Othello
What is othello?
Key facts
Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare about a Venetian Moorish general who is manipulated by Iago into believing his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful; the deception leads to murder and Othello’s suicide.
Context
Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare about a Venetian Moorish general who is manipulated by Iago into believing his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful; the deception leads to murder and Othello’s suicide [4]. The play is set in Venice and Cyprus [5]. Othello is a Moorish general in Venice [4]. Iago is Othello’s subordinate and manipulates him into jealousy [4]. Desdemona is Othello’s wife [4]. Othello kills Desdemona and then kills himself [2]. The plot includes Othello being sent to Cyprus to continue fighting a war [1].
Documented claims
Questions and answers
What is the basic story of Othello?
Othello, a Moorish general in Venice, is manipulated by his subordinate Iago into believing his wife Desdemona is unfaithful; the deception leads Othello to kill Desdemona and then himself [4].
What is the main message of Othello?
The play explores how jealousy and manipulation can destroy trust and lead to tragedy [2].
What is the true tragedy of Othello?
The true tragedy is that Othello, a respected general, is undone by Iago’s deceit, leading him to murder his innocent wife and take his own life [4].
Sources
- Othello by William Shakespeare Plot Summary — litcharts.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Othello Plot Summary | Shakespeare Learning Zone — rsc.org.uk (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Othello: The Moor of Venice — shakespeare.org.uk (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Summary of Othello by William Shakespeare — scribd.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Othello Summary and Study Guide - SuperSummary — supersummary.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)