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Othello by William Shakespeare

"Othello, the Moor of Venice", is a tragedy by
William Shakespeare, probably written in 1603. Shakespeare wrote this play in blank verse, it is a five act play.

About Author

Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He is known as the greatest dramatist of the both of the Era, "Elizabethan" and "Jacobean". He was born on 23 April, 1564 and died on 23 April, 1616. He is often called "England's National Poet" and "The Bard of Avon". His extant works including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems and a few other verses. He was a writer of "English Renaissance" movement. Some of his famous plays are Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, Henry 5, Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, King Lear etc.

The play "Othello" was written at the ending time of Elizabethan Era. This age is also known as the Golden Age of that time because most of the poets, dramatist, prose writers were born in this Era like Edmund Spenser, Sir Philip Sydney, Shakespeare, Ben Johnson, John Lily, Thomas Kyd and many other were there. University Wits were also from this Era, they wrote their works to get inspired by ancient Greek Italian poets and writers. Theater became famous in this Era. Blank Verse was also discovered in this Era, mostly Shakespeare and Marlowe used blank verse in their plays.

Plot Summary

The story of the play "Othello" mainly revolves around two characters, the protagonist, Othello and the villain, Iago. Othello is a moorish general in the Venetian army, who marries to a Senator's daughter, Desdemona, who is beautiful, white and much younger than him. Iago plots to take revenge against Othello because he didn't give him promotion. Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife Desdemona is unfaithful and has a affair with anybody else. So, at last, Othello kills his wife, Desdemona because of his wrong judgment and after getting the fact, kills himself also.

The story begins with a conversation between the two characters, Iago and Roderigo, on a street in Venice. Roderigo says to Iago that your general, Othello has secretly married to Desdemona, the woman whom I love and asks for Iago's help to get Desdemona again. Both goes to Desdemona's father's home, who is a Senator named Brabanzio, telling him about his daughter's secret marriage with a moor, Othello. Brabanzio becomes angry and goes to the Duke in search of Othello. He blames that Othello has stolen his daughter and married by witchcraft so, he should be punished. The Duke gives a chance to Othello to keep his side, Othello tells that he impressed Desdemona by the story of his great adventures not by any witchcraft. Desdemona also supports Othello so, Duke makes their marriage legal and Brabanzio also has to accept their marriage. It was a time of attack from the Turks on Cyprus, so, the Duke appoints Othello, general of their army against the Turks and allows to leave for Cyprus with Desdemona because, they were newly married. Iago, Roderigo, Iago's wife Emilie and Cassio, Othello's lieutenant, whom he just promoted to lieutenant instead of Iago, follow Othello for Cyprus.

In Cyprus, Othello finds a good news that the Turk's ships are destroyed because of storm in the sea, so, there will be no attack now. At night, all makes a party of their victory. Othello orders Cassio to take care of everything and goes to sleep with Desdemona. Now, Iago starts his plan by make Cassio drunk and indulges him in a fight with the governor of Cyprus. By seeing this fight, Othello becomes angry at Cassio and takes his promotion back. Cassio finds himself innocent because someone made him drunk. 

Iago convinces Cassio that he should ask Desdemona to help him in getting his position of lieutenant back. He requests Desdemona to talk Othello about his innocence and return him lieutenant position. Desdemona does so and Othello agrees. Later, Iago uses Desdemona's help towards Cassio to show her affair with Cassio and to prove her unfaithful. Iago manipulates Othello into believing her wife is unfaithful. He shows a normal conversation between Cassio and Desdemona as an affair of love.

Othello begins to get jealous of Cassio and suspicious of Desdemona and demands an evidence of Desdemona's unfaithfulness, Iago tells Othello about Cassio that he dreams of Desdemona and he has the very handkerchief, that Othello has given to Desdemona as a gift. Othello demands that handkerchief from Desdemona but she becomes unable to find it because Iago secretly, put that handkerchief in Cassio's room by the help of his wife, Emilie. Then, Othello leaves the room by calling her faithless. Desdemona considers herself innocent and unable to understand Othello's behavior to her.

Immediately, Othello makes Iago, his lieutenant and orders to kill Cassio. Iago goes to kill Cassio with Roderigo but Cassio escapes and Iago kills Roderigo instead of Cassio so that Iago's truth can't be come out. Othello thinks Iago is killed and then he goes to kill Desdemona also, first he looks Desdemona with love and then kills her with a pillow. Emilie comes to tell about Roderigo's death but finds Desdemona dead and begin to shout. She tells Othello that Desdemona is innocent because Iago told her to stole that handkerchief and put in Cassio's room. Othello runs to kill Iago but he takes Emilie before him and she dies. Othello was disarmed but he wounds Iago. Othello kills himself also with a hidden knife with him because of guilt. Iago was also captured and murdered. With this tragedy, the play ends. 


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