OTHELLO ACT IV (Script)

ACT IV- Scene I


SETTING: MANSION in FLORIDA

[The scene starts in a secluded area behind the mansion]



(Iago and Othello enter the set)
IAGO: Yo Othello, Did you know that Cassio just told me he f**ked your girl?
OTHELLO: What the hell?! That ugly a** b**** slept with my girl?
IAGO: Man, if you don't believe me, I got a plan to get him to open up.
OTHELLO: Alright, I'm down man. Tell me the plan.
IAGO: This is how it's going to go down: First I'm gonna start up a conversation and all you gotta do is hide and listen carefully.
OTHELLO: I got it man, lets go.

(CASSIO enters the scene. OTHELLO is secretly hiding and listening to everything.)



CASSIO: Hey man, what have you been up to?
IAGO: Oh nothing, just chilling, doing the usual. How’s Bianca?
CASSIO: Everything’s good. I mean I know she loves me and everything but I am not ready to settle down. If I have to marry her at this very minute it would not be for love. I still got many wild years ahead of me. Too many gals and not enough time.
(IAGO laughs)
CASSIO: Nah, but on the real side, I like her but I don’t know if it’s love.
(OTHELLO is secretly listening to the conversation that he thinks is about DESDEMONA and not BIANCA)

(BIANCA storms into the room interrupting the conversation)



BIANCA: Give this bracelet back to the slut who it belongs to.
CASSIO: What the hell do you mean?
BIANCA: O shut up, I know you’re screwing around behind my back! Man wh*re!
CASSIO: What–
(BIANCA runs away and CASSIO follows her)
(OTHELLO steps out of the shadows in cool hatred)





OTHELLO: How am I gonna kill him, Iago?
IAGO: Shank that dude.
OTHELLO: How am I gonna kill Desdemona for her slutatious ways? POISON!!!
IAGO: No brother! Poisoning is not the way to go. Strangling is.
OTHELLO: Good, Good!
IAGO: I’ll do you a favor and kill Cassio for you. I’ll get back to you before midnight.

(DESDEMONA appears on the set with LODOVICO her kinsman)



LODOVICO: The Mayor wants Othello to return to New York and Cassio to stay in Florida and handle all the business matter out here.
DESDEMONA (excitedly): Yay!

(OTHELLO storms into the scene)



DESDEMONA: Othello, what’s happening?!
OTHELLO: Shut up sl*t!
DESDEMONA: Othello, if you don’t stop it right now I will leave!
OTHELLO: W****!

(DESDEMONA runs out the scene)
(LODOVICO stands there surprised)




LODOVICO: Othello! That is no way to treat a woman! Go and bring her back!
OTHELLO: DESDEMONA!

(DESDEMONA enters the scene)



DESDEMONA: What?!
OTHELLO: You lying tr*mp! Now Leave!
(DESDEMONA leaves the scene)


ACT IV- Scene II


[The scene starts with OTHELLO and EMILIA in one of rooms in the mansion]






OTHELLO: Yo! Do you know if Desdemona has been cheating on me?
EMILIA: No, why are you saying that? I’ve been around her and nothing shady has been going down.
OTHELLO: Liar!
EMILIA: Look, nothing has been going down. So drop it. You know Dessy has been nothing but loyal to you.
OTHELLO (frustrated): Get the f*** out! Stop defending that wh*re!

(DESDEMONA enters the scene a few moments later.)



OTHELLO (calmly): Come over here Dessy.
(DESDEMONA walks over afraid)
OTHELLO: What are you to me?
DESDEMONA: A faithful wife.
OTHELLO: You damn liar! You’re a whore!
DESDEMONA: Othello! All those rumors are nothing but lies! I can’t believe you’d accuse me of such nonsense!
OTHELLO: Whatever was said in here, stays in here.

(As EMILIA re-enters the scene to check up on DESDEMONA, OTHELLO leaves the room.)




EMILIA: Are you alright?
DESDEMONA: I don’t know if this is reality or just a dream... Can you go look for Iago? I need to speak to him.
EMILIA (suspiciously): Alright…
(IAGO enters the scene a few minutes later.)




DESDEMONA: I really need your advice.
IAGO: Desdemona just leave him alone for now. He has a lot on his mind and he’ll get over it as soon as the air is clear.
(DESDEMONA leaves the room)

(IAGO pulls out his iPhone and calls RODERIGO)




RODERIGO: What it do.
IAGO: I have a mission for you. You will go out and kill Cassio.
RODERIGO: And why would I go and kill a dude?
IAGO: You foolish cat! If you kill Cassio, Othello will be forced to stay here in Florida.
RODERIGO: And I want Othello here because???
IAGO: Desdemona. If he stays here, Desdemona will stay here closer to you. Wouldn’t you like that?
RODERIGO: Fine then I’ll get it done as soon as possible.
IAGO: That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.


ACT IV- Scene III

[Scene starts in OTHELLO & DESDEMONA's bedroom]
(DESDEMONA is sitting in her bedroom in her Victoria Secret lingerie. EMILIA is combing her hair)




DESDEMONA (humming as she looks at the door): The poor soul sat [sighing] by a sycamore tree…
EMILIA: O Dessy stop singing that pathetic song.
DESDEMONA: You don't understand what I'm going through right now. All I've done to him is love him since the day I met him. And all of a sudden I am this whore who cheats on her husband.
EMILIA: Well I'd understand why us ladies cheat on men. We are treated like scums and whores and we have to find us love somewhere else.
DESDEMONA: But I have not done nothing wrong.
EMILIA: It's ok, it will all be fine in a minute.
DESDEMONA: I guess, well I'll just wait for him here. You go and catch some Z's. Night Night.
EMILIA: Night Night

(DESDEMONA now on her bed)




DESDEMONA: Good night, good night. Heaven me such uses send. Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend!

[Scene fades]

Othello Character Sketch

DO NOT FORGET YOUR CHARACTERS SKETCH: DUE MONDAY!
PLEASE TURN THIS IN ON HARD COPY AND ALSO POST ON YOUR BLOG. You must include an image of the character, their role, why you selected this character to play the role of ????, and describe their persona in the play. Please try to use drama terms in your description. Must be at least a paragraph for each character in your ACT.

William Dafoe (Iago)

William Dafoe (Iago) - I picked William Dafoe as Iago because in Spiderman he was a two faced good and bad guy. Iago is two faced like him. Iago is the villian of the play, and William Dafoe is the villian of Spiderman.

Terrence Howard (Othello)

Terrence Howard (Othello) - I picked Terrance Howard as Othello because Terrence Howard plays the good guy (protagonist) in all of his movies. Othello is the good guy (protagonist) in the play. Othello is a Moor and if Terrence Howard was around during this time he would be a Moor too.

Kate Winslet (Desdemona)

Kate Winslet (Desdemona) - I picked Kate Winslet as Desdemona because in Titanic Kate Winslet had an affair with another guy and Desdemona is claimed to have had a affair with someone else. Just like Desdemona, Kate Winslet is determind and self-possessed.

Rachel Mcadams (Emilia)

Rachel Mcadams (Emilia) - I picked Rachel Mcadams as Emilia because in Mean Girls Mcadams was very attached to her friends and stressed about her boyfriend, and in Othello Emilia is attached to her friends and stressed about Iago.

Jack Nicholson (Roderigo)

Jack Nicholson (Roderigo) - I picked Jack Nicholson as Roderigo because Jack Nicholson has a lot of roles were he acts out jealousy and Roderigo is jealous as well. Roderigo believes that if he gives all of his money to Iago, Iago will help him win Desdemona.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Lodovico)

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Lodovico) - I picked Cuba Gooding Jr. as Lodovico because Gooding has roles were he played a messenger and that is Lodovico's role in Othello.

Leonardo Dicaprio (Cassio)

Leonardo Dicaprio (Cassio) - I picked Leonardo Dicaprio as Cassio because Cassio is a soldier but resented by Iago, Dicaprio is resented by many people in the roles he played, especially in Romieo and Juliet.

Kate Bosworth (Bianca)

Kate Bosworth (Bianca) - Bianca is a prostitutem Cassio teases her about marrying her.

Act IV

Who are the characters?
There are a total of eight characters: Othello, Iago,Desdemona, Cassio, Bianca, Emilia, Roderigo, and Lodovico in Act IV.

What is the setting? (Time and Place)
The setting was in and out of the castle during the evening.

List the many conflicts that exist in this Act.
Man vs. Man (Othello vs. Desdemona)
Othello thinks Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, therefore creating problems in their marriage.
Man vs. Man (Iago vs. Othello)
Iago is jealous of Othello's marriage and social status.
Mans vs. Self (Othello vs. Othello)
Othello is insecure about his marriage and believes everything he is told because he is the only black person in the play and feels inferior.

What do you think is an appropriate theme for this Act?
The theme changes throughout the act. At first it's tense because he finds out about the alleged affair with his wife and his best friend. Then it changes to anger and jealousy when he confronts his wife about the affair. Then finally it turns revengeful when he gets thoughts of killing both of them.

What act is Desdemona accused of doing?
Desdemona is accused of cheating on her husband with Cassio.

“Othello, overcome with rage, spirals into incoherent hysteria” is this ironic for this particular character?


What is Cassio’s plan with Bianca?
Cassio plans on marrying Bianca out of promise not love.

Minx's token" is referred to what in this Act?
Desdemona's handkerchief is what the "minx's token" represents in this act.

How is Desdemona degraded in front of her kinsmen?
Othello calls Desdemona the devil and a devious manipulator in front of her kinsmen therefore shocking him.

Why is Lodovico amazed at Othello’s behavior?
Othello is known as a noble Moor who the senate believes is the master of all situations and when he degrades his wife in front of him, he starts questioning Othello's behavior.

What sort of investigation does Othello conduct to prove that Desdemona is
faithful?
Othello questions Iago's wife, Emilia, about her knowledge of the affair.

Who defends Desdemona on her loyalty to her husband?
Emilia defends Desdemona when Othello questions her of any suspicious of the affair.

What evil plan does Iago concoct?
Iago plans on killing Cassio, so he sends Roderigo to go and kill him.

Is there any foreshadowing in this Act?
All of Iago's actions are foreshadowing. All the stuff he does or says is leading into something bigger and darker.

"Good night, good night/Heaven me such uses send/Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend!" [Interpret]
This line is Desdemona basically saying that Othello's actions will teach her to forgive him and improve her flaws rather than hate or be revengeful towards him.

Is Desdemona truly virtuous?
Yes, Desdemona is truly virtuous because when she denies the affair she sounds truthful and doesn't sound like she has something to be hidden.

Othello Plot Synopsis

Who are the characters in your Act?
Othellol, Iago, Desdemona, Lodovico, Bianca, Cassio, Roderigo, Emilia are the characters in Act IV.

Where does it take place?
Act IV takes place in the grounds of the castle and inside the castle.

What time does it take place?
Act IV takes place during the evening.

What happens in the various scenes in each Act?
Othello becomes outraged when he finds out Desdemona is accused of having an affair with Cassio. Iago claims Cassio admitted to the affair and now Othello plans on getting revenge. He plans on killing both Desdemona and Cassio.

How many scenes are there in your Act?
There are three scenes in Act IV.

Can you plot your scene/Act?
Act IV can be plotted as follows:
Exposition: Iago tells Othello that Cassio confessed to an affair he's having with Desdemona.
Rising Action: Othello and Iago trick a confession out of Cassio.
Climax: Othello plans on killing Desdemona and Cassio for their affair.
Falling Action: Othello confronts Desdemona and she says it's not true.
Resolution:Desdemona is in her bedroom where Othello said he was going to kill her.

Venetians

Who were the Venetians?
The Ventians were wealthy and powerful people that made their fortune through trade in the late 1500s and early 1600s.

How were the Moors/Venetians regarded in Shakespeare's day?
The Moors were known as monstrous and savage in Elizabethan England. Being a differenct skin color other than white meant you were non english and non christian.

What were the military duties of ranked officers?
There were two types of ranked officers: general and lieutenant. The general was the leader of the army in the city or state they were serving in. Lieutenants give orders to lesser ranked soldiers.

What was the military hierarchy?
Military salaries were obtained by victories. The sacked cities and got booty and that became their reward for military service.

What was the role of women?
The society viewed the women as sinful and inperfect. But they were quiet, didn't speak their minds especially in public. They would express there feelings by writing but they mostly in prayers and meditation.

What was expected of a daughter?
They were seen as property of their father. Their father controlled them and they had to obey their fathers. They also had to get married at age 13.

What was expected of a bride?
A renaissance women was supposed to marry well, be loyal to her husband, and give birth to boys. Girls were married for alliances between their families, not for love. Brides were supposed to be virgins before marriage.

What rules for getting married existed at the time of the play?
Women were supposed to be faithful and respect their fathers and family over their wants and needs. Women were married with doweries that their family provided and they prepared household possesions to contribute to the new home.

What were the rules of courtship?
Parents and friends were the matchmakers. Land descended to the eldest son to the exclusion of his siblings. But if there was no son, the land went to the daughter. The younger son often receivedn no inheritance after the bulk of it was given to the eldest son. Common law gave a limited preference to males, as it gave daughters over males such as the nephew, uncles, or male cousins.

Shakespeare and Plays

What is a play?
A Play is a form of literature almost always consiting of a dialogue between characters intended for performance rather than reading.

What is involved in a play?
Dialogue, characters, costumes, conflicts, a narrator, and a script is involved in a play.

Where did Shakespeare’s plays staged?
Shakespeare's plays were staged in The Globe Theatre.

Who did he write his plays for?
The Queen is who he wrote for.

Who was his audience?
Queen Elizabeth saw many of his plays.

Who were the actors/actresses?
Some of the actors were David Garrick and Joseph Jefferson. No females were cast in his plays.

How were the characters dressed?
Some dressed in Renaissance Venetican costume and medieval armor.

How did they speak?
The spoke in a richly poetic language that Shakespeare writes for them also known as Shakespearean.

Can we plot a play? Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution.
In order to plot a play we need pictures, key dates, characters, history, and a full script.

What do you think was the cultural background of the actors/actresses? Any people of color?
The Europeans. There were no people of color.

How many of Shakespeare’s plays have you read or know about?
I have read seven of his plays: Hamlet, Julius Ceasar, and Romeo & Juliet.

Have you ever seen an On/Off Broadway play?
No I have not seen an on/off Broadwar play.

Do you like plays? Why or Why not?
Yes I like plays because they're easier to read and understand. Howoever, some plays are dreadfully boring.

Who were the moors?

Who were the Moors?
Who was the most famous Moor?


The Moors were Syrian Muslims who conquered Spain via Morocco in 713. Over the following centuries the life of the Spanish was greatly improved. The Moors began a Renaissance in architecture, learning and food in Europe.

A Moor was also a synonym used by Shakespeare, and black soldiers.

The most famous Moor was Morien.

*http//www.cwo.com/~lucumi/moors1.html
*http//www.saffronspecialist.co.uk/Information/Saffron_A-Z/LM.htm