character analysis essay on othello

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A Comprehensive Guide to Analysing ‘Othello’ for English: Summary, Context, Themes & Characters

Are you studying Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ and are struggling to understand his writing, the themes and crafting an essay for your upcoming assessment? We’re here to help you with a simple summary of Othello, its key characters and context so you can formulate your own analysis!

PLUS, you’ll be getting a step-by-step analysis table (called a TEE Table ) as well as a sample paragraph so you can see what an extensive response looks like. 

So, let’s get into it and ace your essay on Othello! 

Summary of Othello Key Characters in Othello Context Themes Explored in Othello Essay Analysis of Othello

Summary of Othello

Othello is one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, performed in five acts depicting the dramatic downfall of a hero as a result of racial prejudice, jealousy and pride.

The play is set in motion when an African General in the Venetian Army, Othello, passes over Iago , a senior officer in the Venetian Army who is under Othello’s command, to promote Michael Cassio as his chief lieutenant instead.

Driven by extreme hate and jealousy of Othello’s celebrated successes and his need for control, Iago is determined to destroy Othello and begins to plot Othello’s undoing through his wife, Desdemona, the daughter of an important Venetian senator, Brabantio. 

Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Brannagh as Othello and Iago in Oliver Parker’s 1995 ‘ Othello’

Iago firstly enlists Roderigo, Desdemona’s rejected lover, to inform Brabantio about Desdemona’s elopement to Othello, urging an enraged Brabantio to appeal to the Duke of Venice to have Othello punished for seducing Desdemona by witchcraft. However, Othello defends himself in front of Brabantio and his senators, Desdemona confirms that she is deeply in love with Othello , and that their marriage was not coerced.

Brabantio warns Othello that Desdemona will betray him , and says, “ Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee,” to which Iago takes note as they leave Venice for Cyprus. 

After arriving in Cyprus and learning that the storm has destroyed the Turkish fleet, Othello commences a celebration with his army, while he leaves to consummate his marriage to Desdemona. Iago gets Cassio drunk, and persuades Roderigo to duel Cassio.

Montano tries to calm them down, but an inebriated Cassio proceeds to fight, injuring Montano in the process. Othello reappears, questions the men and blames Cassio for the feud, thus stripping him off his rank.

Cassio is distraught, however, Iago convinces him to plead to Desdemona to have Othello reinstate him. She succeeds. 

Iago begins to convince Othello of a false affair between Cassio and Desdemona. When Desdemona drops her handkerchief, Othello’s first gift to her, Emilia (Iago’s wife) gives it to Iago, unaware of his plans.

Persuaded by Iago’s false claims and planting seeds of doubt, Othello swears Desdemona and Cassio’s death, and promotes Iago as his lieutenant. 

Iago then plants Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s belongings, while ordering Othello to watch Cassio’s responses as Iago questions him from afar. While Iago questions Cassio about his affair with Bianca, a local courtesan, Othello is made to believe that the two men are talking about Desdemona.

Meanwhile, Bianca appears and accuses Cassio of gifting her with a second-hand item. Othello, still watching from afar, is enraged, and believes Iago’s claims that Desdemona had given this handkerchief to Cassio.

A hurt Othello resolves to kill Desdemona and Cassio with Iago’s help , and strikes Desdemona in front of visiting Venetian nobles. Roderigo, still upset, is urged by Iago to kill Cassio. 

Access Othello Downloadable Sample Paragraph and Examples of Essay Analysis here!

Roderigo pursues Cassio in the streets, and Cassio injures Roderigo. Meanwhile, Iago appears from the shadows and stabs Cassio from behind, wounding his leg.

In the night, Iago manages to hide his identity, and joins Lodovico and Gratiano when Cassio cries for help, thus appearing as unknowing of the scuffle. When Cassio identifies Roderigo as the attacker, Iago stabs him to prevent him from revealing the plan. 

Othello confronts Desdemona, and smothers her with a pillow. Emilia arrives, calling for help, to which the former governor Montano arrive with Gratiano and Iago. After Othello shows proof of the handkerchief, Emilia realises Iago’s plot and exposes him, whereupon he kills her.

Meanwhile, Othello realises Desdemona’s innocence and stabs Iago in revenge. Iago refuses to explain his motives and Lodovico apprehends Iago and Othello for the murders of both the women, but Othello commits suicide. Cassio arrives and is promoted as Othello’s successor, and punishes Iago justly. 

Key Characters in Othello

Othello As a competent and highly regarded serviceman of the Venetian Republic, Othello is the ‘Moorish’ General of the Venetian Army and the protagonist of our story. He elopes with Desdemona, and ultimately succumbs to Iago’s deceit, leading to his tragic death.  The audience follows Othello’s eventual downfall through the collapse of his own self-perception, as instigated and dominantly narrated by Iago. It is through Iago that the audience sees Othello’s eroding sense of self, calculating his moves to remind Othello that he is the ‘Moor’ and signifying his difference. Here, Othello’s own fears of himself of his age, his status and his race come to light, especially the fear of Desdemona’s infidelity which immediately leads him to farewell his soldierly career. He is referred to as “an old black ram” in comparison to Desdemona’s nature as a “white ewe” (I.i.88), ostracising him from the rest of society and thus making him an easy prey for Iago. Until the very late stages of the play, Othello’s agency is not singular, but instead is driven by Iago.  A Moor by James Northcote (1826) – Ira Alridge as the first Black actor in Britain to play Othello Sourced from Manchester Art Gallery However, Othello also positions himself as an outsider, which adds to his victimisation. Though Othello’s skill as a soldier and leader positions him as a great influence, it is still his exotic qualities that entice others such as Desdemona and Brabantio to him. As an eloquent speaker, the Duke mentions that ‘I think this tale would win my daughter too’ (I.iii.70). These qualities present him as an outsider, both in race and in eloquence, thus creating a cathartic ending for a hero falling prey to tragedy. 

Iago It is clear that Iago’s extreme jealousy and need to avenge Othello’s ‘wrongdoing’ engineers the plot for revenge. Here, Iago’s malicious intentions cultivate the entire scenario of revenge in the play, and thus, he is widely regarded as a ‘Machiavellian’ character (fro​​m Machiavelli’s 1532 political treatise The Prince ). He is cunning, cold, and concerned with personal gain over morality.  Charles Kemble as Iago in Othello, by Richard James Lane (1840) Sourced from National Portrait Gallery, London Iago cleverly distorts Othello’s reality of himself and the reality for the rest of the characters, creating an ambiguous and distrustful narrative that culminates in destruction . Firstly, Iago’s jealousy stems from his hatred for Othello’s success as an outsider in Venice . Othello occupies a difficult position and becomes the most fated soldier, despite his appearance in a European city. This charges Iago’s animalistic language towards Othello, regarding him as a ‘Barbary horse’ (1.i.113). Secondly, he resents Cassio’s rise to power (1.iii). Possessing an extraordinary power to manipulate, Iago’s jealousy acts as a catalyst to create a cycle of revenge and envy that loops in Othello and Roderigo to destruction. 

Context of Othello

The earliest recorded performance of Othello was in 1604, under the title The Moor of Venice , during the cusps of the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. Othello’s Mediterranean setting is significant as it presents an age of increasing European maritime power, and authority over the ocean was crucial for the politics in Mediterranean states.

This involved both Western powers (Spain, Portugal and Italy) as well as the Eastern Mediterranean empire of the Ottomans (modern day Turkey), who were in constant conflict over control of the Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean seas.

While the first part of the play is set in Europe, Act II of the play is set in the small island of Cyprus , the site of Venetian and Ottoman rivalries. After the death of James II, Venice had full control of Cyprus, which proved strategic for Venetian Army to launch attacks against the Ottomans. Othello’s military successes are set within this conflict. 

Othello’s Castle, North Cyprus

Sourced from Visit North Cyprus

Othello’s life story also reflects the mobility (including enforced) of lives across the Mediterranean. Othello is referred to as a ‘Moor’, signifying his racial difference from the rest of the — mostly white — European characters.

However, there is no clear concept of ‘Moor’, as the term can refer to an Arabian person from North Africa or a Southern Spanish person. This term is used today in quotations.

Though Othello’s race bridges the gap between his military service and war against the Muslim empire, Othello nevertheless succumbs to Iago’s words, increasingly becoming vulnerable about his status and heightening his insecurities. Iago plays on the cultural divide between black-and-white, ultimately fuelling Othello’s anxiety and the downfall of his status and his marriage.

Themes Explored in Othello

Below are some key ideas from Othello. These are great starting points for you to consider your arguments, thesis and topic sentences:

Racial Prejudice

• Jealousy and revenge
• Deception — appearance VS reality

The role of racial prejudice is imperative in Iago’s emotional and mental poisoning of Othello, driving him to the point of distrust and extreme isolation. Other characters already hold Desdemona and Othello’s marriage in disdain, such as Brabantio who warns that “Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesman be” (1.i.98-99), putting them against the status quo and the present view of their world.

Iago only exacerbates Othello’s ingrained fears of ‘Moorish’ differences towards his position in the Army, his wife and his status in Venice, becoming a lethal weapon in Othello’s self-destruction.

This drives him to the point of isolation and self-hatred, where he trusts no one but Iago. Eventually, Othello begins to blame his complexion for allegedly depriving his wife of her good nature: ‘Her name, that was as fresh / As Dian’s visage, is now begrim’d and black / As mine own face’ (3.ii.386-8).

His inherent fears of his Moorish complexity and exotic characteristics tainting his wife consequently prompts his vulnerability towards his marriage, and his lack of self-reassurance unconsciously places him in a white perspective of his own blackness. Therefore, these ingrained perspectives of himself in society seal both the fates of himself and of Desdemona. 

Jealousy and Revenge

Iago’s jealousy drives him to deadly extremes to emotionally violate his alleged ‘oppressors’, and provokes the rest of his characters such as Roderigo, Bianca and Othello into ‘the green-eyed monster’ (3.iii.166).

Roderigo’s unrequited love for Desdemona makes him extremely jealous of Othello, and Bianca is jealous when she finds Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s lodgings. Iago provokes this jealousy on Othello with the handkerchief as ‘ocular proof’ (3.iii.360) of the infidelity, which has been passed from Desdemona, to Emilia and then to Bianca, drawing an implicit parallel between the innocent women and the men’s perception of women in marriage.

This consumes Othello the most, in which Iago’s extreme need for revenge fuels the strategically distorted narrative, confirms his suspicions and fulfils his expectations.

Deception — Appearance VS Reality

Iago’s power to manipulate allows him to plant seeds of doubt in Othello and other characters throughout the play. His success to quickly and cleverly manipulate Othello stems from the tales of perceived misogyny and view of female sexuality that is already shared among men.

Iago reminds Othello that Desdemona is a creature of deception, as she ‘did deceive her father, marrying you’ (3.iii.206), and that she will do so to him: ‘Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see; / She has deceived her father, and may thee’ (1.iii.292-3). 

Dramatic irony (the gap of knowledge between what the audience and the character knows) serves as a catharsis for the audience and provokes an emotional response in the tragedy. Here, Iago continues to finely calibrate a sense of torment in Othello’s imagination through his deceptive language as he tells Othello that Cassio lies ‘with [Desdemona], on her, as you will’ (4.i).

In doing so, he constantly plants mental images of uncertainty and instability in Othello, leaving Othello to connect and unknowingly create a flawed narrative that he believes to be true . Iago masks this deception as he merely justifies his actions by reflecting his victim’s own beliefs: ‘I told him what I thought and no more / Than what he found himself was apt and true’ (5.ii.176-77). 

In this way, he deflects blame from himself, and while he engineers the chaos, he does not become the fundamental source of Othello’s, Desdemona’s and Emilia’s deaths. 

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Essay Analysis: How to Analyse Othello in 3 Steps

Most students will begin to write their essay and their thesis without any supporting evidence, themes or analysis . You will need to equip yourself with the knowledge of your text before answering anything about it. 

Analysing a text, providing it with evidence and techniques may be easier than you think… it’s like a formula! We can say ‘a + b = c’. But what are these?

A = Evidence B = Technique C = Analysis

After knowing your text, you can build ideas from it, and start writing your thesis! So, let’s walk through on how to analyse Othello:

Step 1: Choosing your evidence (‘A’)

Choosing your evidence can be tough, because there are just so many good ones you can choose from! 

But you need to remember that you must choose evidence that supports your argument and answers the question . But how do we do that?

Let’s gather important pieces that we have seen throughout this article. Here is one we have chosen for you:

‘Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe’ (1.i.88-89)

Step 2: Identifying your technique(s) (‘B’)

This isn’t just about finding any old technique or using a technique that is fancy and hoping for the best! It’s about what best suits your evidence, your analysis, and subsequently, your answer to the question.

Techniques are what help composers convey the message to their audience and their readers. So, we need to identify a technique that will enable you to say something about your idea that’s interesting, and will contribute to your analysis of Othello. 

Try to focus on finding examples with techniques which unveil a deeper meaning like metaphors, similes, figurative language, connotations, symbolism and recurring motifs. Other techniques like alliteration and repetition are a bit harder to find a deeper meaning in!

We have identified 3 techniques in the quote above: zoomorphism, contrast and metaphor . 

It’s always great to try and find multiple techniques in your quotes as it allows you to take your analysis up a notch!

Step 3: Writing your analysis (‘C’)

When you write the analysis for your essay on Othello, it is important to always focus on what the effect of the technique is . One of the worst things you can do when writing analysis is technique labelling. Technique labelling would look like this:

The zoomorphism between “black ram… tupping [your] white ewe” shows how Iago wants Brabantio to see Othello’s elopement to Desdemona, contrasting his physical appearance and nature to hers. 

Instead, we need to flesh out how those techniques get us to our point . Firstly, Iago’s language is important as he uses zoomorphism to reduce Othello and Desdemona into animals.

Secondly, the contrast between the “black ram” and “white ewe” is important to signify the binary oppositions between Othello and Desdemona.

Lastly, the use of the metaphor of animals is important as it depicts that Othello and Desdemona’s behaviour is greatly looked down upon, especially in a Venetian society. 

So, if we include that in our essay analysis of Othello, this would look like…

Iago’s cries to Brabantio that “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe” (1.i.88-89), using zoomorphism to reduce Othello and Desdemona’s wildly radical behaviour into animals. The contrast between the “black ram” and the “white ewe” signifies the binary oppositions between Othello and Desdemona, and is a metaphor for their disapproved marriage against social norms and the racial prejudice pervading their Venetian society.

Need some help with your essay analysis of other texts aside from Othello?

Check out other texts we’ve created guides for below:

• Romeo and Juliet
• Run Lola Run
• The Great Gatsby
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Book Thief
• The Tempest
• Blade Runner
• Things Fall Apart
• Mrs Dalloway

We’ve also got articles specifically on plays by Shakespeare which you can have a read through below:

• King Richard III
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• The Merchant of Venice
• Much Ado About Nothing

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Introduction

Othello, also titled The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice, is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare in 1603 (as accepted by most scholars). The play was first staged on November 1st, 1604 and 1st published in 1622 by Thomas Walkley. The idea of comes from Italian writer’s play The Moorish Captain, published in 1565. Shakespeare molded the play and fit it according to his own age and place.

Othello by William Shakespeare Summary

The plan of Brabanzio backfires. The Senate and the duke are on the side of Othello and shows sympathy toward him. Othello is given a chance to defend himself. He explains that he doesn’t marry Desdemona through witchcraft but impressed her through his stories of travels and adventures in wars. The duke seems to be convincing with Othello’s explanation.

Moreover, he warns Roderigo of that “someone” and claims him to be Cassio. Iago, at the same time, directs Roderigo to have a fight with Cassio at the celebration by disgracing him. To ruin Othello, the 1st step should be to eliminate Cassio from Othello’s life, says Iago in isolation.

This creates a misunderstanding once more and Othello’s suspicions were confirmed. The scene catches fire when Bianca herself enters with the handkerchief chiding Cassio for making her a copy of it for him and he received it as a token of love given by some other woman. Desdemona also enters and gives Othello a letter from Venice. Othello is called back to home and instructed to appoint Cassio in place of him. This makes Othello super angry and strikes Desdemona.

Soon Othello wounds Desdemona, she cries out claiming that she has committed a suicide. Emilia returns hearing the cries and asks Othello that what happened. He tells her that he has killed Desdemona for her faithfulness that was brought into attention by Iago.

Themes in Othello

Love and the discordancy of military heroism.

As Othello was a soldier, we see throughout the play that his married life is much affected. Just as he gets married, he is sent to Cyprus. In Cyprus when he tries to enjoy his marriage, an emergency alarm is rung in the whole town, though the matter was not that serious. We see that he asks for “fit disposition” for his wife.

Othello, consider that his success in love is just because he is a successful soldier, as he wins Desdemona’s heart by telling him the stories of wars, military travels, etc.

The Danger of Isolation

More importantly, Othello is considered a man from another nation and is subject to isolation because of his physical appearance and the color of his skin. Iago manipulates the distance among character to achieve his cunning plans.

Othello Characters Analysis

Duke of venice, othello literary analysis.

The contracting trajectory of the play suggests that deleterious sentiments like distrust put a sensitive choke hold on an individual, throttling their capability to think undoubtedly and therefore averting them from performing rationally. The play distinctions the grounds in which Othello is self-assured and influential, such as the external world of an encounter, with the internal spaces in which he is less confident and able to be effortlessly operated.

The pessimism of Iago sets the platform for the suspicious tone in the second half of the play. When Othello progressively drops in Iago’s influence, just like Iago, he too instigates to speak wary remarks that boom Iago’s skeptical worldview. Othello, not only starts referring to the falseness and unfaithfulness of women but also calls Desdemona a “whore” on her face. His growing uncertainty echoes an all-consuming obsession that strengthens the fervors of distrust.

As he develops progressively paranoid, he inclines into a close to schizophrenic misperception. In an instant of no reason, he suggests that nature would devote herself is such a surveillance passion without some directions. Othello claims that he would not feel so intensely bothered if nothing had actually occurred amid Cassio and Desdemona. Consequently, since he does feel troubled, the custody of infidelity must be well started. Othello who usually is so rational, eloquent, and self-possessed, here employs a disordered reason that platforms the tone of fear that surpasses the play.

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Character Analysis of Shakespeare's Othello

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Above all else, this Othello character analysis reveals that Shakespeare's Othello has gravitas.

A celebrated soldier and trusted leader whose race both defines him “The Moor” and defies his lofty position; it would be rare for a man of race to have such a highly respected position in Venetian society.

Othello and Race

Many of Othello's insecurities are derived from his race and from the perception that he is lowlier than his wife. “Haply for I am Black, And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have…” (Othello, Act 3 Scene 3, Line 267)

Iago and Roderigo describe Othello at the start of the play, without even naming him, using his racial difference to identify him, referring to him as “the Moor”, “an old black ram”. He is even referred to as “the thick lips”. It is generally the morally dubious characters who use his race as a reason to disparage him. The Duke only speaks of him in terms of his achievements and his valor; “Valiant Othello…” ( Act 1 Scene 3 Line 47 )

Unfortunately, Othello’s insecurity gets the better of him and he is moved to kill his wife in a fit of jealousy.

One could argue that Othello is easily manipulated but as an honest man himself, he has no reason to doubt Iago. “The Moor is of a free and open nature, That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,” (Iago, Act 1 Scene 3, Line 391). Having said that, he more readily believes Iago than his own wife but again this is probably because of his own insecurities. “By the world, I think my wife be honest and think she is not. I think that thou art just, and think thou art not.” (Act 3 Scene 3, Line 388-390)

Othello’s Integrity

One of Othello’s admirable qualities is that he believes that men should be transparent and honest as he is; “Certain, men should be what they seem” (Act 3 Scene 3 Line 134). This juxtaposition between Othello’s transparency and Iago’s duality identifies him as a sympathetic character despite his actions. Othello is manipulated by the truly evil and duplicitous Iago who has so few redeeming qualities.

Pride is also one of Othello’s weaknesses; for him, his wife’s alleged affair confounds his belief that he is a lesser man, that he cannot live up to her expectations and her position in society; her need for a conventional White man is a critical blow to his achieved position. “For naught, I did in hate, but all in honour” ( Act 5 Scene 2 , Line 301).

Othello is clearly very much in love with Desdemona and in killing her he denies himself his own happiness; which heightens the tragedy. Iago’s true Machiavellian victory is that he orchestrates Othello having to take responsibility for his own downfall.

Othello and Iago

Iago’s hatred of Othello is profound; he does not employ him as his lieutenant and there is a suggestion that he bedded Emilia previous to his relationship with Desdemona. The relationship between Othello and Emilia is never corroborated but Emilia has a very negative opinion of Othello, possibly based on dealings with her own husband?

Emilia says to Desdemona of Othello “I would you had never seen him” (Act 5 Scene 1, Line 17) presumably this is out of love and loyalty to her friend as opposed to a lingering affection for him.

Othello would be very attractive to someone in Emilia’s position; he is very demonstrative in his love for Desdemona but sadly this turns sour and his character becomes more recognizable to Emilia as a result.

Othello is brave and celebrated which could also account for Iago’s intense hatred of him. Jealousy defines Othello and also the characters associated with his downfall.

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• 3 Prominent Themes Found in William Shakespeare's 'Othello'
• Emilia in Shakespeare's 'Othello'
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• 'Othello' Act 5, Scene 2 - Summary
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• 'Othello' Act 2 Summary
• 'Othello' Act 3, Scenes 1-3 Summary
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Iago is a subordinate of Othello’s and a captain in the Venetian defense forces. Othello passes him over for promotion in favor of the well-spoken, handsome Cassio, although Iago believes he is more experienced. Iago is determined to exact his revenge on Othello for this perceived insult, and also suspects that both Othello and Cassio have had sex with his wife Emilia, even though he has no evidence of this. Iago’s pride, jealousy, and misogyny combine into a destructive malice whose ultimate outcome even Iago can’t entirely predict. Throughout the play, he infects the other characters with his own negative traits, inciting them, and himself, to murder. In addition to driving Othello to kill Desdemona and Roderigo to attempt to kill Cassio, Iago himself kills Roderigo, as well as his wife, Emilia. He has a keen sense of other men’s insecurities and motivations, and in his plots, reduces women to prizes to be won, guarded, and discarded.

As one of Desdemona’s rejected suitors, Iago tricks Roderigo into giving Iago most of his money and manipulates him into ruining Cassio’s career before attempting to murder him. When Roderigo begins to suspect Iago is using him, Iago kills him. Roderigo’s lust for Desdemona, and Iago’s promise that he will help gratify it, drives most of his behavior.

Brabantino is a Venetian senator and Desdemona’s father. Brabantio is horrified that his daughter has eloped with Othello because of his race, but reluctantly accepts the marriage when Desdemona attests to her love for Othello before the senate. Brabantio’s bigotry and misogyny—he warns Othello that if Desdemona would trick her father she would also trick her husband—echoes Iago’s and provides a framework of Othello’s insecurities for Iago to exploit. Brabantio dies before Desdemona’s murder, allegedly from sorrow over her marriage.

Desdemona is a Venetian woman who falls in love with the much-older Othello by listening to tales of his life at her father’s dinner table. Desdemona is good-natured and clever, and her elopement with Othello after passing up many Venetian suitors demonstrates that she has a strong will. Othello states that he loves Desdemona for her mind. Later, Othello murderers her in a misconstrued jealous rage, and she remains loyal to him, even in death.

As Othello’s new lieutenant, Cassio is well-spoken, attractive, and an object of envy to Iago. Though usually well-mannered, Cassio is prone to short-temperedness, a quality Iago exploits so that he, in a drunken scuffle with Roderigo, loses his position. Cassio is respectful towards Desdemona, but ridicules Bianca, the prostitute who is in love with him. By planting evidence, lying, and staging a misleading conversation with Cassio, Iago convinces Othello that Cassio is Desdemona’s lover. Cassio survives Iago’s plot to kill him, and at the end of the play, he takes Othello’s place as governor of Cyprus.

Emilia is Iago’s wife and an attendant and confidante to Desdemona. Emilia unwittingly helps Iago frame Cassio by giving him Desdemona’s dropped handkerchief, which Iago plants in Cassio’s bedroom. When she learns that Othello suspects Desdemona of cheating on him, Emilia acts as Desdemona’s advocate, insisting on her innocence. She holds a grimmer view of marriage than Desdemona and explains Othello’s sudden viciousness towards her as part of the natural course of husbands revealing their true selves only after the wedding. She confronts Othello after he murders Desdemona, heedless of his drawn sword. She similarly defies her husband, refuses to be silent or to go home, and exposes his plot, even after he also draws his sword on her. Iago kills her as a result of her allegiance to Desdemona and her insistence on the truth over obedience to her husband.

Montano is the governor of Cyprus before Othello’s arrival. Cassio wounds him after he tries to break up the fight between him and Roderigo, resulting in Cassio’s demotion.

Bianca is a Cyprus woman who prostitutes herself for food and clothing. She falls in love with Cassio, who is one of her customers. After Roderigo wounds Cassio, Iago attempts to blame Bianca, a woman of low social status, for ordering Cassio’s murder.

Lodovico is a Venetian and a relative of Brabantio and Desdemona. When Lodovico arrives with a letter from Venice ordering Othello’s return and Cassio’s promotion to governor of Venice, Othello is enraged and strikes Desdemona, shocking Lodovico. At the end of the play, Lodovico questions Othello and Cassio, which pieces together Iago’s entire plot for the characters that remain.

Another Venetian and relative of Brabantio and Desdemona, Gratiano arrives in Cyprus with Lodovico. He guards Othello after he murders Desdemona, and he inherits Othello’s property after he commits suicide.

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The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay

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Introduction

Critical analysis, works cited.

The Tragedy of Othello is a powerful piece of art written by William Shakespeare. The tragedy is well-known around the world. If you are assigned to write critical analysis of Othello, check this essay example to learn more about the drama, and its characters.

The stage directions in the Tragedy of Othello are realistic. The drama is based on the three characters namely Othello, Lago, and Desdemona. However, the directions are based on the modest approach to a drama that is located in two diverse worlds known as the Venice and Cyprus.

Given that the play had no subplot, the play directions tend to budge in terms of place, time, and action once the theme is shifted to Cyprus. The stage directions are the realistic forms of domestic tragedy. However, it does not require supernatural instructions to hook the audience.

The language used to give directions to the audience is natural and restrained. The dialogue reflects the reality of a society that is under pressure from the usual hassles of life. The dialogue simply involves a husband, wife, and a scoundrel. This is a short critical analysis examining the play from multiple perspectives. That is, how I experience it as a silent reader and as a text for public performance.

The drama is ahead of its time. The play presents the audience with a tragic hero of color. The dialogue sounds natural and does not involve the provocation of laughter in the audience. The imagination of the audience is captured by the fact that the drama involves interracial marriage that was unfathomable in those days.

Further, the drama involves a bed in which murder is eventually committed. The murder is committed on stage. The dialogue is made very realistic by the presence of the villain who appears to possess more lines than the disastrous hero. All the meetings were bold, contentious, and very modern.

The characters in Othello are acting like normal people pursuing everyday undertakings. Othello becomes the victim of a domestic calamity. He is the victim to an envious monster of jealousy (Langis 61). He finds it hard to adjust to the marital existence having been in the armed forces for long. In fact, he turns out to be a chauvinist and protective. Although he is good in the military, he is bad at home. Othello appears to be an awful husband. The play shows that Othello is always imploring for a brawl. Just like Simpson, he murders the wife after being informed that she has been cheating on him.

Typically, this would be the reaction of a husband convinced that the wife has been cheating on him. Such incidents have been happening in the society. Thus, this appears as the main theme of incompatibility in the armed forces of heroism and love in the drama. That s, it involves the risk of isolation. The killing of Desdemona is an evidence of the frustration that Othello is going through after being cheated and convinced by Lago to trust that his wife was cheating on him.

Lago cannot convince the audience in whatever he says given that the audiences have insight into his character though it is not evident to the actors. He pretends to be morally upright so that his intention of ensuring the downfall of Othello is well covered. By planting the handkerchief in Casio’s house, it is an indication of conspiracy between him and the wife (Lankey 6).

The stage businesses are illustrations of what take place in real life. The visual plainness displayed on the stage according to the stage directions focuses directly on the actors and a fascinating account of retaliation, gullibility, and jealousy. The catastrophic downfall of the noble warrior is a common phenomenon in many societies plagued by jealousy and vengeance. Lago at times hilariously expresses his intentions for the murderous abhorrence of Othello.

By acting as a director and producer in charge of staging the tragedy of the Othello, I would ensure the actors bring out the rhetoric of the drama. However, before the action of the drama, Brabantion had been kind to the Moor (Horman 112). He allowed Othello and his daughter to discuss more about him since he was mesmerized by his slave stories. Upon the revelation that the Desdemona had eloped with Othello, his feeling altered abruptly.

He started wondering where he would find and arrest him. However, the rhetoric does not come out clearly even when he is called a thief in the street. Instead, Othello is accused of abusing Desdemona. In deep rhetoric, Brabantio states that his house is not a grange. This meant that he does not keep horses. In fact, this is founded on the fact that the daughter had eloped with a man of color. I would insist that the actors should bring out the rhetoric clearly to sensitize the audience about racism.

Numerous elements would probably catch my attention as a critic of the play. The geographical symbolism represented by the two locations of the play would be important. For instance, Venice is represented by Lago while Cyprus represented by Desdemona. Othello represents the third location called Turks.

This emerged upon considering that the location was only mentioned as a war zone with the other two characters. Venice was at the time of writing the play one of the most influential and cosmopolitan European cities. Indeed, it is symbolic of the white Christian European morals.

The Senate and the Duke ran the city. These were symbols of power and order. On the contrary, Cyprus is very unpredictable and natural. It was isolated from the colonial government. Besides, it is an armed forces premeditated target for both Turks and Venetians. The island is very symbolic of Desdemona. There is struggle to dominate her between Othello and Lago.

Othello involves a variety of actors. In fact, actors such as Othello, Lago and Desdemona dominate the play. In the play, the setting incorporates jealousy and gullibility while such traits rule the society. The short critical analysis examines the play from multiple perspectives. That is, how I experience it as a silent reader, and how I experience it as a text for public performance.

Horman, Sidney . When the Theater Turns to Itself: The Aesthetic Metaphor in Shakespeare, Lewisburg, PA: Bucknell University Press, 1981. Print.

Langis, Park. Passion, Prudence, and Virtue in Shakespeare Drama, West Newton: Continuum, 2007. Print.

Lankey, Julie. Othello , Cambridge City, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007.Print.

• Play’s Plot Explored
• Act 1 Scene 1
• Act 1 Scene 2
• Act 1 Scene 3
• Act 2 Scenes 1-2
• Act 2 Scene 3
• Act‌ ‌3‌ ‌Scenes‌ ‌1-2
• Act‌ ‌3‌ ‌Scene‌ ‌3
• Act 3 Scene 4
• Act‌ ‌4‌ ‌Scene‌ ‌1
• Act 4 Scene 2
• Act‌ ‌4‌ ‌Scene‌ ‌3
• Act‌ ‌5‌ ‌Scene‌ ‌1
• Act 5 Scene 2
• Characters Analysis
• Important Quotes
• William Shakespeare
• Why Was the Globe Theatre Important to Shakespeare?
• Edward Albee, His Life and Works
• The Downfall of Othello
• Othello and Desdemona in "Othello" by Shakespeare
• Othello's Ruinous Credulity in Shakespeare's Tragedy
• Analysis of the Play ‘Romeo and Juliet’
• Analysis of Legally Blonde play
• Critical Analysis of the Plays: The Three Sisters and Happy Days
• Portrayal of the American Dream in the 20th Century Theatre
• The Art of Children Theater
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, December 19). The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/critical-analysis-of-the-tragedy-of-othello/

"The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay." IvyPanda , 19 Dec. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/critical-analysis-of-the-tragedy-of-othello/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay'. 19 December.

IvyPanda . 2018. "The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay." December 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/critical-analysis-of-the-tragedy-of-othello/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay." December 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/critical-analysis-of-the-tragedy-of-othello/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay." December 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/critical-analysis-of-the-tragedy-of-othello/.

by William Shakespeare

Othello essay questions.

How is Othello's race a factor in the play?

Othello ascends to the rank of the Venetian military, a city - much like Elizabethan England when the play was written - rife with racism. A general in the army, Othello holds a distinguished place in the Duke's court due to his victories in battle, but not an equal one. He suffers barbs and preconceived notions, yet Othello is esteemed and wins the love of the daughter of a nobleman. However, Brabantio is enraged by Othello's marriage to Desdemona and claims Othello used magic to compel her to run to his "sooty bosom". Race is a factor in the tragedy both in those who seek to destroy Othello, and the victims of the schemes - Othello and Desdemona. Perhaps the most pernicious form of race as an instrument of division is Othello's own view of himself as an outsider, which makes him more susceptible to Iago's plan.

How does Shakespeare's use of language reveal character?

Often Shakespeare uses verse lines written in iambic pentameter to illustrate nobility. It is illustrative of Iago's duplicitous nature that he tends to speak in verse when he is with Othello and in prose for his soliloquies. One way in which Iago is a master in manipulation is his tendency to use Othello's own words to disguise his active role of instigator and make it seem that any dark thought came not from him but Othello's own mind. Othello's speech is very sophisticated at the beginning of the play, and in his soliloquy at the close of Act V, but when he is consumed with jealous rage, his eloquence falters. Shakespeare uses dialogue to convey the innerworkings of his characters.

Othello is often called a tragic hero. Discuss his heroic qualities as well as his flaws which lead to his demise.

At the beginning of the play Othello is presented as an honorable man of noble stature and high position. In the end it is his misguided attempt to maintain that honor which brings about his, and Desdemona's, demise. However, Othello is not simply the victim of a plot. Iago is able to engineer Othello's downfall in part because of Othello's own insecurities. His pride blinds him to his weaknesses, and he puts his faith in Iago over the word of his love, Desdemona. Othello is obsessed with his reputation, and ends up killing his wife to save face. Only to a flawed man would murder seem like a solution to a problem of reputation. Othello is spurred on by lies and misrepresentations, but he brings about his own undoing.

What motives, stated and implied, does Iago have for taking revenge on Othello?

Iago's stated reason for taking revenge on Othello is that he has been passed over for Cassio's post. But is this enough for him to "hate the Moor"? It is clear that he is jealous of Othello's ascension in the court and successful wooing of Desdemona. Othello's race and status as an outsider also seems to fuel this rage, as well as the rumor that Othello has slept with Iago's wife, Emilia. None of these motivations, however, seem to add up to inspire the violence that unfolds. Iago remains one of the most purely evil of Shakespeare's villains.

Discuss how loyalty is presented as a positive and a negative quality throughout the play.

Othello's lack of loyalty is what incites Iago's plan for revenge. Iago's ability to fool Othello that he is loyal while secretly plotting his demise is what makes his revenge effective. It is Othello's belief in Desdemona's lack of loyalty that seals their fates. In these ways loyalty, when misconstrued, can be dangerous. However Desdemona's loyalty to Othello even in her death and Othello's loyalty to her once his mistake is revealed are seen as ennobling aspects of their characters.

Compare and contrast the jealousy of Othello to that of Iago.

One major theme in Othello is revenge - Iago's revenge on Othello and Othello's revenge on Desdemona. They both believe death will bring justice. Iago's revenge is cooler, plotted out over time where Othello's is an act of heartbroken passion. Iago wears his lack of morals as a badge of honor where it is Othello's moral code that leads to his tragic end.

Although Othello is the title character in what way is Iago the main character?

Often in Shakespeare's plays such as Hamlet or King Lear , the title character is the main character and protagonist. In Othello this is not the case. Iago has almost 20% more lines than Othello, and has more asides with the audience. While it is Othello's decisions and actions that provide the dramatic structure for the play, it is Iago who sets in motion those decisions and spurs him to action. Othello is the tragic figure of the play, along with Desdemona, and it his characteristics that lend itself to most of the themes - jealousy, race, trust. However, Iago is the character who drives the plot.

How does Desdemona's dying assertion that she killed herself effect how you see her character?

From a modern feminist viewpoint Desdemona may be judged harshly for answering Emilia, when she asked who has mortally attacked her, "nobody; I myself. Farewell." Furthermore, she seemed resigned to her fate at the hands of her husband. While contemporary audiences may interpret these actions as unfathomable, they highlight the goodness of her character. Desdemona is described by others in the play with words that symbolize goodness - light, white, fair, delicate, alabaster. By the end of the play, Desdemona begins to symbolize goodness itself, so her reaction to her murder becomes another element in Othello's tragic end. Desdemona still loves Othello, though he is mistaken, and she goes to her death professing her husband's reputation. A modern audience may wish for a response that is less melodramatic, but that is not the world that Shakespeare has created in this play.

In what ways do Othello's suicide strengthen or undermine his heroism?

Though suicide is not usually the chosen end for a heroic figure, it is Othello's only escape from the crimes he has committed. Though the victim of Iago's trickery, Othello is still the author of his own demise. For Desdemona's death to be answered by anything less than his own would have felt false.

Describe how Othello's pride leads to his fall.

At the beginning of the play Othello is proud of himself and his achievements, but when Iago looks to punish Othello for his perceived slight, it is his pride that he preys upon. The belief that Desdemona has tainted his honor ignites Othello's rage, but it is his pride that blinds him to the fact that the evidence of her acts are lies invented not by a loyal friend but an enemy bent on his destruction.

Othello Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Othello is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

what attributers of the green eyed monster jealousy are made painful apparent as the scene progresses

Jealousy is the green-eyed monster in this scene. In Act 3 scene 3 Othello pretty much displays his jealousy,

desdemonas speech here confirms the masterly nature of iagos plot with what words does she assure cassio that she will do her best to get him reinstated

What is your question here?

why does othello ignore the cries for help?

Othello is hurdling towards self-destruction: sadly, by the deaths of people closest to him. Like tragic heroes such as Macbeth, Othello's senses are dull to tragedy and screams of terror. Roderigo and Cassio fight, and both are injured; Othello...

Study Guide for Othello

Othello study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Othello
• Othello Summary
• Othello Video
• Character List

Essays for Othello

Othello essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Othello by William Shakespeare.

• Iago and Edmund: The Silence and Complexity of Evil
• Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies
• Inevitability and the Nature of Shakespeare's Tragedies
• Witchy Women: Female Magic and Otherness in Western Literature
• Racism in Othello

Lesson Plan for Othello

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Othello
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Othello Bibliography

E-Text of Othello

Othello e-text contains the full text of Othello by William Shakespeare.

• List of Characters

Wikipedia Entries for Othello

• Introduction

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Othello Jealousy Character Analysis

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

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