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Full Play Summary. Othello begins on a street in Venice, in the midst of an argument between Roderigo, a rich man, and Iago. Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him win Desdemona 's hand in marriage. But Roderigo has just learned that Desdemona has married Othello, a general whom Iago begrudgingly serves as ensign.
Othello by William Shakespeare, written around 1603, is a tragic play that delves into themes of jealousy, betrayal, and racism. Set in the Venetian Republic, the play follows Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, and his ensign and antagonist, Iago. Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, a Venetian woman, becomes a focal point for Iago ...
The play begins on the grand scale of a military romance unfolding on the Mediterranean Sea. However, the action of the drama shrinks to the claustrophobic ending in the cramped bedroom where Othello kills himself after smothering his innocent wife. The play moves from vast exteriors that provide a backdrop for Othello’s heroism to interior ...
A summary of Act I: Scenes i & ii in William Shakespeare's Othello. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Othello and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
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 is nevertheless easy prey to insecurities because of his age, his life as a soldier, and his race. He possesses a “free and open nature,” which his ensign Iago ...
A summary of Themes in William Shakespeare's Othello. Search all of SparkNotes Search. Suggestions. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. A Tale of Two Cities The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Book Thief ... SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription.
Othello sometimes makes a point of presenting himself as an outsider, whether because he recognizes his exotic appeal or because he is self-conscious of and defensive about his difference from other Venetians. For example, in spite of his obvious eloquence in Act I, scene iii, he protests, “Rude am I in my speech, / And little blessed with ...
Understand Shakespeare's plays and sonnets with SparkNotes' translations, plot summaries, character lists, quotes, lists of themes and symbols, and more. Search all of SparkNotes Search. Suggestions. ... SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription.
Othello, William Shakespeare, scene summary, scene summaries, chapter summary, chapter summaries, short summary, criticism, literary criticism, review, scene synopsis, interpretation, teaching, lesson plan. ... For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! Go to My PLUS Dashboard Launch SparkNotes PLUS
Possibly the most heinous villain in Shakespeare, Iago is fascinating for his most terrible characteristic: his utter lack of convincing motivation for his actions. In the first scene, he claims to be angry at Othello for having passed him over for the position of lieutenant (I.i. 7–32). At the end of Act I, scene iii, Iago says he thinks ...