The Tragedy of Othello,

the Moor of Venice

Soraya Lara
 Othello
 Print in a quarto in 1622
 Folio in 1623 with some differences
 Shakespeare decided to make a black man a hero
 The story derives from an Italian tale by Cinzio Giraldi
 Plot
 Roderigo tells Brabantio Othello’s secret affair and
marriage to his daughter Desdemona
 Desdemona confirms her willingness to marry Othello
 Othello is sent to fight in Cyprus against the Turks
 Iago, Cassio, Roderigo, Desdemona and Othello go to
Cyprus
 Iago plots a way to destroy Othello
 Iago makes Othello belief that Desdemona has been
unfaithful with Cassio
 Plot
 Emilia finds a handkerchief that Desdemona has dropped
and passes it to Iago
 Othello asks Desdemona for the handkerchief
 Othello overhears a conversation between Iago and Cassio
and thinks they are talking about Desdemona
 Iago convinces Roderigo that Cassio must die to keep
Desdemona in Cyprus
 Roderigo attacks Cassio but Cassio wounds him
 Plot
 Iago kills Roderigo
 Othello kills Desdemona
 Emilia tells Othello that Desdemona was innocent and Iago
had lied to him
 Iago kills Emilia
 Othello wounds Iago and kills himself
 Themes

 Racial prejudice

 Manipulation

 Jealousy and revenge