What amount of time is covered in the action? How much of the action is presented as a report rather than dramatized on stage? Is there a meaning behind the selection of events to be dramatized and those to be reported?
After Othello leaves for Cyprus there is only a few days in between the time that nearly everyone is killed. Although the play is long, the time span of the actual events is pretty short. Also, almost everything in the play is dramatized rather than reported, with the exception of the storm at sea and bedroom scenes between Othello and Desdemona. I believe that they simply reported these incidents because reenacting these events would have been difficult to carry out. Also, reenacting Othello and Desdemona in bed would probably have been considered a tad bit inappropriate. I also think that Shakespeare left a lot of the details up to the audience to imagine and interpret for themselves. I think that Shakespeare wrote his plays so that they could be properly acted out on stage so the audience could enjoy the play.
Storm at Sea-
"Nothing at all. It is a high wrought flood. I cannot 'twixt the heaven and the rain descry a sail. (II.i. 2-3)
Invasion of the Turks-
"The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes. So I was bid report here to the state." (I.ii.14-15)
"The importancy of Cyprus to the Turk, and let ourselves again but understand that as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes." (I.ii.20-23)
Desdemona and Othello-
"Come, Desdemona, I have but an hour of love, of worldy matters and direction, to spend with thee. we must obey the time." (I.iii.295-297)
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