Original: It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,—
Modern: This is the reason, this is the reason, my soul tells me—

Original: Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!—
Modern: Don’t make me say it out loud to you, pure stars in heaven!

Original: It is the cause. Yet I’ll not shed her blood;
Modern: This is the reason I must do this. But I won’t spill her blood;

Original: Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,
Modern: I won’t mark up her skin that’s whiter than snow,

Original: And smooth as monumental alabaster.
Modern: And as smooth as polished marble on a statue.

Original: Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.
Modern: But she still has to die, or she’ll cheat on more men.

Original: Put out the light, and then put out the light:
Modern: Put out this candle, and then put out her light of life:

Original: If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,
Modern: If I blow you out, you burning candle,

Original: I can again thy former light restore,
Modern: I can light you up again later,

Original: Should I repent me: but once put out thy light,
Modern: If I change my mind: but once I put out her light,

Original: Thou cunning’st pattern of excelling nature,
Modern: You most skillfully crafted example of nature’s perfection,

Original: I know not where is that Promethean heat
Modern: I don’t know where to find that fire from the gods

Original: That can thy light relume. When I have pluck’d the rose,
Modern: That could bring your light back to life. When I’ve picked the rose,

Original: I cannot give it vital growth again.
Modern: I can’t make it grow and live again.

Original: It must needs wither: I’ll smell it on the tree.
Modern: It has to die: I’ll smell its sweetness while it’s still alive.

Original: Ah balmy breath, that dost almost persuade
Modern: Oh, sweet breath, you almost convince

Original: Justice to break her sword! One more, one more.
Modern: Justice to put down her sword! One more kiss, one more.

Original: Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
Modern: Stay this beautiful when you’re dead, and I will kill you,

Original: And love thee after. One more, and this the last:
Modern: And love you afterward. One more kiss, and this will be the last:

Original: So sweet was ne’er so fatal. I must weep,
Modern: Nothing so sweet was ever so deadly. I have to cry,

Original: But they are cruel tears: this sorrow’s heavenly;
Modern: But these are harsh tears: this sadness comes from heaven;

Original: It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.
Modern: It hurts the one it loves. She’s waking up.

In Act V, Scene 2 of Othello, the scene opens in Desdemona’s bedchamber where she lies sleeping. Othello enters carrying a light and delivers a soliloquy in which he resolves to kill his wife, whom he believes has been unfaithful with Cassio. He speaks of his love for her even as he prepares to murder her, referring to her as a light that he must put out. When Desdemona awakens, Othello tells her to prepare for death and asks if she has prayed, as he does not wish to kill her soul along with her body. Despite her protests of innocence and pleas for mercy, and her requests to speak with Cassio to clear up the misunderstanding, Othello refuses to believe her denials of adultery.

Othello smothers Desdemona with a pillow, and as she dies, Emilia arrives at the door calling out about urgent news regarding Cassio. After initially refusing entry, Othello admits Emilia, who discovers Desdemona’s body. Before dying completely, Desdemona briefly revives and, when asked who harmed her, claims responsibility for her own death before expiring. Emilia refuses to accept this and accuses Othello of murder. When Othello justifies his actions by citing Desdemona’s alleged affair with Cassio, Emilia reveals the truth about the handkerchief plot and calls for help. Iago, Montano, and Gratiano enter, and despite Iago’s attempts to silence her, Emilia exposes his deception. Iago kills Emilia and flees, but is quickly captured. The scene concludes with Othello’s final speech in which he asks to be remembered as one who loved too well, and he kills himself with a hidden weapon, falling upon Desdemona’s body as Lodovico and others arrive to restore order.

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.