Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries
Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian
William Shakespeare's Othello is a tragic play about the title character, "the Moor," who at the start of the play has recently married Desdemona, the white daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian senator. Although Othello has proved himself worthy to be general of the Venetian military, marrying into an upper-crust family is another matter altogether. Thrown into the mix is a jealous assistant, Iago, who Othello passed over for a promotion in favor of Cassio. To get revenge on both Cassio and Othello, Iago conceives a plot to convince Othello that his wife is having an affair with Cassio. The result is typically Shakespearean, as bloodshed and tragedy ensue.
