Othello: Character Studies

Columbia Critical Guides

by Nicholas Potter

Othello is a major Shakespearean text, studied widely and often adapted for film and TV and is especially challenging for a multicultural society. Othello lends itself to criticism through discussion of the major characters although this study will also focus on recent criticism's analysis of the characters as 'signifiers'. The study of the key characters takes the discussion of the text immediately into the central issues of 'otherness', gender, race and power. The guide includes: an introductory overview of the text, including a brief discussion of the background to the play and its publishing and reception history; an overview of the narrative structure; chapters discussing in detail the representation of the key characters including Othello, Iago and Desdemona as well as the more minor characters; a conclusion reminding students of the links between the characters and the key themes and issues, and a guide to further reading.

152 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Eleni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the early chapters on Iago (not Desdemona, Othello, or the minor characters). Potter reads Iago through various positions/critics and approaches: e.g. Romantic, particularly Coleridge's, Freudian, Marxist, etc. It definitely got me thinking about the character in other ways than as "evil" or as "motivated" by desire for preferment or sexual jealousy - which is what I wanted to do.