36 pages • 1 hour read
William ShakespeareOthello
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1604A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Why do you think Shakespeare chose to write Othello as a Moor and Desdemona as a Venetian? How do their respective races affect the plot? Support your answer with evidence.
In Act I, the Venetian Senate asks Othello to defend Cyprus against the Turks. All of the play’s major characters sail to Cyprus, but a storm stops the Turkish fleet in Act II, eliminating the reason for Othello’s journey to Cyprus. Why do you think Shakespeare moved the action of the play to Cyprus, rather than leave his characters in Venice?
Which character does Iago have the easiest time manipulating, and why might some characters be more susceptible to his manipulation than others?
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