The story of an African general in the Venetian army who is tricked into suspecting his wife of adultery, Othello is a tragedy of sexual jealousy. First performed around 1604, the play is also a pioneering exploration of racial prejudice. Explore a plot summary, list of characters, and important quotes.
Summary
Read our full plot summary and analysis of Othello, chapter-by-chapter breakdowns, and more.
Characters
See a complete list of the characters in Othello and in-depth analyses of Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Emilia, and Cassio.
Literary Devices
Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in Othello, from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.
Questions & Answers
Explore our selection of frequently asked questions about Othello and find the answers you need.
- Why does Iago hate Othello?
- How does Emilia help Iago?
- Why does Othello care about Desdemona’s handkerchief
- How does Iago manipulate Desdemona?
- How does Iago use Bianca to trick Othello?
- Why does Iago hate Cassio?
- Why does Roderigo wake up Brabantio?
- Why does Othello go to Cyprus?
- How does Cassio fall from Othello’s grace and get fired?
- Why does Roderigo agree to kill Cassio?
- Does Cassio die?
- How does Roderigo die?
- Does Othello kill Desdemona?
- Why does Emilia die?
- Does Othello die?
Quotes
Find the quotes you need to support your Othello essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes.
Quick Quizzes
Test your knowledge of Othello with quizzes about every section, major characters, themes, symbols, and more.
Essays
Get ready to ace your Othello paper with our suggested essay topics, helpful essays about historical and literary context, a sample A+ student essay, and more.
Further Study
Go further in your study of Othello with background information, movie adaptations, and links to the best resources around the web.
