UG Plays

 

                                            Play

Act I

Before Othello begins, Roderigo has been pursuing Desdemona, a Venetian noblewoman. One night, he hears from his soldier friend, Iago, that Desdemona has secretly married his General, the Moorish Othello. Iago bears a grudge against Othello for overlooking Iago for a lieutenant position. Instead, Othello chose Michael Cassio, leaving Iago only at the low rank of ensign. Iago urges Roderigo to continue his pursuit of Desdemona. He knows Senator Brabantio, Desdemona's father, will dislike having Othello as a son-in-law. So late at night, Iago and Roderigo wake Brabantio and tell him the news of Desdemona. Brabantio angrily summons the militia to arrest Othello. At that moment, officers arrive to summon Brabantio to an urgent meeting of the Senate. The Senate is concerned about the imminent threat of a Turkish invasion fleet on Cyprus. Full of fury, Brabantio goes to the council.

Brabantio interrupts the council, claiming vengeance against Othello. Othello is already there because he has just been put in command of the forces to repel the Turks. Othello explains how his stories of military prowess have helped him earn Desdemona's love (good storytelling is the most important trait in a companion, after all). Afterwards, Desdemona is called to reinforce the tale and defend her marriage. Following Desdemona's defence, her father disowns her, and she chooses to go with Othello on his campaign. She plans to travel in the care of Lieutenant Cassio and with Emilia, Iago's wife.

Act II

In Cyprus, Montano, the governor of Cyprus, and his soldiers greet Cassio, Iago, Desdemona, and Emilia as they disembark. Othello soon arrives with news that storms at sea have dispersed the Turkish fleet. A night of celebration is proclaimed. Roderigo confesses doubts about his potential to woo Desdemona, but Iago assures him that there is hope. He urges Roderigo to challenge Cassio to a duel that night, since (as Iago claims) Desdemona is actually falling in love with him. When the night comes, Iago gets Cassio drunk, and Roderigo incites his anger. Montano, the governor, is stabbed during his attempt to contain Cassio. Othello is angered by the fight and blames Cassio, stripping him of his recently conferred officer status.

The next day, Iago convinces Cassio to ask Desdemona for help in regaining his post. When Cassio asks, Desdemona innocently agrees. Meanwhile, Iago has sown seeds of jealousy in Othello’s mind, suggesting that Desdemona is overfond of Cassio. With no reason to suspect Iago of bad intentions, Othello begins to watch his wife. Othello becomes angry when Desdemona cannot find the first gift (a handkerchief) he had ever given her. The handkerchief is embroidered with strawberries and especially important to Othello. But Desdemona had not lost the handkerchief. Iago had instructed Emilia, his wife, to take it. Iago then hid the handkerchief where Cassio would find it. When Desdemona urges her husband to reconsider Cassio’s demotion, Othello gets jealous and suspects her of infidelity.

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster

— OTHELLO, ACT 3 SCENE 3

Act IV

Iago continues to inflame this jealousy. He encourages Othello to listen in on, and misinterpret, part of a conversation between Cassio and his mistress, Bianca. Cassio and Bianca discuss how Cassio obtained the embroidered handkerchief that he then gives to Bianca to copy. Othello’s agitation at what he hears brings on an epileptic fit. After recovering, he orders Iago to kill Cassio. Desdemona cannot understand Othello's change of attitude towards her. Othello even strikes her in the presence of her relative, Lodovico, who has arrived as an ambassador from Venice. As she prepares for bed, she talks with Emilia, singing to relieve the distress she feels at losing the trust of her husband.

Meanwhile, Roderigo has begun to suspect Iago is not quite the friend he seems. Still Iago persuades him to attack Cassio that night (again, to be able to court Desdemona). In the fight that ensues, Iago goes undetected and wounds Cassio. He then enters again as himself to accuse and kill Roderigo for the act of wounding Cassio.

Othello comes to his sleeping wife's bedroom to murder her as punishment for her supposed adultery. He smothers her with a pillow as she asserts her innocence. Emilia alerts the household, causing Iago and others to come to the scene. Othello defends himself, mentioning the handkerchief as evidence. Emilia realises what has happened and betrays Iago‘s plots against Othello. Iago, reacting to his wife's accusations, stabs and kills her. Iago is arrested and sent to trial after Othello wounds him (he doesn't even die). Othello, facing the inevitability of his own trial, uses a hidden weapon to commit suicide. The play ends with Cassio reinstated and placed in command as Governor of Cyprus.

As the play opens, the reader is introduced to the court of Mohammad Bin Tughlaq, a Muslim Sultan (Emperor). Tughlaq declares that he is shifting his capital from Delhi to Daultabad (also known as Deogiri). Daultabad is in south India and at a long distance from Delhi. He has two purposes behind this decision. First, it will help him to rule over southern part of India effectively and increase fraternity and unity among Hindus and Muslims as Daultabad is a Hindu-majority city. Second, it will help him saving his capital against the attacks of Mongols from the north.

A man named, Aziz appears in the court. Aziz has changed his identity from a Muslim to a Hindu with a definite purpose. Tughlaq is well known for Secularism. Despite being a Muslim Sultan, Tughlaq shows a great heart towards Hindus. He desires to be seen as an idealist who wants a unity between Hindus and Muslims. In order to win hearts of Hindus, he favors Hindus more in his decisions and policies. So Aziz takes the name as Vishnu Prasad, a Hindu Brahmin. He has filed a case against sultan Tughlaq for acquiring his land unfairly. He is given a handsome amount on the name of land acquisition. Later in his court, he invites public to get settled in Daultabad. He doesn’t force the public but leaves it up to them whether to move or to remain there. Aziz, with his friend Aazam, plans to cheat people and get money on the way to Daultabad.

The scene shifts, as now Tughlaq is playing chess in his private chamber. His stepmother appears. She is quite concerned about his eccentric approach in his administration. It is also revealed that Tughlaq had murdered his father and his brother in the past to get to the throne. She scolds him for his negligence towards the uprising led by Ain-ul-Mulk, an old friend of Tughlaq. Ain-ul-Mulk has now turned into an enemy. He is marching with his thirty thousand soldiers to attack the state. On the other hand, Tughlaq has only six thousand soldiers. If the battle takes place, his defeat is quite certain. His stepmother asks Ziauddin Barani, a historian of that time, to keep Tughlaq away from the company of foolish advisors and councilors.

Sheikh-Imam-Uddin, another character, appears on the stage. He doesn’t like the Sultan at all. In fact, he incites the people against Tughlaq for his eccentric decisions. Tughlaq himself is well aware of the fact that Sheikh has ill desires against him. Tughlaq calls him and asks him to visit Ain-ul-Mulk with a proposal for peace. Sheikh is asked to be dressed as a royal person and is sent on an elephant. Tughlaq has done this with an intention. Later news comes that Sheikh-Imam-Uddin is murdered. He was mistaken for Tughlaq by the enemies for his royal dress and riding on elephant. Ratan Singh reveals that it was Tughlaq’s plot. This incident comes as a first instance of the dark side of his character.

Ratan Singh, Amirs and Sayyids are planning to murder the Sultan as there is no other way left for them to stop his foolish acts. They argue about Daultabad city and its Hindu majority population. They persuade Sihabuddin to join them. But he hasn't made up his mind yet. They plan to murder him during the prayer. Later their plan is revealed, they all are caught and beget death sentence. Tughlaq orders for their dead bodies to be hanged in public. He takes another ridiculous decision to have currency minted on copper and brass metal. Adding more to his foolishness, he declares that the all coins will have an equal value, no matter whether the coin is made of gold, silver, copper or brass. He also announces a ban on prayers. Even people now start terming him as a foolish Sultan. Now Tughlaq wants to shift there as soon as possible. On the way, many people die of hunger, disease, etc. Aziz appears with his friend Aazam and tells him how to deceive others and extract money.

Now the scene shifts to Daultabad. It is reported that Najib, a confidante and an advisor of Tughlaq, is murdered. His stepmother comes and scolds him that the economy of the state is collapsing as the people have minted so much fake currency on copper and brass. They have exchanged it for gold and silver coins. So his foolish decision is to be held accountable for this crisis. But Tughlaq is frustrated by Najib's murder. So many people, whomever he suspects, are executed. Finally it is revealed that Najib was poisoned by Tughlaq’s stepmother. When Tughlaq discovers this, he orders her arrest. She is stoned to death. All such decisions are presented as the severe frustrations of his mind.

It is announced to the public that when Ghiyasuddin-Abbasid arrives, the ban on the prayers will be lifted. But the people are no way interested in it as they are dying of hunger. The life of common man is devastated. But Tughlaq is preparing for Ghiyasuddin-Abbasid’s welcome. Aziz appears and murders Ghiyas-uddin-Abbasid. Now Aziz disguises himself as Ghiyas-uddin-Abbasid with a motive to fudge the Sultan. Aziz manages to deceive Tughlaq with his new identity. Later Aazam is murdered and somehow, his true identity is revealed to Tughlaq. Now Aziz tells him everything whatever he had done in past to cheat him. The revelation of these facts really impresses Tughlaq. He appoints him on a powerful position in his court. Having taken this decision, Tughlaq goes to sleep. When he wakes up, he realizes himself as he has gone mad. The play ends here.

All my Sons

The curtain rises on Joe Keller reading the newspaper in his backyard in a small town soon after the end of World War II. A strong wind the night before has toppled an apple tree that was planted to honor Larry Keller, Joe and Kate’s son. A neighbor, Frank Lubey, visits and says that Kate has asked him to use Larry’s horoscope to determine whether November 25, the day Larry disappeared, was a “fortunate day.” Another neighbor, Dr. Jim Bayliss, engages in conversation with Joe, too.

A young woman named Ann (Annie) Deever arrived the night before and sleeps inside. Ann is staying in Larry’s room and used to be Larry’s girlfriend. Sue Bayliss and Lydia Lubey also appear and converse with their husbands. A boy named Bert pretends to be a police officer that Joe hires, and he imagines a jail in Joe’s basement.

Chris Keller, Joe and Kate’s other son, enters and tells Joe that he saw Kate in the yard the night before when the tree fell and that she ran into the house, crying. They agree that Kate clings to the hope that Larry will return, but they both acknowledge that it’s impossible. Chris tells Joe that he has invited Ann to visit because they are in love and intend to marry. When Kate appears, she describes a vision she had of Larry flying his aircraft over their house, calling for his mama. When Kate admits that she can’t handle the reality of Larry’s death, Joe and Chris agree that they will tell Kate about the impending wedding that evening at dinner after a few drinks.

When Ann joins them in the yard, Jim asks about her father in prison. It is revealed that Ann’s father, Steve Deever, and Joe were business partners. Three years earlier, their factory built aircraft engines for the Air Force. When it was discovered that someone had knowingly shipped cracked engines that resulted in the deaths of twenty-one American pilots, Steve Deever was found guilty, but Joe was exonerated because he wasn’t in the plant the day the faulty engines were shipped. The entire play revolves around this past event. Ann accepts Chris’s marriage proposal and listens to Chris’s own war story. At the end of Act One, Ann gets a phone call from her brother, George, who has just visited Steve in prison. George will arrive soon to talk to Ann, but no one knows why.

Chris saws the broken apple tree in the beginning of Act Two. Sue and Ann discuss marriage, and Sue criticizes Chris’s idealism. She suggests that everyone knows that Joe was guilty, too. Jim has gone to pick up George from the train station and returns, warning Joe that George is angry and means to start trouble. George has come to confront Joe and to bring Ann home. When George appears, he and Chris talk about work. George is wearing his father’s hat and confesses to Ann that they have treated Steve poorly by not communicating with him and not believing his story of what really happened at the factory. Steve told his son the truth, that Joe gave the order to ship the cracked engines and then faked being sick so as not to come to the factory that day. George wants to confront Joe directly, but Ann talks him into waiting. Lydia is happy to see George because they were once romantically involved.

When Joe appears, he inquires about Steve and offers him a job at the plant when he is released from prison, but George makes it clear that Steve hates Joe and anyone else who profited from the war. When Kate claims that Joe hasn’t been sick in fifteen years, George immediately recognizes the lie about having the flu, which was his excuse for not being at work the day of the incident. Joe tries to correct Kate’s slip, but it’s too late. Suddenly, Frank appears to tell them that Larry’s horoscope reveals that he might still be alive, which only reinforces Kate’s delusion. Chris calls the idea insane, but Kate holds fast, and George wants to leave with Ann. In a moment of clarity, Kate reveals to her son, Chris, that she knows about Joe’s role in the munitions shipment. Stunned by the truth, Chris explodes at his father in fury.

Act Three takes place in the dead of night. Chris has driven away, and Kate sits on the porch alone. Jim appears and reassures her that Chris will return. He also tells Kate that he’s known all along about Joe’s guilt. Kate tries to explain to Joe that Chris believes in more than money and family, a value that Joe cannot agree with. Joe claims that he’d kill himself if there was something more important than family. Ann appears with a letter from Larry, a piece of evidence that she’s been holding back from the family. Ann wants Kate to free Chris from the lie about Larry, but since Kate refuses, she must share the truth. Chris appears and apologizes to Ann for being a coward. He can no longer be in Joe’s business and will find a new life in Cleveland. His idealism has turned into cynicism.

When Joe reappears, another fight ensues. Joe tells Chris to throw away the family money if he considers it dirty. Chris admits that he worshiped Joe blindly and now sees the world for what it is. Ann chooses to share Larry’s letter, which contains the revelation that finally breaks this family in half. In the letter, Larry confesses to committing suicide in response to Joe’s crime. Joe responds to this news by quietly claiming that he now understands and goes inside to shoot himself. The play ends with Kate holding Chris, trying to comfort him, and telling him that he must go on living.