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Othello by William Shakespeare: Summary, Themes, and Quotes
The Main Characters in Othello
1. Othello
The Protagonist/Tragic Hero: A Christian Moor and celebrated General in the Venetian army.
Key Traits: Eloquent, noble, brave, and deeply respected by the Duke and Senate. He possesses
a "free and open nature," which makes him trusting and, ultimately, vulnerable.
The Conflict: Despite his high status, he struggles with his identity as a racial and cultural
outsider in Venetian society, which Iago ruthlessly exploits. His fierce love for Desdemona is
turned into a murderous, all-consuming jealousy by Iago's manipulation.
Tragic Flaw: His susceptibility to jealousy and his inability to doubt the apparent "honesty" of
Iago over the clear innocence of Desdemona. He is a man of action, not introspection, which
allows doubt to quickly become conviction.
2. Iago
The Antagonist/Villain: Othello's ancient (ensign/standard-bearer).
Key Traits: Deceptive, manipulative, cynical, and highly intelligent. He is the play's main engine of
destruction.
Motivation: Ostensibly, his rage stems from being passed over for promotion to Lieutenant in
favor of Cassio. However, his motives seem to multiply throughout the play—he also suspects
Othello of sleeping with his wife, Emilia, and seems to take an almost "aesthetic delight" in pure
evil and chaos.
Crucial Role: He is a master of "honest Iago" pretense, convincing everyone of his loyalty while
delivering a series of poisonous lies ("motiveless malignity"). He uses the insecurities and virtues
of others to craft his plot.
3. Desdemona
Othello's Wife/The Victim: The daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio.
Key Traits: Pure, virtuous, self-possessed, and loving. She defies patriarchal expectations by
choosing to elope with Othello, whom she loves for his character and life stories, not his
, appearance or status.
The Conflict: She is a completely innocent victim of Iago's plot and Othello's jealousy. Her
attempts to help the demoted Cassio (an act of genuine kindness) are twisted by Iago into
evidence of adultery.
Tragedy: She remains loyal and professes her love and innocence up to the very moment of her
death, highlighting the irrationality and cruelty of Othello's final act.
4. Michael Cassio
Othello's Lieutenant: A young, handsome, and inexperienced Florentine soldier.
Key Traits: Loyal to Othello, charming, and courteous. He is easily embarrassed by a loss of
reputation.
Iago's Pawn: Iago exploits Cassio's good looks, friendly nature with Desdemona, and a weakness
for alcohol to get him demoted. Cassio's earnest desire to regain his position through
Desdemona's help makes him the perfect, unwitting centerpiece of Iago's scheme.
Symbols
The Handkerchief
The handkerchief is arguably the most critical symbol in the play, as it is the physical object Iago
uses to construct his "proof" of Desdemona's infidelity.
Symbol of Othello's Love and Marital Fidelity: For Othello, the handkerchief is his first gift to
Desdemona and a precious heirloom. He claims it was given to his mother by an Egyptian
sorceress and has the power to keep a husband faithful as long as the wife keeps it. For him, it is
a talisman representing the magical and pure bond of their marriage. The loss of it, therefore,
symbolizes the loss of her chastity and his love.
Symbol of Desdemona's Virtue: The handkerchief is described as being white linen with
embroidered red strawberries. The white fabric and red spots traditionally symbolize a marriage
bed sheet and the proof of virginity/purity. When it is lost, Iago successfully twists this symbol of
virtue into "ocular proof" of her whoredom.
A Tool of Manipulation and Power: For Iago, the handkerchief is merely a prop. It represents the
Othello by William Shakespeare: Summary, Themes, and Quotes
The Main Characters in Othello
1. Othello
The Protagonist/Tragic Hero: A Christian Moor and celebrated General in the Venetian army.
Key Traits: Eloquent, noble, brave, and deeply respected by the Duke and Senate. He possesses
a "free and open nature," which makes him trusting and, ultimately, vulnerable.
The Conflict: Despite his high status, he struggles with his identity as a racial and cultural
outsider in Venetian society, which Iago ruthlessly exploits. His fierce love for Desdemona is
turned into a murderous, all-consuming jealousy by Iago's manipulation.
Tragic Flaw: His susceptibility to jealousy and his inability to doubt the apparent "honesty" of
Iago over the clear innocence of Desdemona. He is a man of action, not introspection, which
allows doubt to quickly become conviction.
2. Iago
The Antagonist/Villain: Othello's ancient (ensign/standard-bearer).
Key Traits: Deceptive, manipulative, cynical, and highly intelligent. He is the play's main engine of
destruction.
Motivation: Ostensibly, his rage stems from being passed over for promotion to Lieutenant in
favor of Cassio. However, his motives seem to multiply throughout the play—he also suspects
Othello of sleeping with his wife, Emilia, and seems to take an almost "aesthetic delight" in pure
evil and chaos.
Crucial Role: He is a master of "honest Iago" pretense, convincing everyone of his loyalty while
delivering a series of poisonous lies ("motiveless malignity"). He uses the insecurities and virtues
of others to craft his plot.
3. Desdemona
Othello's Wife/The Victim: The daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio.
Key Traits: Pure, virtuous, self-possessed, and loving. She defies patriarchal expectations by
choosing to elope with Othello, whom she loves for his character and life stories, not his
, appearance or status.
The Conflict: She is a completely innocent victim of Iago's plot and Othello's jealousy. Her
attempts to help the demoted Cassio (an act of genuine kindness) are twisted by Iago into
evidence of adultery.
Tragedy: She remains loyal and professes her love and innocence up to the very moment of her
death, highlighting the irrationality and cruelty of Othello's final act.
4. Michael Cassio
Othello's Lieutenant: A young, handsome, and inexperienced Florentine soldier.
Key Traits: Loyal to Othello, charming, and courteous. He is easily embarrassed by a loss of
reputation.
Iago's Pawn: Iago exploits Cassio's good looks, friendly nature with Desdemona, and a weakness
for alcohol to get him demoted. Cassio's earnest desire to regain his position through
Desdemona's help makes him the perfect, unwitting centerpiece of Iago's scheme.
Symbols
The Handkerchief
The handkerchief is arguably the most critical symbol in the play, as it is the physical object Iago
uses to construct his "proof" of Desdemona's infidelity.
Symbol of Othello's Love and Marital Fidelity: For Othello, the handkerchief is his first gift to
Desdemona and a precious heirloom. He claims it was given to his mother by an Egyptian
sorceress and has the power to keep a husband faithful as long as the wife keeps it. For him, it is
a talisman representing the magical and pure bond of their marriage. The loss of it, therefore,
symbolizes the loss of her chastity and his love.
Symbol of Desdemona's Virtue: The handkerchief is described as being white linen with
embroidered red strawberries. The white fabric and red spots traditionally symbolize a marriage
bed sheet and the proof of virginity/purity. When it is lost, Iago successfully twists this symbol of
virtue into "ocular proof" of her whoredom.
A Tool of Manipulation and Power: For Iago, the handkerchief is merely a prop. It represents the
