Top Othello Flashcards

‘Othello’ is one of William Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays. It is a tragedy that follows the downfall of a respected general named Othello. Othello’s soldier, Iago, convinces him that his wife is having an affair, and sows suspicion in Othello’s mind that slowly drives him to disaster.

‘Othello’ is particularly notable because of how evil Iago is. Most of Shakespeare’s antagonists have reasons for their behavior, and in many cases those reasons are foolish but still clear throughout the play. In the case of Iago, there is no clear motivation for his destructive behavior. Does he love Othello’s wife? Is he simply envious of the decorated general, or angry that Othello has not promoted him? Iago is never clear on his motivations, which has led some critics to argue that this play was Shakespeare exploring the idea of “pure” evil. If that interpretation is right, then ‘Othello’ is certainly one of the most interesting and philosophically challenging of Shakespeare’s plays.
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