othello �

VeniceisthefamousItalianCitybuiltalongcanals*bordered**with

beautifulhomes.Manyyearsago,lateatnight,twomenwerewalking

together.

Youareastrange

man,Iago!yousay

youhateOthello,the

generalyouserveso

well?

Yes,Roderigo,

Ido.

Othellohadfirst

comeasasoldier

fromanother

countrytoserve

thepeopleof

Venice.Sincethen

hehadbecomea

greathero.

* man-made waterways** set along the side of something

10

EventhoughIamabettersoldier,

hechoseMichaelCassiotobehis

nextincommand!

SonowIamonlyoneofhis

officersinsteadofareal

leader.IhateOthelloforthis!

Well,Iwouldn’t

continueto

servehimifI

feltthatway.

Oh,butIhaveaplan,

Roderigo.Inservinghim,I

willreallybetakingcare

ofmyself!Hewillpay

dearlyforthis.

Andnowthemischiefstarts!Here

isSignior*Brabantio’shouse—let

uswakehimandlethimknow

thathisdaughterhasbeentaken

away!

SigniorBrabantio!Signior

Brabantio!

* a title given to a noble (and usually rich) Italian citizen

othello 11

Whatisthemeaningofallthisnoise

atthishourofthenight?

Yourdaughter,

Desdemona,has

beenstolenawayby

Othello,theMoor!*

What,haveyou

lostyourwits?

Whoareyou?

Iam

Roderigo.

Ihavetoldyoubeforethatmy

daughterisnotforyou!Youwill

bepunishedforthistrick!

Sir,check

Desdemona’s

room.Ifyour

daughteris

inside,then

punishmeany

waythatyou

choose!

Servants!Bring

mealight!

* a person from the northern part of Africa

othello 13

JustthenCas-

sioarrivedwitha

message.

TheDukeofVeniceiscallingforyou,General

Othello.ThereistroublewiththeTurksin

Cyprus*.TheSenate**ismeetingnow.

HerecomesSenator

Brabantio!Becare-

ful,Othello!

GoodSignior

Brabantio,this

isnotimefor

fighting!

Youhave

takenawaymy

daughterwith

yourmagic!I

willhaveyou

punished!

Iwillbeglad

totalkto

youabout

thislater.

ButnowI

mustmeet

withtheDuke.

Thisistrue,

Signior.Iam

surethat

youhave

alsobeen

sentfor.

Thislateat

night?Well,

letusgo.

* an island in the Mediterranean Sea near Turkey** a group of men elected to help govern a state or country

14

Meanwhile,the

dukeandhis

advisOrswere

waitingfor

Othello.

Sir,thereports

allsaythata

fleetofships

fromTurkeyis

headedforCyprus.

BraveOthello,we

begyoutosailfor

Cyprusrightaway!

DearSir,forgive

me.Ihavenotcome

aboutthisbusi-

ness,butabouta

personalproblem.

Itconcerns*my

daughter!

Why,whatisthe

matter?

Isshe

dead?

* has something to do with

othello 15

Sheisas

goodas

deadtome.

Shehasbeen

stolenaway

bymagic.

Whoeverhas

donethiswillbe

punished—evenif

itshouldbymy

ownson!

Ithankyou,sir!Hereisthe

man,thisMoor!

Othello,whatdoyouhavetosay?

ItistruethatIhave

marriedthisman’s

daughter—andthatI

loveher.

ButIbegyou,sendfor

Desdemonaandlether

tellyouwhetherIused

magictowinherlove.

BringDesdemona

here!

16

GoodIago,Please

goforDesdemona.

Untilshecomes,I

willtellmypartof

thestory.

Tellus

Othello.

ManytimesBrabantio,herfather,

invitedmetohishouse.Healways

askedmequestionsaboutmylife

andthebattlesIhavefoughtall

overtheworld.

Desdemonalistened

asoftenasshe

could.Hereyes,as

theylookedupon

me,begantoshow

herlove.

Ithinkmyveryown

daughterwould

havedonethesame.

Pleasehear

Desdemona

speak.Come,

child,tellthis

groupabout

thepersonyou

shouldmost

obey.

othello 17

Mygoodfather,Iwillalways

respectyou.Butnowmyduty

istomyhusband,justasmy

mother’swastoyou.

That’senoughforme.Othello,my

daughterisyours.Nowletusgeton

withourproblemswithTurkey.

Othello,youmustsailat

onceforCyprustoprotectit

fromtheTurks.

Iwillsir.ButIwill

needaplacefor

Desdemonatostay.

Oh,Yes!Iwantto

gowithmyhusband!

Ishallleaveittoyou,Othello.

Butyoumustleavetonight.

Iwillentrust*

mywifetogood

Iago.Heandhis

wifeEmiliawill

bringDesdemona

toCyprus.

* place something or someone in another’s care

othello 1�

Desdemonawillnotlovethe

Moorforlong.Shewillbeyours,

andIwillhelpyougether.Gather

allthemoneyyouhaveandbring

ittometomorrow.

Iwill.

ThenIagowasleftalone.

WhatafoolRoderigois!YetI

canusehimandhismoneyinmy

revenge*onOthello.AndmaybeI

canuseCassiotomaketheMoor

crazywithjealousy!**

AfewdayslaterinCyprus,somemenstood

talking.

Goodnews!The

stormthatstruckus

yesterdayhassunk

mostoftheenemy

ships!

Howdoyou

know?

AshipfromVen-

icecommandedby

MichaelCassiohas

justlandedwith

thenews!

* getting even with someone** wanting what someone else has