Othello Summary Act V
Iago hatches a well devised plan to get Rodrigo to fight with Cassio. Iago cleverly wounds Cassio who manages to injure Roderigo. Later on Iago kills Roderigo feigning revenge for Cassio as he knows that Roderigo could give him away.
Othello believing a wounded Cassio to be dead goes to his bedchamber to kill Desdemona. He convinces himself that her death will benefit her as it stops her form sin. He kisses Desdemona and asks her to pray for the immortality of her soul. When Desdemona pleads her innocence yet again stating Cassio as proof, he murders her. Emilia then rushes in and tells Othello the truth but is killed by Iago who escapes. When Iago is captured, Othello stabs and wounds him but his sword is taken away. In their revelation of Iago’s entire devious scheme and subsequent contempt for Othello who has behaved in such a fickle manner becoming slave to imagoes manipulation, he is devastated. His realization of what he has done to Desdemona is too much for him to bear and he kills himself with a concealed dagger.
His last words to his wife are
“I kiss’d thee ere I kill’d thee. No way but this/Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.” (V.ii.358-9)