The tragedy of

othello :
the moor of venice

Made by Milea Daniela and Petrina Andreea

 01 02 03
Name and Theme and main characters
origin idea

05 07
04 A critical staging
08
approach 06
Style and
quotes recommendation
atmosphere
 Name and origin
The name of the play is "The tragedy of Othello :
The Moor of Venice" , and it holds the name of the main
character , Othello . Many of Shakespears plays contain
the main characters name in the title . Othello is no
exception , it shows the importance of the character, but
also his tragic destiny and faith.

The story is inspired by Chintio's short story called "

Un Capitano Moro" ("A Moorish Captain"). In Chintio's
story , the only character named is Desdemona , Othello
is referred to as "The Moor" , Iago as " The Ensign" and
Emilia as "The Esign's wife".
 Themes and main ideas

The play presents themes of : jealousy, identity, racial prejudice, honor , manipulation, love
and power. Although all of these themes are present in the play , the themes of
manipulation and love are constant troughout the entire play.

In the play, Iago,the antagonist, is furious about being overlooked for promotion and plots to
take revenge againts The General : Othello. Iago manipulates Othello into believing that his
wife ,Desdemona, is unfaithful. Othello lets his jealousy consume him and he kills his wife.
When he finds out that everything was a lie, he kills himself.
Iago also gets Roderigo invovled , a man who loves Desdemona. Iago uses the pretext of
"helping Roderigo win Desdemona's heart" as a way to manipulate The General. Iago also uses
Michael Cassio as a tool to make Othello think that his wife is cheating on him
with the young man, as he is very handsome , and is known to be a little bit of a womanizer.
After Iago thinks his plan was a succes, his wife,Emilia, snitches on him and tells Othello
about what her husband did. Othello kills himself and Iago is iprisoned and tortured for his
schemes.
characters
❖ Iago, main character ❖ Emilia , secondary
character
Iago is the villain of the story. On the outside,he Emilia is Iago's wife and Desdemona's loyal friend. At first ,
seems like a respectable Venetian man: he has a wife, she seems like another one of Iago's puppets , but when
high status , good looks and seems to be very she learns about Desdemona's death , she lashes out at
kind. On the inside however, Iago is a liar and a Othello.
deceitful person. He uses Roderigo's love for Emilia is aware that she is shouting at a man that is capable
Desdemona as a way to take Othello's title , but also of murder , and he might kill her too , but she doesn't
to take Roderigo's money and make fun of him. care. Emilia wants justice for Desdemona , so when she
As I've said before he tricks Othello into finally realises that her own husband is the one behind her best
believing his wife is unfaithful. The way that Iago friend's death , she tries to tell everybody what Iago has done.
plans to take Othello's title is clever to say the least, Iago threatens Emilia to be quiet, but she continues to tell the
but his envious and resentful nature makes him that story. Just when she is about to finish , Iago stabs her in
much more hateable desperation.
Emilia dies hoping that her final bravery will redeem her
previous silence and obedience.
 Othello is a play primarily concerned with language’s ability to conceal the
truth, and the play’s style reflects the duality of speech. When Iago is talking
to the audience directly , he uses poetic and metaphoric language , but
throughout the play , he use language to manipulate others and to hide his true
intentions . The way Iago adresses the audience is in a very cheeky way , like
he knows how much the people viewing the play hate him ( this
is how Shakespear wanted it to appear). Iago is breaks the wall between fiction
and reality , as he is almost aware that people will watch this play and be
angry with his actions.

The atmosphere is mostly tense, from the very start of the play there is
conflict. The tension comes from knowing that something bad will happen, as
Iago tells the audience from the very beginning what his intentions are. It is
frustrating to know what Iago plans and how oblivious the other characters
are.
 Roderigo
Desdemona (gets killed
(dies) by Iago)

friends Othello
(kills
himself) Michael Cassio
Emilia (becomes the
(dies) Governor of
Cyprus)

Iago
(arrested)
Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello, has captivated audiences for centuries with its complex
characters, intricate plot , and exploration of universal themes. Taking a critical approach to
the play allows us to delve into its various layers of meaning. By analizing the power
dinamics , racial prejudices, and the gender roles depicted in Othello, we can uncover
deeper insights and challenge traditional interpretations.
●Othello presents a complex exploration of power dynamics and the abuse of authority.
The characters' actions are driven by their desire for power and control, leading to
deavastating consequences. The most prominent display of power occurs through Iago,
whose masterful manipulation of others serves as the catalyst for the play's tragic events.
●Adressing the issue of race head-on, Othello provides a critical examination of racial
prejudices prevalent at the time. As a blank Venetian general in a predominantly white
society, Othello represents the otherness and cultural clash. Shakespeare challenges
stereotypes by presenting Othello as dignified, eloquent and highly capable. The play
prompts us to confront our own preconcieved notions and prejudices, forcing us to reassess
the consequences of discrimintion.
● Othello reflects the dominant gender roles andd sociental attitudes towards women in
Shakespearean society. The central female characters, Desdemona and Emilia, are both
constrained by these restrictive roles, unable to exercise agency and autonomy.
Desdemona, depicted as a virtuous woman, becomes a pawn in the hands of male
characters, subjected to their manipulation and violence. Emilia, on the other hand,
shows signs of defiance and critical thinking, questioning the status quo. However, her
rebellion is ultimately silenced, emphasizing the rigid patriarchal system that
undermines the efforts of strong women. Through examining the representation of
women in Othello, we are compelled to reflect on gender inequalities that persist in
contemporary society.
● A critical approach to Othello unviels the power dynamics, racial prejudices and gender
roles in Shakespeare's play. The examination of these themes allows us to question the
impact of abuse of power, grapple with the deep-rooted biases of society, and confront
the limitations of gender norms. Othello serves as a timeless reminder for us to
chalenge prevailing societal constructs and strive for a more inclusive and equitable
world. By engaging with the play through a critical lens, we can extract valuable
lessons the resonate with our own contemporary context.
''Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! '' Trifles light as air
It is the green-eyed monster Are to the jealous confirmations
which doth mock strong
The meat it feeds on. (lll.iii.)'' As proofs of holy writ. (lll.iii.)''
● As Iago makes insinuations about ● Iago delivers these lines in a short
Desdemona's adultery and Othello soliloquy where he informs the audience of
pressures him to reveal what he knows, his plan to plant Desdemona's
Iago warns Othello against succumbing to handkerchief in Cassio's room. Here, the
jealousy. Of course, Iago issues this handkerchief is the ''trifle light as air''. In
warning with a false earnestness. That is, itself the handkerchief signifies nothing.
he knows that saying the word ''jealousy'' However, knowing that Othello's jealousy
and conjuring an offensive visual image has already ramped up, Iago predicts that
will intensify Othello's concern. he will overestimate the han dkerchief's
significance, taking it as ''proof of holy
writ.''- that is, as evidence from the Bible.
 '' But jealous souls will not be answered so.
They are not ever jealous fo the cause.
But jealous fo they're jealouse. It is a monster
Begot upon itself, born on itself. (lll.iv)''

• Emilia says these words to Desdemona in an attempt to explain th irrational

nature pf jealousy. Even though jealous individuals may state specific reasons
for their jealousy, jealousy has no cause but itself. In other words, jealous
people are inherently jealous. Emilia signals the circularity of this logic with
th confounding image of jealousy as a monster that gives birth to itself.
Emilia's image recalls Iago's ''green-eyed monster''.
 Chad Coleman as Emmy Rossum as
Othello Desdemona

Linden Ashby as Nicolas Cage as

Barbantio Roderigo
 Sam Claflin as Celina Sinden as
Iago Emilia

Anya Taylor-Joy Toby Regbo as

as Bianca Cassio
 Shakespeare's tragedy Othello remains an enduring tale that explores the
multifaceted themes of love, jealousy, betrayal and fate. Its itricate plot and engaging
characters have captivated us and made us choose to present it.Othello shows the
importance of trust and the danger of uncheked suspition. It also explores racial prejudice
drawing attention to the harsh reality of discrimination, stereotype and bias.
What we liked the most about Othello was the masterful characterization. Each
character is carefully crafted with unique motives and desires, creating a captivating and
realistic portrayal of human nature. The female characters challenge stereotypes and reveal
their strenght and resilience in the face of adversity.
In conclusion, Othello is an indispansable masterpiece that continues to captivate
audiences with its timeless relevance, thought-provoking themes and rich character
development. Wheather it is read, seen on stage or watched on screen, Othello deserves to
be known.