Othello Characters

Othello: This is main character in the play. He is a Moorish General and head of

the army of Venice. He is a warrior, honest, and loves his new wife, Desdemona

very much. His one flaw is that he trusts his ensign, Iago too much and allows

Iago to corrupt him. Iago cons him into believing his wife is cheating on him,

and he kills her for it. When he realises she was not cheating, he commits

suicide in anguish. Iago: He is Othello’s ensign, and the main villian in the

play. He hoped to be promoted to the position of lieutanent, but Othello chose

Cassio over him. To get revenge, he hatches a plot to convince Othello that

Cassio and Desdemona, Othello’s wife are having an affair. He is truly evil, and

cares only about himself. Desdemona: She is the wife of Othello, and the

daughter to the Venetian senator, Brabantio. Against her father’s wishes, she

married Othello, a man of a different race. For that, her father disowned her.

Due to Iago’s deeds, Othello ends up killing her. She is deeply in love with

Othello, and her last words are in his support. Cassio: He is Othello’s

lieutanent, and was chosen of the veteran soldier Iago for the position. He is a

young and handsome Florentine, and a ladies man. He ends up getting drunk and

wounding Montano, Governor of Cyprus. This causes him to dismissed from his

post. He manages to avoid being killed in a plot by Iago. Near the end, he is

appointed Governor of Cyprus. Lee’s Analysis Emilia: She is the wife of Iago,

and is loud and cynical-especially about men. This is because of years of living

with the sexist Iago. Even though she does not hold her husband with high

regards, she does not suspect him of plotting out his elaborate schemes. She

dies at her husband’s hand after disclosing the truth about Desdemona’s

fidelity. Roderigo: A rich and gullible Venetian who is in love with Desdemona.

He pays Iago to arrange for he and Desdemona to get together. After a failed

attempt to murder Cassio, he is killed by Iago. The Duke: The ruler of Venice.

He sends Othello to Cyprus, and tries to settle the dispute between Brabantio

and Othello. Brabantio: A Venetian senator and father to Desdemona. He opposes

the marriage of his daughter and Desdemona. Montano: Governor of Cyprus, who is

wounded when by Cassio when he gets drunk. Bianca: Cassio’s mistress. Lodovico

and Gratiano: Venetian gentlemen and kinsmen to Brabantio.