Othello, the Moor of Venice

byWilliam Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Othello

• The play’s first performance by the King's Men (Shakespeare’s acting company) was on November 1, 1604.

The World of Othello

Venice

North Africa

The Setting:

Venice

The Setting:

Cypress

The Moors in Shakespeare’s Time

• Moors were seen as exotic and strange; they were almost considered something other than human.

• It was a status symbol among the nobility and upper class to have a Moorish servant or page.

• The origin of the word Moor comes from the word mauri. Mauri refers to the Berbers who lived in the Roman province of Mauritania, in North Africa.

The Main Characters:

OthelloOthello• Othello is a Moor from North

Africa.• He has been promoted to the

rank of general in the Venetian army.

• He has the respect and admiration of the Duke and council of Venice.

• He loves Desdemona, the daughter of a senator.

The Main Characters:

IagoIago• Iago is Othello’s second in

command.• He’s angry because Othello

gave the promotion of lieutenant to Cassio.

• Iago tells us that his mission in life is to ruin Othello.

• He is an enemy who pretends to be a friend to Othello.

The Main Characters:

DesdemonaDesdemona• Desdemona is seriously in love with

Othello, and he loves her.• Her father is a high ranking senator

who, although he admires Othello, would never allow his daughter to marry a man of another race.

• Desdemona defies her father by eloping with Othello although he is older than she.

The Main Characters:

RoderigoRoderigo• Roderigo, poor sap, is head

over heels in love with Desdemona.

• He finds out about her elopement and falls apart.

• Iago, who is only using Roderigo for his money, talks him into telling Desdemona’s father about her marriage. Roderigo

The Main Characters: CassioCassio• Cassio is a “ladies’ man” who

is Othello’s best friend and helped him win Desdemona’s love.

• Cassio and Desdemona flirt in a friendly way, and Othello knows it.

• Cassio got the promotion Iago thought should be his, so Iago turns into Cassio’s “frenemy” too. Cassio