Write your abstract here. Othello
The outline of this plot comes from a story by
Cinthio, a professor at Ferrara University who died in 1573. In one of
his stories a Venetian girl named Desdemona married a
Moorish captain and was murdered by him. Shakespeare transformed this
into a cruel and swift tragedy, performed first in 1604. In it he has
created a character of great evil , Iago, who does evil for no cause
but malice
Iago transfers to Othello his own jealousy and
suspicion , corrupting him entirely, and rejoices to see him
sleepless with anxiety and disquiet.
Iago is standard- bearer and advisor to Othello, and becomes
envious of Othellos happiness in his new marriage . He is secretly wed
to Desdemona, daughter of a Venetian senator. Iago has been passed over
for promotion in favour of Michael Cassio , who becomes Othellos second
in command. Iago is jealous and determined to ruin Cassio and Othello
both. He stirs up Rodrigo, who had hoped to marry Desdemona, and gets
him to enrage her father, Brabantio, against Othello.
A Turkish fleet threatens Cyprus and Othello is
ordered to defend Cyprus against them by the Doge, who listens to
Othellos explanation of his courtship of Desdemona and her
declaration of love for him.
They head for Cyprus in separate ships,
and weather a storm en route, reach Cyprus safely and find the Turks
have been scatteerd by the storm.
Iago suggests that Cassio and Desdemona are secret lovers,
and circumstances feed Othellos suspicion. A servant steals a
handkerchief given by Othello to his wife, and Iago plants it in
Cassios room. Othello asks for it , prompted by Iago, and is enraged
when Desdemona doesnt have it. He becomes insane with jealousy and
suffocates her in a rage , while her last words to her servant
attempt to exonerate her husband. iago is revealed as the instigator in
all that has happened, and Othello kills himself. He dies
happily, for him knowing her innocence is more important than his
own death.