Othello

Othello is William Shakespeare's tragedy about a military commander whose trust in his wife, Desdemona, is undermined by Iago. Suggestions, staged encounters, and a misinterpreted token allow falsehood to acquire the force of proof. The play follows the consequences of jealousy while exposing the skill with which a manipulator can exploit insecurity and prejudice. Desdemona and Emilia give different voices to loyalty and the treatment of women. Its catastrophe makes the difference between suspicion and justified judgment a matter of profound moral responsibility.