Original: This fellow’s of exceeding honesty,
Modern: This man is extremely honest,

Original: And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Modern: And he understands all aspects of human nature with wisdom,

Original: Of human dealings. If I do prove her haggard,
Modern: When it comes to people’s behavior. If I discover she’s wild and unfaithful,

Original: Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings,
Modern: Even though the ties that bind her to me are as dear as my own heartstrings,

Original: I’ld whistle her off and let her down the wind,
Modern: I’d release her and let her fly away,

Original: To pray at fortune. Haply, for I am black
Modern: To hunt for her own luck. Perhaps it’s because I am black

Original: And have not those soft parts of conversation
Modern: And don’t have those smooth social skills

Original: That chamberers have, or for I am declined
Modern: That courtiers have, or because I have grown older

Original: Into the vale of years,—yet that’s not much—
Modern: Into the valley of old age—though I’m not that old—

Original: She’s gone. I am abused; and my relief
Modern: She’s lost to me. I’ve been betrayed; and my only comfort

Original: Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
Modern: Must be to hate her. Oh, the curse of marriage,

Original: That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
Modern: That we can claim these refined women as our own,

Original: And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
Modern: But not their desires! I would rather be a toad,

Original: And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Modern: And survive on the foul air of a prison,

Original: Than keep a corner in the thing I love
Modern: Than share only a part of the woman I love

Original: For others’ uses. Yet, ‘tis the plague of great ones;
Modern: While others use her too. Yet, this is the curse of important men;

Original: Prerogatived are they less than the base;
Modern: They have even less privilege in this than common men;

Original: ‘Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
Modern: It’s an unavoidable fate, like death itself:

Original: Even then this forked plague is fated to us
Modern: This cursed betrayal is destined for us

Original: When we do quicken. Desdemona comes:
Modern: From the moment we’re born. Desdemona is coming:

Original: If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!
Modern: If she’s unfaithful, then heaven itself is a lie!

Original: I’ll not believe’t.
Modern: I won’t believe it.

In Act III, Scene 3 of Othello, Iago systematically plants seeds of suspicion about Desdemona’s fidelity in Othello’s mind. The scene begins when Cassio leaves Desdemona after speaking with her about his dismissal, and Iago immediately seizes the opportunity to make insinuating remarks about Cassio’s hasty departure. When Desdemona pleads with Othello to reinstate Cassio, Iago uses her advocacy as evidence of suspicious intimacy between her and the former lieutenant. After Desdemona exits, Iago begins his psychological manipulation in earnest, warning Othello to “beware of jealousy” while simultaneously feeding that very emotion through carefully crafted suggestions and half-statements about Desdemona’s potential unfaithfulness.

The scene reaches its climax when Desdemona returns and attempts to bind Othello’s head with her handkerchief due to his complaint of a headache. Othello rejects the handkerchief, saying it is too small, and it falls to the ground unnoticed by the couple as they exit. Emilia retrieves the handkerchief, revealing that Iago has repeatedly asked her to steal it, and she gives it to him despite her misgivings. Alone, Iago reveals his plan to plant the handkerchief in Cassio’s lodging as proof of the alleged affair. When Othello returns, he is already consumed by jealous rage and demands proof from Iago, who provides the handkerchief as evidence and fabricates a story about Cassio speaking Desdemona’s name in his sleep. The scene concludes with Othello and Iago kneeling together as Othello vows revenge and promotes Iago to lieutenant, sealing their deadly pact.

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.