Othello

From the Library of Congress: TITLE: Thos. W. Keen...

English: Photographic full-length portrait of Edwi...

Illustration of Othello and Iago

Othello by William Shakespeare is a tragedy romance play that takes place in Cyprus in the mid 1600's. This novel is the story of a man who is full of hatred for another because he earned a higher rank in the Moor's court. The story tells of the man's actions in getting revenge on others. This play is written in a script format where there is no narrator, but stage directions, and all dialogue. The main characters are Othello, the Moor of Venice; Cassio, Othello's honorable Lieutenant, and the reason for all of Iago's hatred; Iago, Othello's Ancient, and the villain of the play; Roderigo, a man who is tricked by Iago into going along with his evil plan; Desdemona, Othello's wife and, in a way, the scapegoat; Emilia, Iago's wife who is clueless about all her husband's plans until the end of the play, and Bianca; a "strumpet"�, or whore, who is in love with Cassio.

The story begins with Act I where Iago tells Roderigo of his hatred of Othello and of Cassio. He explains that this is because Cassio was chosen to be Othello's lieutenant, while he got the post of ancient (which is of lesser value). Knowing that Roderigo is in love with Desdemona, Iago convinces him to tell Desdemona's father of her elopement with Othello. When Roderigo does this, her father sends out all his troops to find his daughter. Iago reticently notifies Othello of her father's fury of the elopement. When he finds Othello and Desdemona, instead of attacking Othello, he decides to condemn him to the Duke. The Duke then chooses to send Othello to Cyprus. After Desdemona proves that Othello's love is pure, she is permitted to go with him. Iago promises Roderigo that he will have...