A short summary of William Shakespeare's Othello. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Othello.

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 …

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 …

Othello is the story of a noble military general who has enjoyed many successes on the battlefield, but because of mistakes of judgment and his outsider status in his society, sabotages his most …

Written during Shakespeare’s great tragic period, which also included the composition of Hamlet (1600), King Lear (1604–5), Macbeth (1606), and Antony and Cleopatra (1606–7), Othello is …

Othello’s status as an outsider may be the reason he is such easy prey for Iago. Although Othello is a cultural and racial outsider in Venice, his skill as a soldier and leader is nevertheless …

In Othello, Othello simultaneously believes he is being deceived by characters who are honest while failing to see the deceit and treachery of characters who are tricking him. Othello refers …

He takes advantage of her promiscuous reputation and leads Othello to believe that Cassio is talking about Desdemona rather than Bianca, a twisting of the truth that convinces him of his …

Iago’s betrayal of Othello. The audience knows from the beginning that Iago is not the loving friend of Othello that he claims to be. But several other characters foreshadow where the play …

Othello accuses Desdemona of being a whore, while Emilia ponders that a villain has tricked Othello into thinking this. Roderigo laments his unrequited love, and Iago tries to convince him …