characters in Othello

By Munirah Munawar Ali

Shakespeare, W& Snodgrass, M.E. (2008). Shakespeare on the double, Othello.

          United States of America: Wiley Publishing

i) Othello

§  A Moor, a general in the defense forces of the city-state of Venice.

§  He is a military man with a reputation for courage in battle and good judgment in military matters.

§  Othello falls in love and marries Desdemona, but during the campaign against the Turks, Iago tricks Othello into believing that his wife has been unfaithful with his lieutenant, Cassio.

ii) Iago

§  Othello’s flag bearer, hoped for promotion but Othello passed over him in favor of Cassio, so Iago works revenge on them both.

§  When finally cornered and charged with his wickedness, Iago refuses to speak or to repent or explain his action. Lodovico puts Cassio in charge of Iago’s torture.

iii) Desdemona

§  A noble Venetian lady, daughter of the widower Brabantio. She organizes her life intelligently and shows courage, love and loyalty in following her husband into danger.

§  To her surprise, he turns sour and spiteful, accuses her adultery and slaps her in public.

§  When she realizes he is about to kill her, she can feel only despair and grief. She dies declaring her love to him, Othello.

iv) Brabantio

§  A Venetian senator, Desdemona’s father. He is outraged at his daughter’s elopement with a Moorish general.

§  He demands Othello’s imprisonment for bewitching Desdemona. He can do nothing once the marriage has taken place and the Venetian Senate has accepted it.

§  He warns Othello that Desdemona is a clever deceiver, Brabantio dies in grief.

v) Roderigo

§  A Venetian nobleman in love with Desdemona. He has more money than sense and pays Iago to court Desdemona. Iago playing on Roderigo’s hopes and gullibility continues to help himself to Roderigo’s money.

§   To ensure his silence, Iago involves Roderigo in an attack on Cassio, for which Roderigo pays with his life after Iago stabs him.

vi) Cassio

§  Othellos’s lieutenant in the Venetian defense forces. Cassio accompanied Othello as his friend when he was courting Desdemona.

§  Cassio is popular, well-spoken, lively and trusting but easily inebriated by wine.

§  Iago eventually convinces Othello that Cassio is Desdemona’s paramour.

§  Appointed governor of Cyprus after Othello’s death, Cassio superintends Iago’s torture.

vii) Bianca

§  A prostitute, in love with Cassio. She is skilled in needlework and agrees to copy the handkerchief  that Cassio gives her.

§   She throws it back at him, believing it is token of his new love.

viii) Emilia

§  Desdemona’s lady in waiting and Iago’s wife. She knows Iago better than anybody and suspects his actions and motives.

§  She does not realize until too late that the wicked person who has poisoned Othello against Desdemona is Iago her own husband.

x) The Duke of Venice.

§  The leader of the governing body of the city-state of Venice. The Duke appoints Othello to lead the forces defending Venice against the Turkish attack on Cyprus.

§  In the uproar over Othello’s elopement  with Desdemona, a senator’s daughter, the Duke urges Brabantio to accept the marriage.

xi) Gratiano

§  Desdemona’s uncle. He and Lodovico find Cassio wounded after Roderigo stabs him in the drunken brawl.

§  Gratiano reports Brabantio’s death in grief. As the only family survivor, Gratiano inherits Othello’s property.

xii) Lodovico

§  A Venetian ambassador. He witnesses Othello slapping Desdemona. After her murder, Lodovico takes charge and gives Othello’s property to Gratiano.

§  The ambassador questions Othello and Cassio together, thus revealing the truth.

xiii) Montano

§  Othello’s predecessor as the Governor of Cyprus. He is Othello’s friend and loyal supporter. Cassio wounds the ex-governor in a street brawl.