INTRODUCTION TO

”“OTHELLO
The Tragedy of Othello
The Moor of Venice
 Novel Drama

• Acted on stage
• Narrated story • Dialogue
• Divided into chapters • Divided into acts
• Written by a novelist • Written by a
playwright
Novel Drama
 Types of drama

• Tragedy
• Comedy
(full of
(funny)
sadness)

William Shakespeare is one of the most popular playwrights . Watch the

following video to get more information about him.
Video(1)
 Elements of Drama

• Stage direction
• Setting(time, place and character)
• Script(acts and scenes)
• Dialogue + Soliloquy
• Superstitions
• Watch the following video to get more
information about drama.
Video (2)
Tragic hero “Protagonist”:
• The most important character in the play.
• He is a person of a high rank/position
,but he has a tragic flaw(problem in his
character) which leads to his downfall.
”OTHELLO“
:The Cover
:ANOTHER COVER ,BUT SIGNIFICANT
 Setting
Place Time

• Begins in Venice • Late sixteenth century

• Then, in the island of • During the wars
Cyprus between Venice and
Turkey
 The characters

Major Characters
Othello

• The play’s protagonist and hero.

• A Christian Moor and general of the armies of Venice.
• Othello is an eloquent and physically powerful figure,
respected by all those around him.
• In spite of his elevated status, he has insecurities because
of his age, his life as a soldier, and his race.
Desdemona

• The daughter of the Venetian senator Brabanzio.

• Desdemona and Othello are secretly married before the
play begins.
• Pure, meek, determined and self-possessed.
• She is equally capable of defending her marriage,
responding with dignity to Othello’s incomprehensible
jealousy
 Iago

• Othello’s ensign (a job also known as an ancient

or standard-bearer)
• The villain of the play
• He is the main reason to all the destruction in
the play
Michael Cassio 

• Othello’s lieutenant.
• Cassio is a young and inexperienced soldier, whose high
position is much resented by Iago.
• Truly devoted to Othello, Cassio is extremely ashamed
after being implicated in a drunken brawl on Cyprus and
losing his place as lieutenant.
• Iago uses Cassio’s youth, good looks, and friendship
with Desdemona to play on Othello’s insecurities about
Desdemona’s fidelity.
 Emilia

• Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s attendant.

• A cynical, honest and worldly woman.
• She is deeply attached to her mistress and
distrustful of her husband.
Roderigo

• A jealous suitor of Desdemona.

• Young, rich, and foolish, Roderigo is convinced that if he
gives Iago all of his money, Iago will help him win
Desdemona’s hand.
• Repeatedly frustrated as Othello marries Desdemona and
then takes her to Cyprus.
• Roderigo is ultimately desperate enough to agree to help
Iago kill Cassio after Iago points out that Cassio is another
potential rival for Desdemona.
 Themes

1- Love and Trust

2- Appearance and Reality
3- Jealousy and envy
4- Prejudice
5- Betrayal
 Symbols

The Handkerchief:
The handkerchief symbolizes different
things to different characters.
• For Desdemona, it is the sign of Othello’s
love.
• For Othello, It represents Desdemona’s fidelity
and sincerity.
• For Iago, it was the only way to manipulate
Othello’s thinking.
The song
• As she prepares for bed in Act V, Desdemona sings a
song about a woman who is betrayed by her lover.
• The song’s lyrics suggest that both men and women are
unfaithful to one another.
• The song had been sung by many women ( Her
mother’s maid, Desdemona, Emilia in the end),which
represents men’s oppression.
 Play
Peak (climax)

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Beginning Resolution