• Othello, William Sakespeare

• Introduction
• Short Summary
• Detailed Summary
• Summary Act I-Scene-I
• Summary Act I, Scene II
• Summary Act I, Scene III
• Summary Act II, Scene I
• Summary Act II, Scene II
• Summary Act II, Scene III
• Summary Act III, Scene I,II
• Summary Act III, Scene III
• Summary Act III, Scene IV
• Summary Act IV, Scene I
• Summary Act IV, Scene II
• Summary Act IV, Scene III
• Summary Act V, Scene I
• Summary Act V, Scene II
• Characters in "Othello"
• Character of Desdemona
• Character Brabantio: the senator
• Character Iago:Cunning Devil
• Emilia: the wife of Iago
• Cassio: Lieutenant
• Roderigo Character
• Othello: Themes & Topics
• University Questions & Answers
• Discuss Othello As A Tragedy
• The Downfall of Othello?
• Othello As A Tragic Character
• Analyse The Character of Othello
• Top 10 Quotes from Othello
• Best Quotes from Othello

Act II, Scene III-Detailed Summary of Othello: "Othello" by William Shakespeare

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Scene III

Othello asks Cassio to keep the watch well. He also says that "Iago is most honest". When Othello and Desdemona are gone, Iago and Cassio start conversing over her beauty and youth. Iago asks Cassio for a round of wine to which Cassio refuses saying that he cannot control when he is drunk. Well, this is what Iago wants. He almost forcibly gives him wine. They have also invited Montano for sharing the wine. When Cassio is away, Iago tells Montano that Cassio is a brave soldier but when drunk he is not reliable. He says Cassio sees dreams and reacts illogically. He may create such nuisance which may create disturbance for the whole of the island.

Cassio is doing his duty while Roderigo enters and provokes him a planned. Iago and Montano go to stop Cassio from beating Roderigo. The thing leads to the quarrel between Montano and Cassio while Roderigo disappears silently. Iago, finding the occasion as most apt, rings the alarms. Othello enters and inquires what the matter is. Upon hearing Montano, he sacks Cassio from his current duty of guard.

Cassio is very depressed while cunning Iago is still enjoying the act of befooling the brave soldier. Iago prepares his mind to get closer to Desdemona for regaining his lost position by her favours. He says to Cassio:

"Our general's wife
is now the general".

Therefore, Cassio must do his best to convince her and he commits: "I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me".

On the other hand, Iago has been planning to use Cassio attempts in poisoning the ears of Othello. He says:

"As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear."

He also plots:

"She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all."

In the meantime, Roderigo enters and tells Iago that he is spent all his money. Iago asks him to wait and don't return to Venice yet. Later, Iago thinks of using his wife for the planned episode of Cassio and Desdemona.