however, means it to go much
further than this.
He intends to get Cassio really drunk. Then Roderigo will insult him and pick a fight with him. In his
drunken state, Cassio will draw his sword and attempt to kill Roderigo.
The ensuing noise and the attempt to kill Roderigo will together "offend the isle". Indeed, it will be
an insult to Othello's military state where the army is meant to keep control of the peace, not destroy it.
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Re-enter CASSIO; with him MONTANO and Gentlemen; servants following with wine.
"But here they come:
If consequence do but approve my dream,
My boat sails freely, both with wind and stream."
- Instead of Iago taking Cassio to the nearest tavern for a drink, all the leading characters come to him.
What effect does that have within the plot? (4)
[Need help?]
Iago has already indicated that he is in control of the situation. Even though he is subordinate to Cassio,
he nevertheless easily influences the latter into taking another drink which Cassio admits will befuddle his
mind.
Then, instead of taking Cassio to a tavern, Iago remains on stage while Cassio brings a host of witness
back to him.
Iago therefore remains the dominant person, with Cassio and other important personages rushing around
to do his will. It reinforces the idea that Iago is totally in control.
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- What is Iago's dream? (2)
[Need help?]
Iago's dream is to revenge himself on both Othello and on Cassio.
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- What does Iago mean when he says, "My boat sails freely, both with wind and
stream"? (4)
[Need help?]
Iago means that everything is going his way according to plan.
He uses the metaphor of a boat: a boat needs the wind and the current to make it go in the correct
direction. Iago claims that both wind and current are flowing in his favour: his boat is moving in the
correct direction.
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