Summary and analysis of one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies.
Are you looking for a detailed summary and analysis of the plot of Othello by William Shakespeare ? You couldn’t be in a better place, because today we will help you with the summary to avoid bad grades if there is an interrogation around the corner. We still invite you to read this very famous tragedy by the Bard , but if you don’t have time to do it in the meantime, here is the summary of the plot of Othello. Before starting, however, it is good to give you some information about the work: this tragedy was first performed in 1604. The story revolves around the jealousy of Othello, a proud military leader of the Republic of Venice, for his beloved Desdemona, who, due to Iago’s insinuations, is suspected of having an affair with Cassio. Well, we can begin. Here is the summary and analysis of Othello!
OTELLO SUMMARY: THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN OTELLO AND DESDEMONA
Othello is a Moorish general in command of the troops of the Republic of Venice , who has secretly married Desdemona, daughter of Senator Brabantio . However, a Venetian nobleman, Roderigo , who is in love with the woman, learns of the marriage. The one who reveals it to him is Iago, a soldier who resents Othello because he preferred to promote his friend Cassio instead of him; above all, Iago suspects that Othello has had an affair with his wife Emilia. Iago then induces Roderigo to reveal everything to Senator Brabantio, who becomes furious and wants to behead Othello. In the meantime, however, news reaches Venice that the Turks are about to attack Cyprus. The Doge therefore wants to hear Othello ‘s version of the facts: when Brabantio accuses him of having seduced his daughter by resorting to witchcraft, Othello replies that their love is sincere and that Desdemona has fallen in love with him because she was struck by the sad events of his life. The woman confirms this version of events: Othello is acquitted, even if Brabantio instills in the protagonist the doubt that Desdemona might betray him.
SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO SUMMARY: IAGO’S PLAN
Othello sets out for Cyprus with Desdemona , her lieutenant Cassio, the wicked Iago and his wife Emilia. Once he arrives in Cyprus, Othello is told that the Turkish fleet has sunk during a storm: the Venetian troops can then celebrate. It is at this moment that Iago hatches his plan: first he conspires to discredit Cassio in Othello’s eyes, gets him drunk and stages a fight between him and Roderigo, which Othello is forced to break up. As a consequence, Cassio is stripped of his military rank. Iago, who is a devious man, then convinces Cassio to ask Desdemona to intercede with Othello to get back the rank he deserves and at the same time lets Othello know that there is a love affair between Cassio and Desdemona . Thus, when Desdemona begs her husband to reinstate Cassio, Othello sees in it proof of what Iago insinuated. The first part of the plan has been successful and Iago can now move on to the second: with the help of Emilia, who however is unaware of everything, Iago comes into possession of a handkerchief of Desdemona’s, which is the first gift given to her by Othello, a gift from an Egyptian sorceress and entrusted to Othello by his mother on her deathbed. Iago hides the handkerchief in Cassio’s room, in order to compromise him definitively and then organizes a trap for Othello : telling him that he wants to unmask Cassio, he makes him hide in the room while he speaks with his rival. Iago asks Cassio about his relationship with a courtesan, Bianca, but Othello is deceived and obviously believes that Cassio is boasting of having seduced Desdemona .
SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO, SUMMARY: THE KILLING OF DESDEMONA AND THE SUICIDE OF OTHELLO
Othello is destroyed by grief and jealousy, and driven by these terrible feelings he is determined to kill his wife and asks Iago to eliminate Cassio . The situation also worsens due to an external event: a message brought by Ludovico from the Doge recalls Othello to his homeland and assigns the command of Cyprus to Cassio. Desdemona is happy, both for the ransom of her friend Cassio and because she can return to Venice with her husband, but this is interpreted by Othello as further proof of betrayal. After a scene of jealousy, which culminates in Othello publicly slapping Desdemona , Iago reassures the woman that her husband is stressed by political matters. That evening Desdemona, in the grip of a dark premonition, has Emilia prepare the bed with the wedding sheets, who has no idea of the plans hatched by her husband Iago who deceives Roderigo by telling him that eliminating Cassio is the only way to prevent Desdemona from leaving with Othello for a phantom destination in Mauretania. Roderigo attacks Cassio in a nighttime ambush, but is defeated. Cassio is wounded by Iago who, thanks to the darkness, is not recognized and can therefore pretend to rush to the aid of his friend, giving the final blow to Roderigo, so that he does not speak. Othello is furious and in the grip of blind jealousy: in the last meeting with Desdemona , Othello accuses his wife of betrayal with Cassio and deceives her by telling her that her alleged lover died in the ambush. Desdemona bursts into tears and Othello suffocates her on the marital bed. When Emilia and the other characters arrive, Othello confesses to having killed his wife and adduces as proof the handkerchief found on Cassio. Emilia understands the truth and, just as she is about to reveal it, Iago kills her and then flees. Even when he is captured, Iago refuses to explain the reasons for his actions, but a letter from Roderigo clarifies all his shady and atrocious plans. Othello understands everything and overwhelmed by remorse and pain he stabs himself to death, dying on Desdemona ‘s body .
SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO: ANALYSIS
The analysis of Othello must start by remembering that this tragedy, together with King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Hamlet , is one of Shakespeare ‘s greatest dramas . It is a drama about the blindness of those who are deceived by appearances and are incapable of clearly interpreting the reality that surrounds them. This is what Othello does , he lets himself be convinced that the woman he loves, innocent, is betraying him and, going mad with jealousy, which eats away at his marrow, he ends up killing her. This homicidal madness is born, according to Shakespeare ‘s story, from one of the worst feelings of humanity, envy, in this case of Iago , from which, consequently, all other evils arise. Iago ‘s envy therefore flows, thanks to his shady intrigues, into Othello ‘s mind and never leaves until the realization of the fatal error, which, however, can no longer be remedied. Desdemona dies at the hands of her beloved, who did not believe in her and who instead condemned her to death, driven by elements created ad hoc to favor the evil plan. Iago wants to obtain what he desires at all costs and his lust for power, mixed with the envy he feels for Cassio , who was preferred to him, creates a cursed situation.