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SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO

Name: Sunay
Surname: Eryılmaz
ID Number: 1504
Class: Prep G
 SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO

Characters
Othello
The general of Venice who comes from a noble Moorish family and sees himself as a
simple soldier. At first, he is thought not to be enough for his place in command since he is
a black man. Later on, people discover that he is a great servant for Venice thanks to his
success in the war against the Turks.

Edmund Kean as Othello

Desdemona
The wife of the Moorish general who has always been good and faithful. In many people’s
opinion, she is too beautiful and young to marry a black man. Desdemona can never
understand why her husband’s behavior towards her suddenly changes until her death.
Iago
The villian who hates Othello and wants him to suffer. Even though they are
not clear, Iago has motives* to have his hatred for Othello.

Charles Kemble as Iago

Cassio
Othello’s second in command, one the friends of the Moor’s. Iago has Othello
believed that Cassio is the new lover of his wife, Desdemona.

Emilia
The wife of Iago’s and friend of Desdemona’s, she helps Othello to
understand the truth when she discovers herself at the end.

Roderigo
A gentleman of Venice

Bianca
Cassio’s girlfriend

Brabanzio
A senator, father of Desdemona
 *The Motiveless Malignity of Iago
In Shakespeare’s play the officer who sets the action in motion is Iago.
Iago is motivated by his hatred for Othello, although the reasons for that
hatred are not clear. One doubted element is professional disappointment.
Iago had hoped to be appointed Othello’s second in command, a post that
Othello awards to Cassio. A second element is Iago’s groundless belief that
Othello may have had an affair with his own wife, Emilia. The question of
Iago’s motivation has always fascinated critics. One of the greatest
Shakespearean critics, the Romantic poet Coleridge, describes Iago’s
character as an example of ‘motiveless malignity’.

BASIC STORY OF OTHELLO

The play opens up with a conversation between Roderigo, who also loves
Desdemona, and Iago. Both of them have hatred for Othello and want him to
be in pain. Iago, who knows that Roderigo has feelings for the new bride
Desdemona, suggests that they can separate the married couple if they cause
her father, Brabanzio to learn the relationship. When Desdemona is not in the
house but with Othello in the night, they have the father woken up with noise.
When Brabanzio finds out that his only child has just married a black man, he
becomes very angry. He thinks a beautiful girl like her daughter may want to
marry a black man only if he has used magic to make her be in love. And that’s
why he wanted the Duke of Venice to decide what must be done about that
affair. He demains Othello should be in prison because of using magic on his
daughter. While the Duke is listening, Othello says “I’ll tell you about the magic
and the drugs I used to take Desdemona away from her father.”. As he
continues, “Brabanzio and I used to be friends. I have often been to his house,
he liked me to tell him about the adventures I have had. Desdemona used to
listen to these stories. She loved me for the dangers I had passed. And I loved
her that she did pity them. This is the only witchcraft I have used. ” After those
words, her father warns Othello to be careful about his wife since Desdemona
once deceived her father to meet him. This comes to mind a lot when Othello
suspects the faithfulness of his wife because of Iago. Iago does a lot to make
Othello believe her wife is not loyal to him. He uses Cassio to make him jealous.
Cassio’s good looks help Iago well in this case. Later on, Othello wants Iago to
kill Cassio and says he will kill Desdemona by himself as he has already been
persuaded that neither Cassio nor his wife deserves to live by Iago. At the time
Othello believes that Cassio is finally dead, he kills Desdemona. When she
breathes her last breaths, Emilia comes and discovers the truth herself. She
explains everything to Othello. And then, Othello regretfully kills himself with
his own knife.

“Othello killing Desdemona”

 “Othello feels great regret. ”

MOVIE ADAPTATIONS

Othello, 1952
Director: Orson Welles
Notable cast: Orson Welles

Othello, 1965
Director: Stuart Burge
Notable cast: Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith

Othello, 1995
Director: Oliver Parker
Notable cast: Laurence Fishburne, Kenneth Branagh
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https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/movie-adaptations/