Play is a Tragedy Of Shakespeare's Works

An unusual deviation from Shakespeare’s normal works, this play is a tragedy that is set up like one of his typical comedies. A Shakespearian comedy almost always deals with love and marriage, has a plot that hinges on deception and disguises, and has a setting that is outside of civilization where supernatural events can take place and the characters are not held to the normal rules of society. Othello contains all of the elements of a comedy, but instead of ending in marriage, the play ends in multiple deaths including that of the tragic hero, Othello.

In the opening scene, Iago complains to Roderigo that Othello, his Commander, has passed him over to promote the handsome young Cassio to be his Lieutenant. He vows to get revenge. Iago first asks Roderigo to tell Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, that his daughter has left to marry Othello, a marriage Brabantio opposes because Othello is a Moor. Brabantio confronts Othello, and they take their argument to the Duke, who has summoned Othello to ask him to sail to Cyprus to stop a Turkish invasion.

Convinced by Othello and Desdemona that they love each other deeply despite their differences, the Duke gives Desdemona permission to travel with Othello. By the time they reach Cyprus the foreign threat has gone.

Iago manipulates Cassio to make him drunk and gets Roderigo to draw him into a street fight. Iago has his revenge on Cassio when Othello strips Cassio of his rank for misbehavior. Then Iago decides to make Othello believe his wife is unfaithful.

Get quality help now

WriterBelle

Verified

Proficient in: Plays

4.7 (657)

“ Really polite, and a great writer! Task done as described and better, responded to all my questions promptly too! ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

He encourages Cassio to ask Desdemona to plead with Othello to be reinstated. Iago suggests to Othello that Desdemona is Cassio’s lover. Trusting Iago, and mad with jealousy, Othello promotes Iago and asks Iago to help him kill Cassio and Desdemona.

Iago plants Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s room. Cassio gives it to his mistress, Bianca. Othello believes Bianca’s possession of the handkerchief is proof that Desdemona and Cassio are lovers. He verbally abuses his wife in front of others, who are shocked at the change in the noble and powerful man. Iago has manipulated Roderigo into trying to kill Cassio. The attempt goes wrong, and Cassio wounds Roderigo; Iago stabs Cassio in the leg. Othello hears Cassio cry out and thinks Iago has killed him. He returns home, ready to kill Desdemona. Meanwhile, Iago “finds” the wounded Cassio and accuses Bianca of causing Cassio’s injury. Iago quietly kills Roderigo and sends Emilia (Iago’s wife) to Desdemona with news of what has happened.

Othello reaches the sleeping Desdemona first. He kisses her, wakes her, and accuses her again. Over her protests that she loves him and is innocent, he smothers her. Emilia enters and Desdemona revives for a moment, declaring herself guiltless but saying, as she dies, that Othello is innocent of her death. Iago and others enter, and Emilia defends Desdemona’s innocence, recognizing that Iago is behind the tragedy. Othello sees the truth and tries to kill Iago. Iago kills Emilia and flees; Othello condemns himself and commits suicide. Iago is seized and taken away.

About the playwright

William Shakespeare as did Christopher Marlowe lived during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and was rumored to be a spy for the niece of Mary Queen of Scots. Shakespeare lived during the “Golden Age” in English history. This was the Elizabethan age, a renaissance that inspired national pride through classical ideas, international expansion and naval triumph over Spain. England was a separate realm before it became united with Scotland as one country ruled by one Monarch. It was well off as compared to other countries. It defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588. Black Death pandemic in 1498, 1535, 1543, 1563, 1589 & 1603 was due to poor public sanitation, no sewers or drains and rubbish was simply abandoned in the street. Rats infected by fleas carried the disease and it spread quickly.

If a child lived to age 15 then they would more than likely live to age 40-50. Most people lived in thatched huts. Food was plentiful so there was no famine. The upper class developed a taste for foods such as oranges, and French & Italian cuisines. Shakespeare had two homes. He wrote two plays during the plague. The way it was documented they had the Black Plague every summer. He hung around in the winter with the Monarchy and in the summer he went to his country home at Stafford-on-the-Avon. He was married and had 3 children. He mainly wrote plays to emphasize the conflicts of society and how they were detrimental to society. He was a member of the King’s Men.

It appears his wedding was a shotgun wedding as the first pregnancy was “unplanned” and the first child was born only six months after marriage. Although they had 3 children, his only son died at 11, William and Anne rarely lived together. Divorce was nearly impossible in this era yet they stayed together until his death. No one knows for sure why there were no more children. It is believed if he was an Aristocrat he wouldn’t have had to write to earn money although he did have money. In a lot of ways he was a “reporter” of contemporary London life just dramatized in plays and poems.

Possible influences

Shakespeare may have written the play due to King James I interest in Turkish history and customs. It is unique in that it is about a Muslim black man. Although black men were not slaves at the time there were tensions between Europeans and other cultures in the 17th century. Shakespeare’s Othello is not an “original” work per say as it is said Othello is based on the story Un Capitano moro (“A Moorish Captain”) by Cinthio. His tragedies seemed to be based on the cynicism and brutality of the age in which he lived. Society was full of racism, jealousy, hate and lost it’s way and turned it’s back on light and virtue.