[Music] let's review the plot summary of a fellow the introduction of the play is set in Venice during a time of conflict between the Ottoman Empire and Venice as the play begins the Turks are preparing for war against the Venetians and are likely to attack either Cyprus or Rhodes a fellow amour from North Africa and a successful venetian general has eloped with a young Venetian noble woman named Desdemona Roderigo a gentleman who is in love with Desdemona complains to Iago the fellows ensign about the secret marriage Iago has agreed to help Roderigo court and win Desdemona but only if Rodrigo keeps him supplied with money Iago is angry at a fellow for promoting another man Michael Cassio to lieutenant at plays opening Iago and Rodrigo caused a ruckus at Brabantio home and revealed that bourbon Tia's daughter Desdemona has eloped with a fellow Iago leaves before his identity is known and goes back to Othello Cassio joins them bringing a message from the Duke of Venice that Othello is required to turn back the Turkish attack on Cyprus a fellow hurries to the Duke Brabantio following along intent on confronting othello about Desdemona the duke however takes a fellow side in the manner partially due to a fellow's earnest professions of love for Desdemona and his description of how they fell in love Desdemona arrives and supports a fellow's argument and Brabantio is forced to accept the marriage in the rising action of the play Othello makes arrangements to leave right away for Cyprus and Desdemona argue successfully to accompany him the next day Desdemona Iago and his wife Emilia Roderigo and Cassio arrive on Cyprus before a fellow Cassio holds Desdemona's hand for a moment in greeting and this small gesture gives Iago an idea of how to get back at both Cassio and Othello then a fellow arrives miraculously the Turkish ships on their way to invade Cyprus then destroyed by a storm so they celebrate this turn of events at a banquet that evening at the celebration Iago convinces Cassio to get drunk and that encourages Rodrigo to fight Cassio Montano tries to break it up and Cassio stabs him in the leg when a fellow finds out he strips Cassio of his rank Iago suggests Cassio appealed to Desdemona who can go to a fellow on his behalf when Cassio leaves Iago reveals to the audience that he plans to make a fellow think Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair as Cassio approaches Desdemona and she asks a fellow to reconsider Cassio's case you now go plants the seeds of suspicion in a fellow's mind when Desdemona accidentally drops her handkerchief Emilia picks it up and gives it to her husband Iago plants the handkerchief in Cassio's room and Cassio finds it later Iago stages a scene with Cassio meant to convince a fellow observing from a hidden place just out of earshot that Cassio is sleeping with Desdemona as a result a fellow becomes wild with jealousy while Yago orchestrates another fight between Cassio and Rodrigo then ends up killing Roderigo himself a fellow plans Desdemona's death that night in the climax of the play he smothers Desdemona in her bed in the falling action of the play Emilia realizes it has been her husband all along and a fellow realizes he has been manipulated he tries to kill Iago videography Melia instead in the plays resolution a fellow kills himself and Iago is arrested let's review some of the characters in Shakespeare's Othello a fellow as a tragic hero Othello is unusual and that he is relatively passive and reactionary his acts do not drive the plot he's known as a man of action a military leader and a successful one his eloquent words and valiant actions in battle have you in him a reputation but in the play he does not take the most active role in his own character arc Iago in contrast is the behind the scenes manipulator from the opening of the play Othello wins Desdemona with his stories of adventure and his love is centred on her pity and attention he's more acted upon than actor in true tragic form at plays and a fellow can only regain his status as defender of the state by committing suicide Iago Iago declares early on in the play I am NOT what I am and indeed the audience might well leave the play wondering who is Iago what is his motivation for causing such utter destruction in the lives of arguably innocent people is he angry of being passed up for a promotion does he think Emilia has been sleeping with a fellow these petty motivations seem inadequate in light of the absolute thoroughness with which Iago manipulates the people around him he's masterful and immediately assessing a person's strengths and how they can be turned into weaknesses he exploits Rodriguez desire for Desdemona and his generosity with money he leverages Cassio's desire to please a fellow he turns Desdemona's kindness to Cassio against both herself and Othello and he keys in on a fellow's love for Desdemona as the one weak point in a fellow's character Desdemona Desdemona begins the play with strength and purpose she falls in love with a fellow and acts on her own to elope with him as human social conventions she goes with him on the military mission to Cyprus and she is unwavering in her kindness to Cassio through no fault of her own her independent spirit and goodness are used against her by Iago in his plot to ruin othello yet her actions on her deathbed are curious she's ready to take the blame for her own death and meets her death passively these contradictions suggest that Desdemona's idea of a life of romantic adventure is a dangerous fantasy cassio michael cassio has recently been appointed as a fellow second-in-command much to the chagrin of Iago Cassio's flaws opened him up to exploitation by Iago who seeks revenge for this appointment he's also a flirt who tends to characterize women as Madonna's Desdemona or Bianca Roderigo in love with Desdemona Roderigo is wealthy and foolish he provides a steady flow of income to Iago who has promised to help Roderigo woo Desdemona his desperation makes him susceptible to Iago's manipulations and Iago convinces Roderigo to help kill Cassio who has been positioned by Iago as a rival suitor for Desdemona in the end Iago kills Roderigo [Music] let's review the main symbols in a fellow handkerchief Desdemona's handkerchief given to her as a gift from Othello is a potent symbol of love and trust originally it had been Othello's mothers and his gift of it - Desdemona shows his love for her a fellow even explains to Desdemona that the handkerchief allowed his mother to make her husband faithful in their marriage the handkerchief then represents fidelity because othello sees great symbolic importance in the handkerchief Iago has good reason to use it for his own nefarious purposes when Desdemona accidentally loses it Emilia gives it to Iago who controls its symbolism he plants it on Cassio and leads a fellow to interpret it as a symbol of unfaithfulness and betrayal and so a fellow is completely undone by the loss of the handkerchief because it represents the loss of Desdemona he crumbles into incoherent shouts of the handkerchief as he is overwhelmed by Iago sli's willow tree as Desdemona and Emilia prepare for bed Desdemona shares a song of willow in Shakespeare's plays willow trees are often associated with the death of women in Hamlet Ophelia slips into the stream in which she drowns near a willow tree after being abandoned by Hamlet the willow tree is here a symbol of Desdemona sadness and emotion over her lost love foreshadowing the impending death of this love as well as Desdemona's own physical death here increasingly abandoned by othello his faith in her broken Desdemona sings let nobody blame him his scorn I approve Desdemona though innocent tries to accept the blame for her own death in addition the topic of infidelity provides Desdemona a chance to express her belief that nothing even Othello's betrayal could make her unfaithful to Othello the color green Iago tells othello to beware of jealousy because it is the green-eyed monster which doth Mock the meat it feeds on green symbolizes the jealousy that will ultimately undo a fellow's marriage sanity and life Iago also uses plant images to explain his own role in the action of the play he sees the will of a person as the gardener of the body our bodies are our gardens to which our wills our gardeners let's review the main themes in a fellow love love is a powerful force in the lives of Desdemona and a fellow whose secret marriage is the spark that ignites the plot a great deal of time is spent as a fellow explains to the Duke of Venice and to Brabantio how Desdemona came to love him by his stories Desdemona is utterly devoted to a fellow even to the point of wanting to take the blame when he murders her rather than have him suffer yet a fellow's love for Desdemona proves to be his undoing as it causes him to be easily manipulated by Yago who sees it as a point of weakness in a fellow's otherwise strict military demeanor the two couples Othello and Desdemona Iago and Amelia have very different relationships a fellow and Desdemona have a romantic relationship that is perhaps too good to last in contrast Iago and Amelia's relationship is plagued by mistrust and misogyny betrayal trust and betrayal are features of nearly every relationship in a fellow Iago is a trusted officer advisor and friend and his position of trust allows him the opportunity to manipulate others a fellow and trusts Iago with important correspondence and never questions his intent Roderigo confides to Iago his love for Desdemona and accepts his help Cassio takes Iago's advice willingly and even Desdemona seeks out his advice when a fellow seems to be acting strangely Iago betrays all this trust in spectacular fashion trust between othello and desdemona is also an important feature of the play as the play begins a fellow unquestioningly accepts Desdemona's love and fidelity he's convinced of it and it gives him confidence and security she in turn trusts him utterly yet due to Iago's manipulations othello loses trust in Desdemona and ultimately a fellow betrays desdemona struts by murdering her honor honor is a driving force in the lives of the men of a fellow Iago appeals to Brabantio sense of being dishonored by his daughter's elopement and sparks outrage in Roderigo by suggesting that it's unfair for Desdemona to have married a fellow although in Janos own motivation for his villainous actions is murky at best he does suggest his plot against Othello is motivated by Cassio's promotion as well as the rumor Emilia cheated on him with a fellow Cassio after getting into a drunken brawl bemoans the loss of his reputation moreso than the loss of his rank this provides Iago with the leverage he needs to manipulate Cassio and make him a key part of the plot to destroy a fellow Athos honor is wounded by the idea that Desdemona might be unfaithful leading him to murder let's review the main motifs in a fellow darkness and light Iago often hides in darkness to prevent people from knowing his identity he stays out of sight in the wee hours of the morning as he and Roderigo goad Brabantio about Desdemona's elopement he hides in shadows while Cassio and Roderigo confront each other using the darkness as cover as he deals blows to both sides of the fight a fellow enters Desdemona's bedchamber by the light of a candle and uses the light as a metaphor for her life which he plans to snuff out as he would a candle Desdemona's and Othello's contrasting skin colors are also illustrated through the text Desdemona is called a white you and fair Desdemona while Othello was referred to as a black RAM and black Othello in addition the contrast of Othello's dark skin and Iago's light skin brings situational irony to the portrayals in the play despite conventional associations of dark with evil and light with good Iago the light-skinned one not the moor othello plays the devil which undercuts racial stereotyping of the day as the devil figure in the play Iago frequently uses beasts and demon imagery to extend the negative associations with blackness he uses to manipulate the plays racial tensions in the plays opening he suggests to Brabantio that othello and desdemona are making the beast with two backs and calls a fellow an old black RAM these beasts references are like a virus and careful readers can track the moments in which the contagion is passed to others Cassio after getting drunk at Iago's encouragement declares he is by and by a fool and presently a beast and when Iago plants the seed of suspicion in a fellow's mind a fellow too begins to use animal and hell references goats and monkeys he exclaims to Lodovico after he learns he's been recalled back to Venice when Amelia finds out Iago has used her she declares in the final scene that she will play the Swan you