The story of an African general in the Venetian army who is tricked into suspecting his wife of adultery, Othello is a tragedy of sexual jealousy. First performed around 1604, the play is also a pioneering exploration of racial prejudice. Explore the plot summary, list of characters, and important quotes.

Summary

Read one-minute Sparklet summaries, the detailed scene-by-scene Summary & Analysis, the Full Play Summary, or the Full Play Analysis of Othello.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Othello and in-depth analyses of Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Emilia, Cassio, and Roderigo.

Literary Devices

Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in Othello, from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.

Essays

Get ready to ace your Othello paper with our suggested essay topics, helpful essays about historical and literary context, a sample A+ student essay, and more.

Further Study

Go further in your study of Othello with background information, movie adaptations, and links to the best resources around the web.