Othello

William Shakespeare

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. Read a character analysis of Othello, plot summary, and important quotes.

Summary

Read a Plot Overview of the entire play or a scene by scene Summary and Analysis.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Othello and in-depth analyses of Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Emilia, and Cassio.

Main Ideas

Here's where you'll find analysis about the play as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to analysis of style, tone, point of view, and more.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes.

Further Study

Test your knowledge of Othello with our quizzes and study questions, or go further with essays on the context and background and links to the best resources around the web.

Writing Help

Get ready to write your paper on Othello with our suggested essay topics, sample essays, and more.

Teacher's Handbook

Teachers, check out our ideas for how you can creatively incorporate SparkNotes materials into your classroom instruction.

Purchase

Go to BN.com to get your copy of these helpful resources.

Othello (SparkNotes Literature Guide Series)

PRINT EDITION

Ace your assignments with our guide to Othello!

BUY NOW

Take a Study Break