Many people consider Shakespeare's Othello to be a racist play. ... This theme takes precedence over the entire play and sets up what is one of Shakespeare's most controversial works of the time. ... Because Shakespeare wrote a play about a black and white union, in an era, which was unheard of, it shows that Shakespeare did not believe in racism, which was not true to the time period. ... Shakespeare went against the grain and brought up a controversial topic to his audience, to try and influence them away from their racial beliefs, which were dominant during the time period. It is...

• Word Count: 1144
• Approx Pages: 5

Shakespeare used many different character traits to compose full-bodied characters that we can still relate to today. ... We learn that Roderigo has been paying Iago to help him woo Desdemona and direct her away from Othello but Iago tells Roderigo that it is too late and Othello has married Desdemona. ... Shakespeare uses the exact same personality traits for Iago as he did for King Richard in Richard III and from experience with that play I believe Iago to be the exact same wicked character. ... We know already that she has given her loyalty to Othello and backed away from her own fath...

• Word Count: 826
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

On a superficial level, the story of "Othello" is one of jealousy, love and an unquenchable thirst for power. ... Masculinity is the dangerous conceit and underlying root of all complications in Shakespeare's "Othello." ... This calls into question Othello's masculinity by doubting Desdemona's faithfulness. ... He is wondering if Othello could have really violated his daughter without him knowing. ... Masculinity lurks in the shadows of all the conflict through the play and is very important to understanding the implications that Shakespeare intended....

• Word Count: 775
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Desdemona Shakespeare's sweetest star A Outline of the role of Desdemona in the text : Desdemona is the sickly sweet innocent in Shakespeare's play Othello. ... Shakespeare wrote this in pro's and he is showing Desdemona's caring side. ... The way in which Shakespeare structured this line is simple. ... Shakespeare has structured it so Desdemona is asking questions to begin with then answering Othello's. ... Shakespeare uses verse because this is a very formal plea. ...

• Word Count: 1595
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Shakespeare's protagonist Othello is an isolated black male playing an active role in Venetian society. ... The reader's first encounter with Othello is in act one scene two where Iago informs Othello that Roderigo has been spreading foul reports of Othello's behaviour. ... There is no doubt Othello has the respect of some important personnel such as the Duke as Othello is welcomed as "valiant Othello" which shows a mark of respect alone as he is called "valiant" and called by the name "Othello" not "Moor". ... However in this case the respect between Brabantio and Othello is no...

• Word Count: 1261
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Othello is also able to captivate his peers with his speech. ... Iago Possibly the most heinous villain in Shakespeare, Iago is fascinating for his most terrible characteristic: his utter lack of convincing motivation for his actions. ... She is in love with Othello and completely devoted to him. ... Cassio truly loves and esteems Othello. ... Cassio's devotion to Othello is strong and unquestionable. ...

• Word Count: 2512
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

How do the weaknesses of both Cassio and Roderigo aid Iago's cause and contribute to Othello's tragedy? In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago, the villain and instigator of trouble in this play, employs manipulation and deceit to gradually gain power over Cassio and Roderigo, which in turn helps him carry out revenge on Othello, and ultimately leads to Othello's tragedy. ... Following this, under the guise of friendship, Iago advises Cassio to ask Desdemona to help him sway Othello towards getting his job reinstated, which results in Cassio's pursuit of Desdemona's...

• Word Count: 484
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Graduate

Nelson's modern appropriation of William Shakespeare's Othello transcends the Shakespearean concepts through time and culture, but also integrates 21st century values through the modification of characters. ... Shakespeare's Othello outlines the protagonist with barbarity as seen in his characterisation of "thick lips" and the recurring use of animal imagery such as "an old black ram". ... The little of her remaining sense of identity continues to quaver as Shakespeare makes no reference to her name in Othello's and Brabantio's speeches, depicting h...

• Word Count: 1401
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

William Shakespeare's Othello is a book that is open to a wide range of different critical interpretations. ... In Shakespeare's time, black people were seen as inferiors as humans and also in their roles in society. But Othello is different. ... With Iago and Othello, Shakespeare challenges racist attitudes by depicting Othello as being black-coloured, but being the good guy and Iago as the white, but evil man. ... It is likely that Shakespeare intended Bianca's character to be that of a common prostitute and from this scene, this can be interpreted by feminists as saying that ...

• Word Count: 1777
• Approx Pages: 7

In "Othello," by William Shakespeare, it can be observed that even though Othello appears to be of good nature, his race affects how some of the other characters behave towards him. ... In Othello, Iago and Roderigo go to Brabantio to explain that Othello has stolen his daughter, Desdemona. They don't tell Brabantio that Othello and Desdemona have gotten married, the way that they portray it is as if the only way Desdemona would have gone with Othello is by trickery; ultimately leading to that she would not have gone with Othello willing because it is wrong. ... Brabantio thinks that Desd...

• Word Count: 601
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

He confronts Othello himself. But the Duke blocks Brabantio's attempt to kill Othello. ... When Othello finds out, he strips Cassio of his rank. ... Iago can finally begin his attack on Othello. ... According to Shakespeare when one tries to get revenge, one's reward is death. ...

• Word Count: 860
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Othello by William Shakespeare is a classic play that has been successfully created into a movie. ... In Othello, we are introduced to Othello, Desdemona, Brabantio, Iago, Roderigo, and Cassio. ... This shows that Othello has a lot of power and superiority. ... Othello wears red, white and black colours, which show his power. ... Iago in the first scene seems to be with Roderigo against Othello. ...

• Word Count: 1270
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

What is revealed to the audience in Act 1 of the play Othello?. ... In the first Act Shakespeare introduces the juxtaposition of love and war, these are themes which are visible throughout the play. Othello is perceived as a supreme commander, and a devoted husband. ... Othello insists that she accompany him. ... Iago's ideals of love are painted in stark contrast to Othello's. ...

• Word Count: 871
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

In Act 1 of Othello, Shakespeare uses different techniques to present Iago to us; from these we are able to see "honest Iago- and his true personality. ... He starts this scene by telling Othello Brabantio will be furious when he finds out that Othello and Desdemona are legally married. ... Iago then starts to stir trouble by telling Cassio that Othello is married, but not who to. ... He tells Othello to meet him in court. ... Iago then goes on to explain a plan, he says that after a while he will say to Othello that Cassio has been spending a lot of time with Desdemona, hopefully this will ...

• Word Count: 840
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Iago, from Shakespeare's Othello, is one of the most memorable villains in all of literature. ... Iago's hatred for Othello begins with the fact that Othello passed over Iago in favor as Cassio for his lieutenant. ... He is one of Shakespeare's most baleful villains. ... Shakespeare may have personified evil through Iago and took it to the extreme, but if so, Iago would be detached from other aspects of being human, e.g. feeling regret. ... Wicked jealousy was planted into Othello's heart by Iago; it led Othello to kill his wife that he once adored. ...

• Word Count: 878
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The way that Shakespeare introduces the characters is very clever indeed. ... The fact that Iago refers to Othello as a Moor' and his Moorship' goes further in showing us how Iago dislikes Othello (as opposed to addressing him as Othello). ... We also discover that Roderigo hates Othello to with By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman' (when Roderigo says his' he is referring to Othello) Iago is biding his time in the demise of Othello as can be obtained from I follow him to serve my turn upon him' telling us that Iago is patient in his waiting for reveng...

• Word Count: 1131
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Othello is a play written by William Shakespeare which is a tale of love, jealousy, gullibility, evil and betrayal. ... Othello is also an honest man, and believes that other people are honest. ... Desdemona is a daughter to Brabantio and wife to Othello who is loyal, faithful, and passionately loves her husband Othello. ... Iago uses Othello's trust in him to manipulate him, and Othello stops trusting in Desdemona, and begins to rely exclusively on Iago's advice Othello has no reason to doubt Iago, and Iago is able to completely manipulate Othello and to control his actions. .....

• Word Count: 741
• Approx Pages: 3

Shakespeare's Othello holds a most exotic, complex and interesting villain of his tragedies. ... Shakespeare does not allow any attention to shift from Iago. Shakespeare at the very beginning of the play does not bother to develop the character of the protagonist Othello, but rather places greater emphasis on plot development. ... He has similar success with Cassio and Othello. ... He will do anything to destroy the goodness of Othello. ...

• Word Count: 2496
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

Though the name of the play written by William Shakespeare is called "Othello," the character Othello is not the main character, but rather Iago is. ... He then decided on a plan and took full action upon it "to abuse Othello's ear that he (Cassio) is too familiar with his (Othello's) wife" Othello. ... Iago outright continuously lies to Othello, and Othello like a fool, believes every word he says to him. ... Othello. ... Once again Iago tricked Othello. ...

• Word Count: 1097
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

While Shakespeare's Othello is full of devious acts of immorality, Iago is behind each one of them. ... As Othello opens the first notions that Iago has an extreme hatred of Othello become abundantly clear. ... Further in the scene Iago brings another of his reasons of hatred of Othello to the fore front when he declares that Othello has slept with his wife. ... With Cassio and Desdemona now holding meetings away from Othello, Iago has the opportunity to imbed a seed of jealousy in Othello. The first case of Iago manipulating Othello comes when Othello sees Cassio leave Desdemona whe...

• Word Count: 1422
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School