Book Club Guide

Othello

by William Shakespeare · 1603 · Classics

Key themes

Jealousy as a disease of the imagination
Iago's malice and the question of motivation
Race, performance and self-definition in a hostile world

About this book

A Moorish general in Venice is destroyed by the malice of his ensign Iago, who poisons his mind against his wife Desdemona with fabricated evidence of infidelity. Shakespeare's study of jealousy, race, manipulation and self-destruction is among the most psychologically disturbing of his plays.

Written around 1603, Othello is unusual among Shakespeare's tragedies in its domestic scale and racial specificity. It has generated more controversy about racism in the Shakespeare canon than any other play.

Discussion questions

Iago says he has reasons for destroying Othello, but his reasons are inconsistent and possibly invented. What is Shakespeare suggesting about the nature of evil — does it need justification, or is it simply an appetite?
Othello believes Iago and disbelieves Desdemona despite all the evidence. What does the play say about why a man might prefer to believe he is betrayed rather than trust the woman who loves him?
Othello's race is explicitly marked throughout. How does the play use Othello's status as an outsider — is it sympathetic, complicated, or does the play ultimately capitulate to the prejudices it depicts?
Desdemona maintains her love for Othello even as he kills her. How do you read this — as the play's deepest statement about loyalty and love, or as a troubling model of victimhood?
Iago is one of literature's most charismatic villains. What makes him so compelling to read — and how does Shakespeare prevent us from simply enjoying his manipulation?