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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:
"Ay, but, by your leave, not before me; the lieutenant is to be saved before the ancient. Let's have no
more of this; let's to our affairs. -- God, forgive us our sins! -- Gentlemen, let's look to our business. Do
not think, gentlemen, I am drunk: this is my ancient; this is my right hand, and this is my left: I am not
drunk now; I can stand well enough, and speak well enough."
[Need help?]
Yes, indeed. He's already very drunk.
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- What does Cassio mean when he says, "God, forgive us our sins!"? (4)
[Need help?]
Cassio has realised that he has duties to perform but he is in a drunken state and not fit to perform them.
This is the ultimate sin for a professional soldier: not to be able to perform his duties because he is drunk.
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- Why does Cassio argue that he is not drunk? (2)
[Need help?]
Cassio is behaving in a typical way of a drunken person, attempting to convince everyone that he is not
drunk, whereas the reality is that he can't walk or talk properly.
Indeed, his entire speech lacks the logic of a sober man.
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"You see this fellow that is gone before;
He is a soldier fit to stand by Caesar
And give direction: and do but see his vice;
'Tis to his virtue a just equinox,
The one as long as the other: 'tis pity of him.
I fear the trust Othello puts in him.
On some odd time of his infirmity,
Will shake this island."
- What does Iago mean when he says, "and do but see his vice; 'tis to his virtue a just equinox, the
one as long as the other"? (4)
[Need help?]
Iago is pointing out Cassio's drunken state as if this was the norm, that every day he was drunk like this.
He says that Cassio's virtues are no greater than his vices: each is equal to the other.
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- What is Iago's point when he says, "I fear the trust Othello puts in him"? (4)
[Need help?]
Montano has presumably never seen Cassio in a drunken state but Iago makes it seem as if Cassio was
often in that state. His intention is, of course, to convince Montano that Othello has made a mistake in
trusting Cassio.
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" 'Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep:
He'll watch the horologe a double set,
If drink rock not his cradle."
- Explain in simple language what argument Iago is making here. (4)
[Need help?]
Iago claims that Cassio cannot get to sleep at night without first being drunk. Drinking is "the
prologue" to his sleep. Without drink, Cassio will lie awake all night, watching the clock
("horologe") and counting the passing hours. It is only drink that rocks him to sleep.
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- What is Iago's purpose in saying this? (2)
[Need help?]
Iago is trying to convince Montano that Cassio is always drunk, and that what Montano has just witnessed
is a usual and an everyday affair.
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"It were well
The general were put in mind of it.
Perhaps he sees it not; or his good nature
Prizes the virtue that appears in Cassio,
And looks not on his evils: is not this true?"
- What argument is Montano making here? (4)
[Need help?]
Montano argues that Othello should be told about Cassio's drunkenness because probably he doesn't
know about it. On the other hand, he says, perhaps Othello does know but he prizes Cassio's virtues
more than rejecting his vices.
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- What is Iago's response to this argument? (4)
[Need help?]
Iago responds that having such a lieutenant as Cassio was dangerous to the welfare of the state and that
it would be a worthwhile thing to do -- an "honest action" -- to tell Othello about these
circumstances.
In other words, Iago is suggesting that Montano -- and not himself -- tell Othello about what has happened.
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- Iago ushers Roderigo away quickly? Why? (4)
[Need help?]
It could be that Iago does not want Roderigo to be seen and later identified. Most probably, however, he
is suggesting to Roderigo that he follow Cassio immediately and pick his quarrel now, while Cassio was
most likely to respond badly.
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