'Othello' Synopsis

Othello, by William Shakespeare, is a traditional tragedy telling the story of a Moorish (black) general, Othello, of the Venician army, who defies convention when he woos and marries the "fair" (white) Desdemona, daughter of a Venetian dignitary. Her father is ruffled by this, and, upon learning she married Othello of her own free will, warns him of her potential deception later in the marriage.

Othello is then sent to defend the Venetian colony of Cyprus from the Turks; Desdemona goes too, in the care of Iago, Othello's standard barer.

Iago reveals himself to be grossly jealous of Othello for his status, and to be angered by the fact that he was not promoted to Lieutenant, with a young Florentine, Cassio, receiving this honour in his place; thus begins his plan for vengeance.

He provokes a 'friend', Roderigo, into starting a drunken brawl with Cassio, who fights and is disgraced. Cassio turns to Desdemona for help; she promises to do all she can to get him back in Othello's favour.

Iago uses this to persuade Othello that Desdemona is in love with, and committing adultery with, Cassio - proof of which is seen when Desdemona's handkerchief is found in Cassio's possession (when, truthfully, Iago placed it there).

Reluctantly, Othello agrees that Desdemona must surely be a whore, and breaks down, allowing Iago to point him towards revenge. He asks Iago to kill Cassio; Iago stabs Roderigo in the fray, with Cassio surviving. Othello then turns his sights on Desdemona, strangling her in her bed, but insisting too that she prays first - proving that he has not stopped loving her.

Emilia (Iago's wife and Desdemona's maid) comes to tell Othello about the brawl and Roderigo's death, instead finding him in the process of killing Desdemona. She calls for help, and Venetian senators arrive, eventually unravelling Iago's plot thanks to her quick wit and evidence.

Iago kills her for this, and is taken away, presumably to be tortured.

Othello commits suicide, taking justice into his own hands and going to join his wife.

Cassio is left as General.

Synopsis (c) TheHistoryGrrl 2010

Themes are woven throughout the synopsis

For a more detailed synopsis, see wikipedia.

'Equus' Synopsis

Equus, by Peter Shaffer, tells the story of a psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, who is asked to treat a particularly disturbed young boy named Alan Strang.

Strang has blinded six horses for no apparent reason, having been a horse lover all his life, and through a investigations into his past, upbringing and family background, Dysart begins to create a picture of what lead to this crime.

Through this, however, he is also lead to doubt the power of his profession: he sees that Alan has more passion in his life than he himself, in an unhappy marriage, has ever had, and knows that it is his duty to take this passion from the boy in order to make him "normal".

Through the play, the audience are lead to consider injustice, the morality of psychiatry, the influence of parents, the power of religion, and, ultimately, what it means to be normal.

Synopsis (c) TheHistoryGrrl 2010

For a more detailed synopsis, see wikipedia.