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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OTHELLO FROM SHAKESPEARE
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ENGL 348: Othello (Full Notes)
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The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of VeniceBrief play summary: (source: Cliffsnotes)
The play opens in the powerful city state of Venice, famous as a center of trade and banking
and for its military might. It is in the early hours of the morning, and two men — Roderigo, a
young gentleman formerly in love with Senator Brabantio's daughter Desdemona, and Iago, a
military member who claims to have been passed over for promotion by Othello — are outside
Senator Brabantio's house to tell him the news of his daughter’s elopement (marrying in secret)
with Othello, the Moor.
After sharing the news of the secret marriage in words manipulated to alarm him, Iago quickly
leaves, leaving Roderigo to confirm the story. Pretending to be friendly and concerned, Iago
then meets with Othello and tells him of Brabantio's reaction. Brabantio, Othello, and
Desdemona appear before the Duke of Venice. Although Brabantio accuses Othello of seducing
his daughter with witchcraft, Othello explains that he won Desdemona by telling her his
adventures, and Desdemona, called to testify, convinces the senators that she has freely gone
with Othello and married him for love.
The Duke appoints Othello as general of the defense forces against the Turks, and he must leave
for Cyprus immediately. Desdemona requests permission to accompany Othello to Cyprus.
With the Duke's permission, Othello arranges for Desdemona to follow him later in another
ship with Iago, whom he mistakenly believes is a trusted friend, and Iago's wife, Emilia. Iago
convinces Roderigo that Desdemona will soon get tired of Othello and that he should follow
her to Cyprus. To himself, Iago decides to make use of Cassio, the man he deeply resents and
who received the promotion he himself wanted, as the instrument to destroy Othello.
In Cyprus, Iago plots against Othello, planting the seed of doubt about Desdemona's fidelity
and implying Cassio as her lover. Using Roderigo, Iago arranges a fight that ultimately results
in Cassio's demotion. Believing that his chances of reinstatement are better if he has Desdemona
plead his case to her husband, Cassio, with Iago's help, arranges for a private meeting with
Desdemona, who promises to speak on his behalf to Othello to fix their friendship.
As Cassio leaves, Iago and Othello appear. Othello notices Cassio's speedy departure, and Iago
quickly seizes the opportunity to point out that Cassio seems to be trying to avoid the Moor.
Desdemona immediately and enthusiastically begins to beg Othello to pardon Cassio, as she
promised, and will not stop her pleading until Othello, preoccupied with other thoughts, agrees.
The moment Desdemona and Emilia leave, however, Iago begins to plant seeds of doubt and
suspicion in Othello's mind.
Othello, beset by uncertainty and anxiety, later demands of Iago some proof that Desdemona is
unfaithful. Using a handkerchief that Desdemona later innocently drops, Iago convinces Othello
that she has been unfaithful, and he stages a conversation with the innocent Cassio that further
hardens the Moor's heart against his wife and her supposed lover. Convinced of his wife's
betrayal and enraged and grieving, Othello rushes into action, making an agreement with Iago
that he, Othello, will kill Desdemona, and Iago will dispose of Cassio.
Desdemona, true to her word to Cassio, continues to plead on his behalf, unknowingly
confirming to Othello her unfaithfulness. He accuses her of falseness, and Desdemona, not
knowing what she has done to offend, can only assure him that she loves him.
, Meanwhile, the gullible Roderigo has abandoned all hope of Desdemona, but Iago urges him
to kill Cassio and rekindle his hopes. Late that night, they attack Cassio in the street, but it is
Cassio who wounds Roderigo. Iago rushes out and stabs Cassio in the leg. Othello, hearing
Cassio's cries for help, believes that half of the revenge is completed and hastens to fulfil his
undertaking.
Desdemona is in bed when Othello enters. He tells her to pray a last prayer as he has no wish
to kill her soul. Realizing that he plans to murder her, Desdemona protests her innocence of any
wrongdoing. Knowing that he doesn't believe her, she begs him to let her live just a little longer,
but he smothers her with a pillow.
Emilia, Desdemona's servant and Iago's wife, upon discovering the ruse, raises the alarm and
declares Iago a liar before Montano and Gratiano. She explains how Desdemona's handkerchief
came into Cassio's possession, and when she refuses to be quiet, Iago stabs her. Cassio,
wounded, confirms Emilia's story. A soldier to the last, Othello stands on his honor. Knowing
that this is the end, he asks to be remembered as "one that loved not wisely but too well." Then
he stabs himself and falls on the bed beside his wife, where he dies.
Genre: Tragedy
The goal of a tragedy is to bring about a "catharsis" of the spectators — to arouse in them
sensations of pity and fear, and to purge them of these emotions so that they leave the theatre
feeling cleansed and uplifted, with a heightened understanding of the ways of (gods and) men
Aristotle defines the ideal protagonist as a man who is highly renowned and prosperous, but
one who is not pre-eminently virtuous and just, whose misfortune, however, is brought upon
him not by vice or depravity but by some error of judgment or frailty. He is also called a Tragic
Hero.
A Tragic Hero always has a prominent flaw, a hamartia. It is this flaw that allows him to take a
step that initiates the events of the tragedy and, owing to his own ignorance or poor judgement,
acts in such a way as to bring about his own downfall. You could argue his hamartia was
jealousy and manipulability, but people also could say that internalizing the prejudices people
had about “the Moor” set off the action in Othello, because it led to his messed up self image.
The Play’s Structure
1. Exposition, outlines the situation, introduces the main characters
2. Rising action, continues the action and introduces complications.
3. Climax, brings everything to a head. In this part, a change of direction occurs or
understanding is precipitated. In this case Othello’s shift of character.
4. Falling action, Iago’s plan slowly falling apart and people gradually figuring it out
5. Denouement, the hero dies and the play comes to a tragic conclusion
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