Scarica Descrizione, riassunto, analisi del romanzo inglese Di othello e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! OTHELLO The play’s protagonist and hero. A Christian Moor and general of the armies of Venice, Othello is an eloquent and physically powerful figure, respected by all those around him. He possesses a “free and open nature,” which his ensign Iago uses to twist his love for his wife, Desdemona, into a powerful and destructive jealousy. DESDEMONA The daughter of the Venetian senator Brabanzio. Desdemona and Othello are secretly married before the play begins. While in many ways stereotypically pure and meek, Desdemona is also determined and self- possessed. She is equally capable of defending her marriage, jesting bawdily with Iago, and responding with dignity to Othello’s jealousy. IAGO Othello’s ancient, and the villain of the play. While his ostensible reason for desiring Othello’s demise is that he has been passed over for promotion to lieutenant, Iago’s motivations seem to originate in an obsessive, almost aesthetic delight in manipulation and destruction. CASSIO Othello’s lieutenant. Cassio is a young and inexperienced soldier. Truly devoted to Othello, Cassio is extremely ashamed after being implicated in a drunken brawl on Cyprus and losing his place as lieutenant. Iago uses Cassio’s youth, good looks, and friendship with Desdemona to play on Othello’s insecurities about Desdemona’s fidelity. EMILIA Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s friend. A cynical woman, she is deeply attached to her mistress and distrustful of her husband. RODERIGO A jealous suitor of Desdemona. Young, rich, and foolish, Roderigo is convinced that if he gives Iago all of his money, Iago will help him to take Desdemona’s hand. Repeatedly frustrated as Othello marries Desdemona and then takes her to Cyprus, Roderigo is ultimately desperate enough to agree to help Iago kill Cassio after Iago points out that Cassio is another potential rival for Desdemona. THEME Jealousy motivates the central conflicts of Othello: Iago’s resentment of Othello, and Othello’s suspicion of Desdemona. Iago is immediately revealed as a jealous character: in the first scene, he complains that Cassio has been promoted instead. Iago’s jealousy increased since there are rumors of Othello having slept with Emilia. It seems that his jealousy is so intense that he does not need proof of this infidelity before punishing Othello for it. Iago decides to seek revenge by using jealousy as a weapon against Othello, Iago knows that jealousy is a form of psychological torture which will constantly torment Othello. By making Othello feel the torments of jealousy towards Desdemona and her supposed lover, Iago causes Othello to suffer as much as he does.
