Othello

Othello, or The Tradegy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, is a tragic play written by the illustrious William Shakespeare, who also wrote many more plays throughout his lifetime and is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. The first edition was written in approximately 1603, and the story is based upon a short Italian story called "Un Capitano Toro," or "The Moorish Captain." There have been many editions printed and to this day Othello is still performed in professional and communities today. It's impossible to shake the popularity of Shakespeare's works, if not all, as Othello has spawned numerous movie, opera, and book versions. The edition that I am reviewing is the electronic Kindle version, published by Public Domain Books, with 182 pages and in playwright form.Set in the beautiful city of Venice and the country of Cyprus, the story takes place in about the late 1500s, and the early 1600s. Othello, a courageous and skilled soldier, is married to the lovely Desdemona, with whom he is quite taken with. Though Othello has everything going for him there is one person who, unbeknownst to him, threatens to destroy that happiness. That person is Iago, Othello's appointed ensign. Hidden under a veil of honesty, Othello puts bestows great trust on Iago, though the latter is, in reality, a cruel and despicable man who will do anything to get what he desires. Including characters that simply add more thrilling drama and shocking intrigue, the play beautifully and darkly illustrates Othello's descent into madness, and leads up to the stunning conclusion that truly makes this a "tragedy."After Othello secretly elopes with Desdemona, a wealthy man named Roderigo who is upset at this arrangement complains to Iago, a soldier that serves under Othello. Iago and Roderigo share the shame ire towards the former but for different reasons. After having promoted the younger and less-experienced Cassio to lieutenant over himself, Iago plots to manipulate Othello into thinking that his wife is cheating on him. Iago proceeds to use his guile to toy with Othello's mind, shattering the trust he felt towards Desdemona, and morphing him into a vessel filled with rage, doubt, jealousy. Effectively, he utilizes Cassio and even his own wife to spite Othello. In a rage of grief and jealousy, Othello chooses to believe Iago's words, and more than one person has fallen to his serpent's tongue.Othello demonstrates the importance of trust. For example, Othello trusted Iago, and was therefore easily swayed by his words. His trust for Desdemona shatters with each moment of evidence that arises in favor of Desdemona cheating on him with Cassio. Another theme is believing what your eyes see versus reality. The force of Iago's manipulations made a greater force on Othello, rendering him paranoid and green with envy. Despite her husband's odd behavior towards her, Desdemona does nothing more than try to reinforce her love for him, despite his harsh words. Because of that love, she still has faith in him. Sadly, that faith doesn't pull through in the end...This play was nothing short of impressive. Beautifully written, nothing less from the great Shakespeare, it is a read that teens will find exciting, despite the year it was written. Though Othello is the title character, the one who shined the most to me was definitely Iago. He is the epitome of cruelty and manipulation, the kind of person that everyone loves to hate. Desdemona's love for Othello despite his mistrust of her was touching, and the ending left me deeply saddened, but had me cheering for its brilliance. This book is simply another gem from William Shakespeare and, dare I say it, possibly one of his best.

The Folger Shakespeare Library edition provides an excellent introduction to the play, making it accessible to both newcomers and experienced readers of Shakespeare. The introduction and annotations are informative and enhance the understanding of the text, especially for those not familiar with the language of the Elizabethan era.The character of Othello is masterfully portrayed, and his descent into jealousy and madness is both heartbreaking and thought-provoking. Iago's cunning manipulation is brilliantly depicted, leaving you questioning the depths to which human jealousy can drive a person.The themes explored in "Othello" are as relevant today as they were in Shakespeare's time, making this play a timeless exploration of human nature and the destructive power of jealousy and mistrust.Whether you're a Shakespeare aficionado or just looking for a compelling read, "Othello (Folger Shakespeare Library)" is a must-have addition to your library. It's a powerful work of literature that will leave a lasting impression and provide plenty of material for reflection and discussion.In conclusion, I highly recommend this edition of "Othello" to anyone who appreciates classic literature, intricate character development, and profound themes. It's a brilliant and enduring masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers of all generations.

Having read a number of Shakespeare tragedies while in high school, I was well aware that in any of them a whole bunch of people are going to die . I'm not quite sure how but I had somehow missed Othello in my Shakespeare reading days, but of course one usually has an idea of what it is about even without reading it.So the question remains, if I knew what it was about and how it was going to end, why should I bother to read it? Would the experience, be worth the effort expended, I wondered and finally after four decades, I decided that it would indeed. While knowing that Othello will be convinced by the evil Iago to kill his faithful wife, Desdemona, the experience of reading Othello is enjoyable for its lush language, and very human story.Iago is perhaps king of evil manipulators. We've all met some, I think and hopefully the experience has taught us to be cautious of those with a silken tongue, but poor Othello, although a general, is a bit of a gullible fool. The reader watches in awe as Iago weaves his web around Othello, to bring about his downfall. Warning Othello of the nature of jealousy, in an effort to further fan the flames Iago says:"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!It is the green-eyed monster which doth mockThe meat it feeds on."To tempt Cassio into drinking more Iago replies:"Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used."After reading Othello, I believe it was well worth it and would encourage others to do so as well.

it was fine just very small

A classic and a great tragedy and characters