Othello

• a general in the Venetian defense forces, originally from Africa
• courageous, intelligent, experienced in warfare and respected by his troops
• although he is confident in military matters, he is socially insecure and is both outsider and insider
  
  • he is different due to his origins and his life story, but has the same religion, values and patriotism to Venice as the people around him
  • his race is a constant reminder that even though he lives among Venetians, he still isn‘t really one of them
  • the fact that he is often called "The Moor" emphasizes that (the other figures go by their name)
  • he is skilled and triumphant at battle, but hesitant and reluctant when telling Desdemona his life story
  • his inexperience in managing love and marriage undermine his confidence which is why it is easy for Iago to manipulate Othello and drive him into jealousy
• his life is at its peak: he is triumphant in war and in love
• Othello himself drops hints towards his mental instability and insecurity
  
  • love puts order, peace and happiness into his mental world
  • without it, his world would erupt in chaos
  • since he believes that Desdemona‘s love is too good to be true, he thinks that she loves another man
  • actually, he is just waiting for his dream to come to an end (self-fulfilling prophecy)
  • Othello hides his insecurities behind his military demeanour; when Iago destroys that and exposes his fears, Othello‘s outer calm vanishes and his fears, desires and his violence are exposed
  • Othello cannot stand uncertainty, it drives him to destroy his sanity and every reason is eliminated

Desdemona

• daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio
• secretly married to Othello
• stereotypically pure and meek, Desdemona is also determined and self-possessed
• the most direct and honest speaker in the play
• convinced of herself and of her authority (when she talks to her father about her secret marriage / when she says that she has not deserved Othello striking her)
• at times, she is submissive but also bold and independent
  
  • she is willing to take credit for her own murder
  • she is a modest and faithful wife
  • has to defend her marriage in front of her father and shortly afterwards, she has to defend her fidelity to her husband
  • Othello feels the urge to stifle Desdemona‘s independence by suffocating her

Iago

• the play‘s main antagonist, and Othello‘s standard-bearer
• hates Othello and devises a plan to destroy him by making him believe that his wife is having an affair with Othello‘s lieutenant Cassio
• sinister villain because Othello fully trusts him while Iago betrays him and while he maintains his reputation for honesty and dedication
• Machiavellian schemer and manipulator: often referred to as honest, displays his skill at deceiving other characters - they trust him and do not suspect him
  
  • is considered as direct, but invents lies to manipulate people and treat them as fools
  • is married to Emilia, but is not a loving husband or shows emotions
  • doesn‘t care about anyone, but plots to eliminate several people in his life to take revenge
  • in conclusion, he acts against his reputation
• Iago is the typical portrayal of the medieval and Renaissance devil
  
  • constantly lies, makes promises he does not intend to keep
  • tells stories in order to trap people and lead them to their downfall
  • knows other people‘s greatest vulnerabilities and weaknesses and uses them to destroy the people
  • Iago has no real motivation behind his intentions, he schemes just for love of evil
• as the plot gets out of control, Iago needs to take more risks in order to achieve his goals
  
  • his obsession for control and power over others makes him destroy his own wife Emilia, Desdemona, Roderigo and himself as well - just to destroy Othello
  • ironic: Cassio, whom Iago failed to kill, is the only important character still alive at the end of the play

Michael Cassio

• gentlemanly soldier and Othello‘s lieutenant
• no practical knowledge of battle, is inexperienced but still promoted to chief lieutenant by Othello
• his high position is resented by Iago
• is ashamed after Othello sees him being involved in drunken brawl and loses his position as lieutenant
• he is used by Iago to manipulate Othello into thinking that Cassio has an affair with Desdemona

Roderigo

• young, rich and foolish Venetian nobleman and suitor of Desdemona
• asks Iago for help in winning Desdemona over, gives all his money and jewels to Iago as payment for his help
• repeatedly frustrated: learns that Desdemona is married to Othello, follows them to Cyprus, is supposed to kill Cassio because he is another rival for Desdemona
• his foolishness gets him killed in the end

Emilia

• Iago‘s wife and Desdemona‘s maid
• intelligent and resilient, yet follows Iago in wifely duty (rather ambivalent character)
• very loyal to Desdemona and ultimately reveals Iago‘s lies to defend Desdemona‘s reputation
• has little regard for men but supports her husband in almost everything
• at the end, he abandons her loyalty to Iago and attacks him verbally
• Iago kills her so she can‘t reveal all of his intentions and plots

Bianca

• a prostitute in Cyprus
• often visited by Cassio, her favourite customer, who also teases her with promises of marriage
• skilled in needlework and agrees to copy the handkerchief that Cassio gives her (throws it back at him, believing it is the token of his new love)

Brabantio

• Desdemona‘s father and Venetian senator
• deems himself very important
• a friend and supporter of Othello, feels betrayed when Othello secretly marries his daughter

Lodovico

• a kinsman of Brabantio, also Desdemona‘s cousin
• functions as a messenger from Venice to Cyprus

Montano

• the governor of Cyprus before Othello

Gratiano

• Brabantio‘s brother who accompanies Lodovico to Cyprus
• he mentions in the final scene that Desdemona‘s father Brabantio has died

Duke of Venice

• he respects Othello as a public and military servant
• urges Brabantio to accept his daughter‘s marriage in the first Act
• appoints Othello to lead the forces defending Venice against the Turkish attack on Cyprus

Clown

• Othello‘s servant
• appears only twice (in the first and last scenes of Act III) and delivers a total of fourteen lines
• helps emphasize for the audience that they can enjoy a moment of levity as dire plot points hang in the balance
• seems to be indirectly warning Desdemona of the doom that dishonesty will bring her by repeating the word "lie" five times