The events of the plot of Shakespeare's Othello from the time of Othello's arrival in Cyprus in act 2, scene 1 and the end of the play in act 5, scene 2 seem to occur in as little time as two days, possibly in only a day and a half.

This might seem an inordinately brief period of time for all of these events to have occurred, but there is nothing in the text of the play to suggest that the events of the play unfolded at a slower pace over a lengthier period of time.

In act 2, scene 1, three ships arrive in Cyprus. Cassio's ship arrives first. Desdemona, Iago, and Emilia arrive in a second ship, and Othello arrives in the third ship.

Although the ships set sail many hours apart—Othello's ship sailed almost immediately after act 1, scene 3, and the other two ships didn't set sail until after 9:00 AM. the next morning (1.3.297)—and even though all of the ships apparently encountered "a dangerous sea" (2.1.51) in a journey of over 1300 miles, all three ships arrive safely in port in Cyprus within minutes of each other.

No time of day is indicated in this scene for the arrival of the ships, so they could have docked at any time during the day before late afternoon.

In act 2, scene 2, a Herald appears to give notice to the people of Cyprus that Othello invites them "to dance" and "to make bonfires, each man to what sport and revels his addiction leads him" (2.2.5-7), in honor of Othello's marriage to Desdemona. The Herald notes that these festivities are to occur "from this present hour of five till the bell have told eleven" (2.2.9-10), therefore the three ships must have arrived in Cyprus at some time before late afternoon.

Act 2, scene 3 occurs that same evening. Othello and Desdemona excuse themselves from the festivities. Iago gets Cassio drunk, and Cassio disgraces himself by getting into a fight with Montano, the former governor of Cyprus.

Othello returns to break up the brawl between Cassio and Montano, and strips Cassio of the rank of lieutenant that Othello gave to Cassio just a few days before leaving for Cyprus.

Cassio decides to ask Desdemona to intercede in his behalf with Othello the next morning:

CASSIO. ... and betimes in the morning I will
beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me. (2.3.316-317)

At the end of the scene, Iago makes a passing remark about the time:

IAGO. By the mass, 'tis morning;
Pleasure and action make the hours seem short. (2.3.364-365)

In other words, "time flies when you're having fun."

Act 3, scene 1 begins the morning after Cassio's fight with Montano, which Cassio confirms in his brief meeting with Iago:

IAGO. You have not been abed, then?

CASSIO. Why, no; the day had broke
Before we parted. (3.1.30-32)

Events proceed in an unbroken timeline from act 3, scene 1 through act 4, scene 3, the evening of that same day.

The only opportunity for a break in the timeline occurs between act 3, scene 3, and act 3, scene 4.

No indication of the passage of time occurs in these scenes, but it seems unlikely that any appreciable amount of time passes between these two scenes. There's simply no need for any time to pass between these scenes. Events are building on events at a rapid pace, heightening the emotional involvement of the audience as the play moves inexorably toward the final scenes.

In act 4, scene 1, Bianca asks Cassio to have supper with her that night:

BIANCA. An you'll come to supper tonight, you may; an you
will not, come when you are next prepared for. (4.1.171-172)

Othello, in a jealous rage, vows to kill Desdemona that night:

OTHELLO. Get me some poison, Iago, this night. I'll not
expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide
my mind again. This night, Iago. (4.1. 214-216)

Iago agrees to kill Cassio that same night:

IAGO. And for Cassio, let me be his undertaker. You shall hear
more by midnight. (4.1.220-221)

Othello also invites Lodovico to have supper with him that night:

OTHELLO. (to Lodovico) And, sir, tonight,
I do entreat that we may sup together. (4.1.280-281)

Act 4, scene 2 follows directly, in the time between the events of act 4, scene 1 and act 4, scene 3:

[Trumpets sound.]

IAGO. Hark, how these instruments summon to supper! (4.2.190)

Iago arranges for Roderigo to kill Cassio that night:

IAGO. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along with me; I
will show you such a necessity in his death that you shall
think yourself bound to put it on him. It is now high suppertime, and the night grows to waste. About it. (4.2. 256-259)

After Othello and Desdemona have supper with Lodovico In act 4, scene 3, Othello tells Desdemona to prepare for bed while he escorts Lodovico to his home. This is followed by a scene with Desdemona and Emilia while Desdemona gets dressed for bed.

Act 5, scene 1 opens that same night, as Roderigo and Iago prepare to murder Cassio.

Roderigo fails to kill Cassio, and Iago kills Roderigo to keep him from revealing Iago's conspiracies against Cassio and Othello.

At about the same time, Othello is on his way back from Lodovico's home, having escorted him there after their supper. Othello believes that Iago has killed Cassio, and he returns to Desdemona:

OTHELLO. O brave Iago, honest and just,
That hast such noble sense of thy friend's wrong!
Thou teachest me. Minion, your dear lies dead,
And your unblest fate hies. Strumpet, I come!
Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted;
Thy bed, lust-stain'd shall with lust's blood be spotted. (5.1.33-38)

In act 5, scene 2, which occurs that same night, Othello kills Desdemona.

It seems almost impossible that so many events occur in such an extremely short period of time, but this is no more unbelievable than the rapid course of events in Romeo and Juliet (barely 5 days) or in any of Shakespeare's histories, in which events that actually happened over several years are condensed into a few weeks or even days.