Act II 1st scene
In Cyprus, the governor watches a storm, claiming the Turkish ships could not survive due to this huge storm, however 3 ships reache the land: The first was the ship within Iago, Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo and Cassio.
in the meantime, Cassio and Desdemona tease Emilia to be very quiet and Iago take to opportunity to criticized women,
In faith, too much.
I find it still when I have list to sleep.
Marry, before your Ladyship, I grant,
She puts her tongue a little in her heart
And chides with thinking.
saying they’re deceptive and hypocritical and lazy in all matters except sex:
“You rise to play and go to bed to work”.
Desdemona calls him “Slanderer” and starts a little game: she challenges Iago to say something nice about her. He resists for a bit, saying he's critical by nature and not inclined to praise anyone, but he finally comes up with a little rhyme that's sort of a compliment, but still more of an insult. He says that if a woman is both fair (blonde and pretty) and smart, she'll know enough to use her looks to get what she wants.
I am about it, but indeed my invention comes
from my pate as birdlime does from frieze: it
plucks out brains and all. But my muse labors, and
thus she is delivered:
If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit,
The one’s for use, the other useth it.
Good one, Desdemona says. But what if she's brunette and smart? No matter says Iago. If she's smart, she'll still find someone who's interested in sleeping with her.
EMILIA
How if fair and foolish?
IAGO
She never yet was foolish that was fair,
For even her folly helped her to an heir.
Now Emilia jumps in and asks what praise Iago has for a woman who's fair but stupid. Iago says that if a woman's fair, her brains don't really matter. Men will still find her attractive—even more so, in fact.
DESDEMONA
These are old fond paradoxes to make
fools laugh i’ th’ alehouse. What miserable praise
hast thou for her that’s foul and foolish?
IAGO
There’s none so foul and foolish thereunto,
But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do.
Desdemona says Iago is just repeating the foolish things men say to each other about women when they're joking around in bars. And then she gives him another challenge: what praise can he give for a woman who is both ugly and dumb. Iago says even if a woman is ugly and dumb, she'll still play all the same tricks the others do. Basically, Iago thinks all women are evil.
So, Desdemona ask what kind of woman can fit with his taste,
IAGO
She that was ever fair and never proud,
Had tongue at will and yet was never loud,
Never lacked gold and yet went never gay, 165
Fled from her wish, and yet said “Now I may,”
She that being angered, her revenge being nigh,
Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly,
She that in wisdom never was so frail
To change the cod’s head for the salmon’s tail, 170
She that could think and ne’er disclose her mind,
See suitors following and not look behind,
She was a wight, if ever such wight were—
DESDEMONA
To do what?
IAGO
To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.
We can see how Iago sees women, in a very negative way, comparing them as whores.
Suddenly, Cassio takes Desdemona away to speak with her privately about Othello’s arrival. Iago notices that Cassio takes Desdemona’s hand as he talks to her, and, in an aside, Iago plots to use Cassio’s hand-holding to frame him so that he loses his newly gained promotion to lieutenant.
Act II 2nd scene
In this act they discover Turks’ ships are shipwrecked so there was no war, they can feast all together, meanwhile Othello and Desdemona finally consummate the marriage.
Act II 3rd scene
Othello leaves Cassio on guards while Desdemona and Othello leave to consummate the marriage. Iago doesn’t know how his plan will begin, he just knows he has to work on people’s weakness: E.g. Cassio cannot drink, because it easily gets drunk.
That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it;
That she loves him, 'tis apt and of great credit:
The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not,
Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,
And I dare think he'll prove to Desdemona
A most dear husband. Now, I do love her too;
Not out of absolute lust, though peradventure
I stand accountant for as great a sin,
But partly led to diet my revenge,
For that I do suspect the lusty Moor
Hath leap'd into my seat; the thought whereof
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards;
And nothing can or shall content my soul
Till I am even'd with him, wife for wife,
Or failing so, yet that I put the Moor
At least into a jealousy so strong
That judgment cannot cure. Which thing to do,
If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trash
For his quick hunting, stand the putting on,
I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip,
Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb--
For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too--
Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me.
For making him egregiously an ass
And practising upon his peace and quiet
Even to madness. 'Tis here, but yet confused:
Knavery's plain face is never seen tin used.
I must underline that Iago, in a certain way, really admires Othello’s values. A sort of split of personality between a good servant who follow the leader, but also a hidden rebel who can’t see the whole view and also seeking of revenge (a wife for a wife, like Shylock does) Although the plan will punish, who didn’t choose him as a lieutenant, probably sleep with her wife, and the one who took his place.
Iago put in action his plan: he joins Cassio during his guard talking about Desdemona who, he thinks, she’s a temptress. Despite Cassio’s protests, he joins with Iago and other commilitons to have a drink and rapidly everything goes worse: Cassio stabs Montano, another soldier. Due this infamous act, Othello dismissed Cassio from his service. Cassio quickly understand his reputation is damaged and Iago advices him to appeal to Desdemona, for Othello’s grace. Announcing Cassio, Iago interrupted the marriage physical act (sex), trying to prevent a happy relationship with Desdemona.
Stage clear another time, Iago, for another time reveals his plan giving to himself the nickname of “Villain”.
And what's he then that says I play the villain
When this advice is free I give and honest,
Probal to thinking and indeed the course
To win the Moor again? For 'tis most easy
The inclining Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit: she's framed as fruitful
As the free elements. And then for her
To win the Moor--were't to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemed sin,
His soul is so enfetter'd to her love,
That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god
With his weak function.
Desdemona is a good woman and she will support Cassio’s cause, and the moor is in love with her, so he’s going to listen her.
Declared himself as a devil covered with "good intentions".
How am I then a villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,
That she repeals him for her body's lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.
Basically, this is the plot: reversing Desdemona's good qualities.