A short summary of William Shakespeare's Othello. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Othello.

From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Othello Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays.

A Christian Moor and general of the armies of Venice, Othello is an eloquent and physically powerful figure, respected by all those around him. In spite of his elevated status, he is …

Othello is the story of a noble military general who has enjoyed many successes on the battlefield, but because of mistakes of judgment and his outsider status in his society, sabotages his most …

Othello’s violent plan to achieve justice is rooted in his sense that he has complete ownership and control over his wife, and that he can literally decide whether she lives or dies.

Although Othello is a cultural and racial outsider in Venice, his skill as a soldier and leader is nevertheless valuable and necessary to the state, and he is an integral part of Venetian civic …

Important information about William Shakespeare's background, historical events that influenced Othello, and the main ideas within the work.

Read William Shakespeare's Othello, with side-by-side No Fear translations into modern English.

Even more importantly, Iago uses Bianca as an unsuspecting pawn in his plot to destroy Othello. He takes advantage of her promiscuous reputation and leads Othello to believe that Cassio is …

A summary of Act I: Scenes i & ii in William Shakespeare's Othello. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Othello and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, …