The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice

Because of the way the term "tragic hero" has been treated by AC Bradley and those who followed him, it has almost become a term of art, with an arcane meaning quite divorced from the actual way that Shakespeare's tragedies work. But really a tragic hero is the main character in a play which ends with the destruction of that main character, which usually means his death. If the play is well-written, we feel a sense of regret and sadness that someone for whom we had some sympathy has come to a sticky end. This is certainly the case with Othello.

Othello is a General that lives in Italy(Venice), but is a Moor. Traditionally that means he is black while everyone else is white. He is very respected and marries on of the leading families daughters. Iago is one of his most trusted lieutenants, but after great victories Othello decides to promote someone else. Iago then begins a scheme to get power. First he brings down his other rivals for power. Then he seeks revenge on Othello. To do so he starts scandals almost on a whim and makes everyone distrust one another. Including Othello and his wife. Side note: Othello has epilepsy and no one must know or they will think him weak or possesed. Iago forces Othello to smother his wife and all of his rivals to die, yet in the end He loses his own life in his web of lies. One of the most Ironic things about Othello is Iago the most wicked liar coins the term (I wear my heart upon my sleeve.) Meaning he does not decieve.

Iago makes the top ten most evil fictional villains ever.

She says that what's sauce for the gander's sauce for the goose.

In Act IV Scene 3 Desdemona is protesting that she cannot imagine that any woman would commit adultery "for the whole world."

Emilia is a practical soul, and says, "Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring, nor a measure of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any pretty exhibition; but for the whole world, why, who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch?" But she realizes that this is not a situation that realistically occurs.

To explain unfaithful wives, she says, "But I do think it is their husbands' fault if wives do fall."

And she explains: "Let husbands know their wives have sense like them; they see and smell, and have their palates both for sweet and sour, as husbands have. What is it that they do when they change us for others? Is it sport? I think it is; and doth affection breed it? I think it doth; is't frailty that thus errs? It is so too, and have we not affections, desires for sport and frailty, as men have? Then let them use us well, else let them know, the ills we do, their ills instruct us so."

It's almost the same speech as Shylock's "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech, but with a feminist twist.

There were many themes discussed and portrayed in the tale of Othello. They include the topics of a patriarchal society, where men dictate and rule, the ideas of a misogynist ( a person who hates women), rights and values of wife in society and in a relationship itself. It discusses the rights and morals of women in a relationship towards their "noble lord". There are many more.

Do you mean to ask if there's literally a green-eyed monster in Othello? If that's what you're asking, then no.

The "green-eyed monster" refers to the popular saying which says a persons eyes "turn green" when filled with the feeling of jealousy. One of the main themes in Othello is jealousy, along with deceit and betrayal. There is no physical green-eyed monster in Othello.

I don't know what you where expecting but the answer is simply an emotion, jealousy used in the term as " i see the green eyed monster" green being a negative colour to other people

Act 3 scene 3 when Othello finally breaks down and asks Iago for proof of Desdemona's betrayal.

Well considering that he is a character in a play, he wasn't exactly 'born'.

However, due to the use of the description of 'Moor' we know that he is of African descent and might have been born in Africa.

his name is Greek in origin

There is only one Moor in Othello, and that is Othello himself. To Shakespeare's contemporaries a Moor was an African person. The word was used indiscriminately of North African and sub-saharan Africans. The story Othello tells of his life is perhaps more consistent with his being a North African.

Othello was an European noble, from a line of royal men, and a christian. He is a person and a symbol. In western art there are a lot of Blackamoors, classical Africans, who symbolize blue blood (1100-1848). In the play Othello is the highest ranking person by birth and merit. The objections against him are those of the middling trading classes against the nobility. The Venetians cannot be considered mere racists as for one, human races were only invented in 1760, and they made The Moor their military leader. He was not lynched for marrying Desdemona, but was given a fair trial. I urge people to look farther than conventional opinions. This paragraph was written by Egmond Codfried (see attached link)

His expressions "brave Othello" and "noble moor" indicate the high opinion in which he holds Othello.

Why does anyone fall in love? Othello has many fine qualities which a young woman might admire: he is brave, apparently confident, kind and loving. But Desdemona's love is not hero-worship, as Othello supposes. She sees that he feels out-of-place in Venetian society, and that his apparent confidence masks humility and vulnerability about his own worth, and loves him the more for it. It is this humility which makes him a better leader and a better lover. It is also this trait which makes him vulnerable to the designs of someone like Iago.

Perspective in plays is different from perspective in novels or plays, because there is no narrator. When Iago talks, he is talking from Iago's perspective; when Othello talks, he is talking from Othello's perspective; when Desdemona talks, she is talking from her perspective. We see it all from the perspective of a bystander and sometimes (when a character gives a soliloquy) of a confidant. Except in plays where there is a chorus, such as Henry V, Shakespeare does not give us an "objective" perspective. As far as Shakespeare's perspective goes, it was basically to write a successful play and make money for himself and his partners.

There is a terrible storm which delays Othello but also destroys the Turkish fleet so he doesn't have to.

We hear about Desdemona in the first scene when Iago tells Brabantio that she has eloped with Othello. She makes her first entrance in Act 1 Scene 3 and her first line is "My lord, I do perceive here a divided duty."

He will persuade Othello that his wife is unfaithful, thus wrecking their happy marriage, making Othello miserable, and inducing him to become a murderer.

Othello was a moor and a general in the Venetian Military.

about the respect from the duke , if I remember correctly it was because of his

success as a general

Four: First RODERIGO Second DESDEMONA Third EMILIA Fourth OTHELLO However it is implied that Brabantio has also died during the story and we know that Iago will die in the near future after a drawn out punishment.

Emilia, Iago's wife. She is an interesting character. She receives no respect from Iago, but she trusts him. She is much more realistic than the lady she serves, Desdemona, but she is also devoted to Desdemona, and dies--at Iago's hand--defending Desdemona's honor.

Iago says most of the asides, which are sections of dialogue in which the character speaking is addressing the audience, himself, or no one in particular. These serve several purposes - in Othello, they provide exposition (as the plot is rather complicated, the audience is well served to have Iago's plans and intentions explained as he goes along) and dramatic irony (as the audience knows the real story, but the characters do not.)

He says that Othello's behavior is normally much worse than that.

One of the senators pointed out that the Turks are more likely to want Cyprus, the Duke then decides that the Turks will attack Cyprus and that any move toward Rhodes is a trick so he sends for Othello to go to Cyprus, to defend it and become the new governor.

The full title of the Shakespeare play often called "Othello" is "The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice."

There are operas and other musical pieces based on the story and in some of these the name is spelled "Otello."