Othello

Othello

Othello, the play by William Shakespeare, which was published in 1604, is about the dark-skinned general Othello, who kills his beloved wife Desdemona and himself out of delusional jealousy promoted by the schemer Iago. His Ensign Iago wants to take revenge on him because of an alleged injustice. With clever intrigues he drives Othello to murder his wife.

Main characters

• Othello: The title character Othello is drawn as a noble,

sincere character, although his dark skin colour makes him seem strange in Venetian society from the outset.

• Desdemona: Othello's wife; daughter of Brabantio
• Iago: Othello's trusted, but jealous ensign
• Cassio: Othello's loyal and most beloved captain
• Bianca: Cassio's lover

Action

The black Venetian general Othello is the protagonist in William Shakespeare's drama of the same name. The unscrupulous intrigues of his opponent Jago drive the tragedy forward. At her end, Othello strangles his beloved wife Desdemona. When Lagos' evil game is uncovered, desperate Othello chooses suicide. The play was premiered in London in 1604 under the title "Othello, the Moor of Venice". A text edition did not appear until 1622. Venice (1st act) and Cyprus (2nd to 5th act) are the locations in the 16th century.

The general Othello preferred the Florentine Michael Cassio to the Ensign Jago during a promotion. Iago wants revenge on Othello. Meanwhile, Othello secretly married the beautiful Desdemona, who had previously rejected the Venetian Roderigo. Desdemona's father resists in vain the connection with Othello.

Othello, highly esteemed by the Doge, and his entourage are sent to Cyprus. Tell him to fight off an attack by the Turks. Desdemona follows her lover accompanied by Jagos, Roderigo and her chambermaid Emilia, who is married to Jago.