Othello (full title: The Tragedy of Othello, the
Moor of Venice) is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the
contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) and fought for the control of the Island of Cyprus, a possession of the Venetian Republic since 1489. The port city of Famagusta finally fell to the Ottomans in 1571
after a protracted siege. The story revolves around two characters, Othello and Iago. Othello is a Moorish military commander who was serving as a general of
the Venetian army in defence of Cyprus against invasion by Ottoman Turks. He has recently married Desdemona, a beautiful and wealthy Venetian lady much younger than
himself, against the wishes of her father. Iago is Othello's malevolent ensign,
who maliciously stokes his master's jealousy until the usually stoic Moor kills
his beloved wife in a fit of blind rage. Due to its enduring themes of passion,
jealousy, and race, Othello is still topical and popular and
is widely performed, with numerous adaptations.00
One of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies,
Othello is concerned with the themes of jealousy and possessiveness,
gullibility and blind passion, and the dangers that can arise from a failure to
see beyond the surface appearances. Contrasting Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth,
which deal with the affairs of the state and which echo the universal human
concerns, Othello is set in a quiet private world and focuses on the passions
and personal lives of its major figures, Othello and Desdemona…
Othello the play has often been described as a
"tragedy of character". The plot of the play Othello is
one of Shakespeare's most highly concentrated, tightly constructed tragedies,
with no subplots and no humour to relieve the tension.
The
main outline of the story of Othello relates to a
novel, The Moor of Venice. The novel was written by the Sicilian
novelist Giraldi Cinthio. As the date of the first performance of the drama
goes to 1604, we can assume that it was written during the same year. To some
extent, events and the roles of the characters have been modified. Many events
shown in the novel have been omitted and others reformulated. New characters
such as Brabantio, Roderigo, Montano and some others have been added to
modulate the actions to incite interest in a new way. The plot has been
designed in a better way. lago has been presented as responsible for Cassio's
disgrace, and at the same time, lago's wife acts to assist her husband
unknowingly forming the intricacy of the plot and also acts to resolve, the
intrigue finally. Shakespeare's genius can be highly appreciated after a critical
evaluation of the reformulation of the intensity and smooth flow of actions.
Othello is
one of the most frequently enacted plays of Shakespeare, and its popularity is
perhaps due to the universality of its theme: love and sexual jealousy, the
conflict between love and hatred, and doubt and gullibility. The play exerts a
'relentless emotional grip' on its audience. Shakespeare has examined with
great psychological complexity and depth the powerful feelings of love and
hatred, jealousy and revenge. The intensity of the drama is heightened because
all the minor characters and events are designed to highlight the protagonists
and their actions. The play is so spellbinding because of the contradictions
and tensions it contains: a black soldier marries the daughter of a white
nobleman, an evil ensign corrupts a great soldier, and passionate love is
turned to overwhelming jealousy. The play gives equal focus to the two main
characters, Othello and Iago, in such a way that it becomes almost difficult to
students and critics to determine who is primarily responsible for this great
tragedy.
Character List
Othello A Moor (an African), a
general in the defence forces of the city-state of Venice. His successful
profession brings him high status in Venice, but his foreign origins and colour
separate him from those with whom he lives and works. He is a military man,
with a reputation for courage in battle and good judgment in military matters.
Othello falls in love and marries Desdemona, but during the campaign against
the Turks, Othello is tricked by Iago into believing that his wife has been
unfaithful to his lieutenant, Cassio. Iago works on Othello's personal and
social insecurity until Othello believes the combination of Iago's lies and
flimsy circumstantial evidence. Inflamed with jealousy, he smothers Desdemona
in her bed, only to find out too late that he has been misled and has killed
the woman who loved him faithfully. In despair, he kills himself.
Iago Othello's ancient (captain)
in the Venetian defence forces. He had hoped for promotion, but Othello passed
over him in favour of Cassio, and Iago works revenge on them both. He exploits
Roderigo as a source of money and an unwitting accomplice in his plot to bring
down Othello. When finally cornered and charged with his wickedness, Iago
refuses to speak or repent or explain his actions, and he goes to his
punishment still surrounded by mystery.
Desdemona A noble Venetian lady,
daughter of Brabantio. She organizes her life intelligently and shows courage,
love, and loyalty in following her husband into danger. She accompanies Othello
to Cyprus on the campaign against the Turks but finds him becoming distant and
making wild accusations against her. She firmly believes that he will see that
she is true to him, but when she realizes he is about to kill her, she can only
feel despair and grief. She dies declaring her love for him.
Brabantio A Venetian Senator,
Desdemona's father. He is angry at his daughter's choice of husband but can do
nothing once the marriage has taken place, and the Venetian Senate has accepted
it. He warns Othello that Desdemona is a clever deceiver.
Roderigo: a Venetian
nobleman in love with Desdemona. He has more money than sense and pays Iago to
court Desdemona on his behalf. Iago, playing on Roderigo's hopes and
gullibility, continues to help himself to Roderigo's money, and Roderigo never
gets his heart's desire. Iago involves Roderigo in an attack on Cassio, for
which Roderigo pays with his life, as Iago kills him to ensure his silence.
Cassio: Othello's
lieutenant in the Venetian defence forces. Cassio accompanied Othello as his
friend when he was courting Desdemona. He is popular, he speaks well, and he is
lively and trusting. Iago eventually convinces Othello that Cassio is
Desdemona's paramour. Cassio is appointed governor of Cyprus after Othello's
death.
Bianca: A courtesan
(prostitute), in love with Cassio. She is skilled in needlework and agrees to
copy the handkerchief that Cassio gives her; then she throws it back at him,
believing it is the token of his new love.
Emilia: Desdemona's
lady-in-waiting and Iago's wife. She knows Iago better than anybody else and is
suspicious of his actions and motives. She does not realize until too late that
the wicked person who has poisoned Othello against Desdemona is Iago, her own
husband.
The Duke of Venice: The leader of the
governing body of the city-state of Venice. The Duke appoints Othello to lead
the forces defending Venice against the Turkish attack on Cyprus; he also urges
Brabantio to accept his daughter's marriage.
Gratiano: Brabantio's
brother. He and Lodovico find Cassio wounded after Roderigo stabs him in the
drunken brawl.
Lodovico: Desdemona's cousin.
After the death of Desdemona, Lodovico questions Othello and Cassio together,
thus revealing the truth.
Montano: Othello's predecessor as
the governor of Cyprus. He is Othello's friend and loyal supporter.
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