Othello - the play Othello is a tragedy, tracing the fall from grace of its protagonist, a black general in the Venetian army, from respected public figure to murderer of his white wife, Desdemona. Instrumental in his downfall is the Machiavellian villain Iago, who persuades him by devious means that he is a cuckold - which Desdemona has slept with his lieutenant, Cassio. Audiences and critics are divided about how to interpret the play and its central characters. Some see Othello as a conventional tragic hero; great but fatally flawed, while others regard him as bombastic and easily jealous. Iago's character, too, is disputed. Is he malicious for realistic reasons or implausibly motiveless? How do you interpret the play? Characters Othello Great man brought low Arrogant dupe Desdemona Flawless heroine Pathetic victim Iago Motiveless demon Vicious, scheming pragmatist Cassio Valiant lieutenant Vain womaniser Emilia Shrewd realist Insufferable cynic Brabantio Long-suffering father Bitter tyrant Roderigo Gullible Major Areas of study Jealousy Seeing and judgement Race and colour Attitudes to women The language of the play Iago as Machiavel Beast and animal imagery Metaphors of eating and poison The "double timescale" Performance history Key scenes Act I, scene 3: Othello, Brabantio and Desdemona appear before the Duke Act III, scene 3: Iago poisons Othello's love for Desdemona Most likely question topics Controversy about key characters - Othello, Iago, Desdemona Relevance of minor characters - e. g. Emilia, Bianca, The Duke, Roderigo, Brabantio, Lodovico, Montano Key themes and issues - race, jealousy, love, judgement, black and white Setting and social context of the action - Venice, Cyprus, prevailing social attitudes Individual scenes and their significance to the play as a whole