Your assignment is to read Act I, scene i of Shakespeare's Othello.

Here is a list of the characters in Shakespeare's Othello.

BRABANTIO, [A senator,] father to Desdemona
GRATIANO, brother to Brabantio
LODOVICO, kinsman to Brabantio
OTHELLO, the Moor [in the military service of Venice.]
CASSIO, an honorable lieutenant [to Othello].
IAGO, an ensign to Othello (and villain)
RODERIGO, a Venetian gentleman.
MONTANO, governor of Cyprus [before Othello]
Clown [servant to Othello].
DESDEMONA, wife to Othello.
EMILIA, wife to Iago.
BIANCA, a mistress to Cassio

The first act takes place in Venice. The rest of the play is set in a seaport in Cyprus.

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Summary of Act I, scene i:

Roderigo is angry and in love with Desdemona. He is angry that his friend, Iago, did not do anything to prevent the elopement of Othello an Desdemona. Iago convinces Roderigo that he hates Othello because he has been passed up for a military promotion. Iago and Roderigo go to Brabantio, Desdemona's father and tell him ( in very crude terms!) that Desdemona is gone. Brabantio goes to get a group of men together to track down Othello. Roderigo is to lead Brabantio to Othello. Iago sneaks off to join Othello so that he can pretend that he is still his loyal ensign.

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You have several options for reading this play.

1. Link HERE for a great version that has side by side translation and notes. You will be linking to Act I, Scene 1. You can download the entire play in a PDF file. However, the PDF file does not have annotations. You also have the option to print the text of the play.

2. Here is a Google Book.