Original: And what’s he then that says I play the villain?
Modern: So who can say that I’m playing the bad guy?

Original: When this advice is free I give and honest,
Modern: When the advice I’m giving is free and honest,

Original: Probal to thinking and indeed the course
Modern: Logical when you think about it, and truly the right way

Original: To win the Moor again? For ‘tis most easy
Modern: To win Othello back? Because it’s very easy

Original: The inclining Desdemona to subdue
Modern: To persuade the willing Desdemona

Original: In any honest suit: she’s framed as fruitful
Modern: To support any honest request: she’s made to be as generous

Original: As the free elements. And then for her
Modern: As nature itself. And then for her

Original: To win the Moor—were’t to renounce his baptism,
Modern: To win over Othello—even if it meant giving up his faith,

Original: All seals and symbols of redeemed sin,
Modern: All the signs and symbols of his salvation,

Original: His soul is so enfetter’d to her love,
Modern: His soul is so chained to his love for her,

Original: That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Modern: That she can build him up, tear him down, do whatever she wants,

Original: Even as her appetite shall play the god
Modern: Just as her desires will act like a god

Original: With his weak function. How am I then a villain
Modern: Over his weak will. So how am I a villain

Original: To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Modern: For advising Cassio to follow this same path,

Original: Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
Modern: Which directly helps him? What devilish inspiration!

Original: When devils will the blackest sins put on,
Modern: When devils want to commit the worst sins,

Original: They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
Modern: They start by appearing to be good and holy,

Original: As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Modern: Just like I’m doing now: because while this innocent fool

Original: Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes
Modern: Begs Desdemona to help restore his reputation

Original: And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
Modern: And she argues strongly to Othello on his behalf,

Original: I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear,
Modern: I’ll whisper this poison into Othello’s ear,

Original: That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
Modern: That she’s defending Cassio because she desires him sexually;

Original: And by how much she strives to do him good,
Modern: And the more she tries to help Cassio,

Original: She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
Modern: The more she’ll destroy her reputation with Othello.

Original: So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
Modern: This is how I’ll turn her goodness into something dark and sticky,

Original: And out of her own goodness make the net
Modern: And use her own kindness to make the trap

Original: That shall enmesh them all.
Modern: That will catch them all.

In Act II, Scene iii of Othello, Cassio becomes intoxicated during the night watch in Cyprus, despite his protests that he has a poor tolerance for alcohol. Iago manipulates the situation by encouraging Cassio to drink and then orchestrating a confrontation between the drunken Cassio and Roderigo. The altercation escalates when Montano, the former governor of Cyprus, attempts to intervene and stop the fighting Cassio, resulting in Montano being wounded in the scuffle.

Othello arrives to restore order after being awakened by the commotion and demands to know what has transpired. Iago feigns reluctance to speak against Cassio while simultaneously providing a carefully crafted account that makes Cassio appear entirely at fault for the disturbance and Montano’s injury. As a result of this incident, Othello strips Cassio of his military rank and position as lieutenant, expressing his disappointment in an officer he had trusted. Cassio is left devastated by the loss of his reputation and position, while Iago consoles him and suggests he appeal to Desdemona to help restore Othello’s favor, thus advancing Iago’s manipulative scheme.

Othello opens in Venice, where the Moorish general Othello has secretly married Desdemona, the daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio. When Iago, Othello’s ensign who harbors deep resentment for being passed over for promotion in favor of Cassio, reveals this marriage to Brabantio, the senator accuses Othello of using witchcraft to seduce his daughter. However, when the Duke of Venice summons Othello to lead the Venetian forces against a Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Desdemona herself testifies that she married Othello willingly out of love. The Duke dismisses Brabantio’s charges, and Othello departs for Cyprus with Desdemona, Iago, and his officers.

Once in Cyprus, the Turkish fleet is destroyed by a storm, but Iago begins executing his plan for revenge. He manipulates Cassio into a drunken brawl that results in Cassio’s demotion, then convinces Cassio to seek Desdemona’s help in regaining Othello’s favor. Iago uses these innocent meetings between Desdemona and Cassio as evidence to plant seeds of jealousy in Othello’s mind, suggesting that his wife is having an affair with the former lieutenant. To strengthen his deception, Iago arranges for Othello to overhear him speaking suggestively with Cassio about Bianca, Cassio’s mistress, while Othello believes they are discussing Desdemona.

The manipulation reaches its climax when Iago obtains Desdemona’s handkerchief—Othello’s first gift to her—through his wife Emilia, who serves as Desdemona’s attendant. Iago plants the handkerchief in Cassio’s chambers and later shows it to Othello as proof of the affair. Consumed by jealousy and convinced of Desdemona’s infidelity, Othello smothers her in their bed. When Emilia discovers the murder, she reveals Iago’s treachery before he kills her. Othello, realizing he has murdered his innocent wife, stabs himself and dies beside Desdemona. Iago is arrested, Cassio is appointed to govern Cyprus, and Iago is taken away to face torture and execution for his crimes.