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Set in Venice, Italy, Othello is a tragedy written by Shakespeare in 1603. Adapted from a story by Italian writer Giraldo Cinthio, the play focuses on the demise of star-crossed lovers Othello and Desdemona, who are sabotaged by the nefarious Iago.
Shakespeare’s version casts Othello as a Moor, a dark-skinned Muslim person from Northern Africa, Spain, or the Middle East. Othello's race has been a hotly debated issue over the years, and some scholars view Othello as a tragic figure of assimilation, given that the play is essentially a chronicle of his efforts to fit in amongst the white Venetians.
The play opens on Iago, a standard bearer in the Venetian army, talking with Roderigo, another Venetian. Roderigo is heartbroken, as his beloved Desdemona, the well-bred daughter of a renowned senator, has recently eloped with Othello, a Moorish general. Iago also happens to be resentful of Othello, who recently promoted a smooth-talking soldier named Cassio to lieutenant over him. The two-faced Iago decides to sabotage Othello and Desdemona using the lovesick Roderigo as a pawn.
To do so, he encourages the love-stricken Roderigo to inform Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, about the girl’s secret marriage to Othello. Brabantio is outraged to learn of his daughter’s marriage, and he con-fronts Othello, accusing the general of bewitching his daughter. Othello, however, swears that he and Desdemona bonded over stories of his difficult life. As Othello says, “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I have used.” While Othello man-ages to persuade an audience of senators, along with the Duke of Venice, that Desdemona truly loves him, Brabantio warns Othello that his daughter may be capable of deceiving him as well.
Word spreads of an impending attack on Cyprus by the enemy Turks, and Othello is called away to defend the island. Accompanied by Emilia, Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s attendant, Cassio, Iago, and Desdemona follow the army to Cyprus. However, upon reaching the island, the group realizes that a storm has destroyed the Turkish fleet. Othello orders a celebration, which he later leaves to consummate his marriage to Desdemona.
While Othello is away, Iago gets Cassio drunk, then convinces Roderigo to bait Cassio into a fight. The fight wakes Othello, who blames Cassio for the scuffle and strips him of his rank. Cassio bemoans his tarnished reputation to Iago, who again manipulates him into appealing to Desdemona, saying that she can persuade Othello to restore Cassio’s title.
Cassio takes Iago’s advice and goes to see Desdemona, who agrees to help him. But on his way out of her dwelling, Cassio runs into Othello. Later, Iago seizes on the opportunity to convince the Moor his wife is having an affair with the disgraced lieutenant. Othello begins to doubt his wife’s fidelity.
While in her gardens, Desdemona drops the handkerchief that Othello gave her on their honeymoon. Emilia finds it, and Iago convinces her to let him return the handkerchief to Desdemona himself. Instead, Iago plants it in Cassio’s room and lies to Othello that Desdemona has given the handkerchief to Cassio as a to-ken of her love.
At first, Othello doubts Iago’s accusation. That is, until he witnesses Cassio giving the handkerchief to Bianca with his own eyes. Enraged, he vows revenge on his wife and Cassio both.
Still, Othello is reluctant to take action against Desdemona. In an attempt to convince the Moor of her in-fidelity, Iago stages a conversation with Cassio, instructing Othello to eavesdrop. During this exchange, Iago coaxes Cassio to talk about his affair with Bianca, leading Othello to assume he is talking about Desdemona. Convinced, Othello decides to kill Desdemona and orders Iago, who he promotes to lieutenant, to kill Cassio.
Encountering Iago, Roderigo voices his frustration about the lack of progress he’s made in wooing Desdemona. Again, Iago manipulates him, convincing Roderigo that if he kills Cassio, it will force Othello, and by extension Desdemona, to stay in Cyprus. Reluctantly, Roderigo picks a fight with Cassio and is badly but not fatally injured. To keep him from revealing his schemes, Iago secretly finishes Roderigo off.
Although Emilia swears to Othello that Desdemona has been faithful to him, the seeds of doubt are firmly planted in the general’s mind. When Desdemona mentions Cassio’s name in front of a nobleman, Ludovico, Othello publicly slaps her. Horrified, Emilia postulates that someone has manipulated Othello into acting out of jealousy, but Iago steers her off course.
Ultimately, Othello confronts Desdemona and ends up smothering her with a pillow.