What does the word Othello mean?

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Definition of Othello. : a Moor in the military service of Venice, husband of Desdemona, and protagonist of Shakespeare's tragedy Othello.



In this regard, what is the meaning of the name Othello?

The name Othello is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "he has the sound of God".

Subsequently, question is, how do you say Othello? Here are 4 tips that should help you perfect your pronunciation of 'othello':
  1. Break 'othello' down into sounds: [UH] + [THEL] + [OH] - say it out loud and exaggerate the sounds until you can consistently produce them.
  2. Record yourself saying 'othello' in full sentences, then watch yourself and listen.

Herein, where does the word Othello come from?

The character's origin is traced to the tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor. Othello is a brave and competent soldier of advanced years and Moorish background in the service of the Venetian Republic.

Why did Othello kill his wife?

Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife Desdemona is unfaithful, stirring Othello's jealousy. Othello allows jealousy to consume him, murders Desdemona, and then kills himself.

26 Related Question Answers Found

What is Otto short for?

Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants Audo, Odo, Udo) of Germanic names beginning in aud-, an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded from the 7th century (Odo, son of Uro, courtier of Sigebert III).

What does Iago call Othello?

Iago portrays Desdemona as lustful, desperate to trade Othello for a more refined Cassio. Iago refers to Othello not by his name but as 'the Moor', calling him 'the devil' (2.1. 216) and 'defective' (2.1. 220), a racist portrayal which makes Desdemona's unfaithfulness more believable to Roderigo.

What is the summary of Othello?

Othello. The story of an African general in the Venetian army who is tricked into suspecting his wife of adultery, Othello is a tragedy of sexual jealousy. First performed around 1604, the play is also a pioneering exploration of racial prejudice.

Was Othello real?

Othello (The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603. It is based on the story Un Capitano Moro ("A Moorish Captain") by Cinthio (a disciple of Boccaccio's), first published in 1565.

What does Othello say before he kills himself?


Iago has been so successful that Othello feels compelled to kill himself, explaining that “I kissed thee ere I killed thee—no way but this, Killing myself to die upon a kiss” (5.2.).

Who loves Desdemona in Othello?

Shakespeare's Desdemona is a Venetian beauty who enrages and disappoints her father, a Venetian senator, when she elopes with Othello, a Moorish man several years her senior. When her husband is deployed to Cyprus in the service of the Republic of Venice, Desdemona accompanies him.

Was Iago jealous of Othello?

Iago becomes jealous to Cassio and plans to destroy the relation between Othello and Cassio in any way it is pos- sible. He uses Roderigo, a rejected suitor to Desdemona and Emilia, the innocent wife of Iago in his evil plot.

Who is Cassio in Othello?

Cassio is a young and inexperienced soldier, whose high position is much resented by Iago. Truly devoted to Othello, Cassio is extremely ashamed after being implicated in a drunken brawl on Cyprus and losing his place as lieutenant.

How does Othello kill Desdemona?


Holding a candle, Othello stands over the sleeping Desdemona and prepares to kill her. He bends down to kiss her once before he does the deed, she wakes, and he tells her to prepare to die. Othello asks if Cassio has been killed as well, and Emilia informs him that Cassio is alive.

Who is Brabantio in Othello?

Brabantio (sometimes called Brabanzio) is a character in William Shakespeare's Othello (c. 1601–1604). He is a Venetian senator and the father of Desdemona. He has entertained Othello in his home countless times before the play opens, thus giving Othello and Desdemona opportunity to fall in love.

Why does Othello go to Cyprus?

The duke gives Othello the chance to speak for himself. Othello admits that he married Desdemona, but he denies having used magic to woo her and claims that Desdemona will support his story. The duke decides that Othello must go to Cyprus to defend the island from the Turks.

Who published Othello?

Othello, in full Othello, the Moor of Venice, tragedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, written in 1603–04 and published in 1622 in a quarto edition from a transcript of an authorial manuscript.

Who killed Emilia in Othello?

Emilia having heard from Othello that Iago told him of Desdemona "cheating" on him with Cassio, accuses him of gross dishonesty leading to an unjust murder. When she hears about the handkerchief, she reveals her role and Iago threatens and then kills her at the first opportunity.

What happens to Bianca in Othello?


In Othello's eyes, her apparent jealousy confirms his wife's infidelity. This "evidence" completes Iago's manufactured case against Desdemona, and thereafter Othello is determined to murder both her and Cassio. In 5.1, Bianca arrives just after Cassio has been stabbed by Iago. She reacts with horror and concern.

What are Desdemona's last words?

In response to Emilia's question, “O, who hath done this deed?” Desdemona's final words are, “Nobody, I myself. Farewell. / Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell” (V. ii.

Why Desdemona fell in love with Othello?

Othello and Desdemona's romance. Before the audience meets Desdemona, it learns a few key things about her: she spends her time doing household chores, she pities and loves Othello for his bravery and for overcoming servitude and battle and she willingly defied her father's will by running away with Othello.