Othello - Play Summary
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ธ.ค. 2021
- Visit us at www.gradesaver.com/othello/st... to read the full video transcript and our study guide for this classic play, which includes a full list of characters, themes, and much more.
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.
Tomorrow I am taking my AP literature exam, and I recently saw a performance of Othello that implanted it firmly within my head. I have read and discussed 6 different works of literature with the rest of my peers in this class, but Othello was not among them. Despite this, I am actually more inclined to use Othello for the Free Response Section than any other work I have studied, and hope that the prompt ends up aligning with my desire.
A Moroccan Ambassador influence Shakespeare’s Othello. There's an oil painting in University of Birmingham shows the Moroccan Ambassador who visited London in late 1600. Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud ben Mohammed Anoun was part of a delegation of 17 men sent by the King of Morocco. The purpose of the visit was to negotiate with Queen Elizabeth I about the possibility of a military alliance, combining English and African forces to conquer Spain.
this is a good summary however a few things addressed
1. Othello does not see cassio give the handkerchief too bianca, instead Iago manipulates him into hiding behind a corner and peaking while he talks to Cassio ABOUT BIANCA while Othello thinks they were talking about Desdemona, and then bianca walks in with the handkerchief saying that it was probably given to him by his other mistress
2. Othello does not begin to doubt his wife's fidelity at the time you said he did, he begins to doubt it the second time Iago mentions it to him which was in Act 3 where he says "leave me iago" and begins to have a seizure
otherwise you are correct just these things need to be addressed
swiftie everywhereee
You truly are a grade saver, thank you so much ❤️
This was SO helpful! I'm about to watch the 2006 Bollywood adaptation of Othello, called Omkara, and wanted to have some background before I began. Thank you!
2:14 when othello talks about the dangers he had passed, i don’t believe he’s referring to enslavement 😭 He’s referring to the challenges he faced when he was in the military and other factors of this military life, a lifestyle which plays a significant role in his character build
Othello was definitely enslaved he says it himself
Beautifully explained
Thank you, you saved a week of reading.
Thanks this helps me a lot to understand the story
This was so helpful and easy to understand!! I'm using one of Desdemona's monologues for an audition I have next week so that you very much!!❤❤❤
How did the audition go?!🙂
i have an english exam on othello TOMORROW and i have not even read it so thank u king and pray for me
learning about this play for 10th grade English, so this is really helpful in understanding the story.
Very very helpful! Thank you
I love you for this
Moral of the story?…Iago should’ve minded his own business…
It helps me right my essay.
Such a good book Loved this for my 11th and 12th grade!i love this.
omg thank you so much !!
Thank you 🖤
Perfect explanation
I thought it was gonna rex stout neowolfe How do you explian that to someone young enough to read this book about developing characteristics
Othello Hamlet Romeo and Juliet all these three were the most tragedic plays of the greatest n legendary english writer William Shakespeare.....
Especially Hamlet man man man
Othello, Hamlet, Romeo Juliet, King of Lear are the four tragedies of Shakespeare's
@@Itsdailish_ MacBeth:…
*tragic
Also Macbeth
Omkar movie is the Indian adaptation film. A must watch
thank u sm
This is high-value content. I found a similar book that was absolutely enlightening. "The Art of Meaningful Relationships in the 21st Century" by Leo Flint
Bruh why tf do teachers want us to know this shit 💀
Such a good play. I studied it in my Final year English major in 1964. I ve seen the movie on the screen
Im cooked
Othello would make a great anime
Not really, King Lear would make a better anime.
😭😭
im here after watching OMKARA a bollywood movie which is an adaptation of this play and it was masterpiece you should watch it
2:19 why is he presented as a slave?
Thanks i was assigned to read a book and i diddnt so yeah
Lol now I got to watch the play.
👍🏻👍🏻
Florante at Laura is quite similar to this! Othello - Florante and Aladin due to latter's race and culture. Iago- Adolfo - Charismatic, Brutish, Manipulative Narcissist filled with hate and is the nemesis of the hero!
i am so into the Story of Hamlet... Unexplainable
Again Henry and Ann
If it helped you, Othello Hamlet Romeo and Juliet King of Lear are the four tragedies of Shakespeare's 😢
Yes Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, but mostly Macbeth is considered one of the main tragedies of Shakespeare's.
Julius Ceasar is one of Shakespeare's tragedies as well
oh my god, you just saved me from gettin an f!!!!!
🎉
life full of Iago :/
Summarize Huckleberry Finn
Defend your reputation with your life.
That’s what you can take from this.
The flavor or the floor combination
Unusual
This should be a crash course in gaslighting
Abitur 2023 🤞🏽🤞🏽
Update : Der Vorschlag mit Othello wurde ganz schnell rausgeschmissen
yep i’m done for 🥲😭
Totally misleading summary
Emilia☕
othello should have trusted his wife
That was a crazy good story, guess it’s an African thing.
Is it me or does othello look a bit like Franklin from gta 5
not franklin omfg 😭😭😭
Othello was inspired by the Moroccan ambassador Abdel-Ouahed Ben Messaoud who was a Moor aka Moroccan and Muslim he was brown but not West African Black..
He was literally black in the version but ok do you
@@TFFanatics these dudes be making shit up saying dudes who were clearly black weren't black to suit there racist worldview
@@JODYJOE don’t mind that fool
Moor is used for anyone whos muslim or dark skin, so othello wasnt moroccan, as the term moor is broad and couldve been used to refer to anyone who fits the box, othello couldve been for example sudani, who also happen to be north african and black
Othello and lago😂😂😂
This feels like a Tyler Perry movie lmao
What a boring story.
They did it at my school,its so much better in real life
@@angelasianyana1281what do u mean better in real life
honestly bad take ngl
@@aesthetic_pro1510I think they mean acted out in a play at a school
For real.
Boring
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