CASSIO
’Zounds, you rogue! You rascal!
A knave teach me my duty! (strikes RODERIGO)
MONTANO
Nay, good lieutenant; I pray you, sir, hold your hand.
CASSIO
Let me go, sir, or I’ll knock you o’er the mazard.
MONTANO
Come, come, you’re drunk.
CASSIO
Drunk!
CASSIO and MONTANO fight; MONTANO is injured.
IAGO (aside, to RODERIGO
Away, I say, go out; and cry a mutiny!
Exit RODERIGO stage rear.
SOUND OPERATOR plays Sound Cue #2 (“Ringing bell”).
Enter OTHELLO and DESDEMONA from stage rear.
OTHELLO
What is the matter here?
Are we turn’d Turks? Honest Iago,
Speak, who began this?
IAGO
I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio;
But men are men; the best sometimes forget.
OTHELLO
I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee;
But never more be officer of mine.
Exit OTHELLO and DESDEMONA stage rear. Exit ALL but IAGO and CASSIO stage right.
CASSIO (falls to his knees)
Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my
reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself,
and what remains is bestial.
IAGO (helps Cassio to his feet)
As I am an honest man, I’ll tell you what you shall
do. Our general’s wife is now the general: confess
yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you
in your place again.
CASSIO
You advise me well. In the morning I will beseech
the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me: Good
night, honest Iago.
Exit CASSIO stage right.
IAGO (walks downstage center, addressing audience)
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,
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
So will I turn her virtue into pitch;
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.
Exit IAGO stage right.
STAGEHANDS remove table, then set two chairs, one stage right and one stage left, slightly facing each other.
Cyprus. The garden of the castle.
Enter NARRATOR from stage rear, coming downstage center.
NARRATOR
Desdemona pleads for Cassio’s reinstatement while
Iago causes Othello to doubt Desdemona and her
friendship with Cassio. Keep an eye out for a very
important handkerchief.
Exit NARRATOR stage right.
Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA from stage left. CASSIO sits in chair stage right.
CASSIO
My general will forget my love and service.
DESDEMONA (touches CASSIO’S hand comfortingly)
If I do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it
To the last article: my lord shall never rest;
I’ll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience.
EMILIA
Madam, here comes my lord.
CASSIO
Madam, I’ll take my leave.
Exit CASSIO stage right.
Enter OTHELLO and IAGO from stage rear; IAGO stands to OTHELLO’S right.
