Othello - The play’s leading man is a Christian Moor and general of the armies of Venice. Othello is an eloquent and physically powerful figure, respected by all those around him. In spite of his elevated status, he is nevertheless easy prey to insecurities because of his age, his life as a soldier, and his race. He possesses a “free and open nature,” which his pennant, Iago uses to twist his love for his wife, Desdemona, into a powerful and destructive jealousy. At the end he murders his beloved and himself for being a fool to a destructive accusation.
Desdemona - The daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio. Desdemona and Othello are secretly married before the play begins. While in many ways stereotypically pure and modest, Desdemona is also determined and self-possessed. She is equally capable of defending her marriage, jesting bawdily with Iago, and responding with dignity to Othello’s incomprehensible jealousy. Eventually gets murder by her husband because of his unjustified jealousy.
Iago - Othello’s pennant (a job also known as an ancient or standard-bearer), and the villain of the play. Iago is twenty-eight years old. While his ostensible reason for desiring Othello’s demise is that he has been passed over for promotion to lieutenant, Iago’s motivations are never very clearly expressed and seem to originate in an obsessive, almost aesthetic delight in manipulation and destruction.
Michael Cassio - Othello’s lieutenant. 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. Iago uses Cassio’s youth, good looks, and friendship with Desdemona to play on Othello’s insecurities about Desdemona’s fidelity. Iago stabs him in an attempt to kill him for Othello on false accusation of being Desdemona’s lover. Later becomes leader of Cyprus and is to punish Iago for his villainy.
Emilia - Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s attendant. A cynical, worldly woman, she is deeply attached to her mistress and distrustful of her husband. At the end gets killed by her husband for speaking the truth
Roderigo - A venetian nobleman who is a jealous suitor of Desdemona. Young and rich, he foolishly, gives Iago money to help him win Desdemona’s hand. Gets himself killed by Iago when he desperately agrees to help Iago kill Cassio because he believed Cassio is in pursuit of Desdemona after following her to Cyprus with encouragement from Iago.
Bianca - A courtesan, or prostitute, in Cyprus. Bianca loves Cassio, who teases her with promises of marriage. Iago arrest her on false allegation on conspiring with Roderigo to kill Cassio
Brabantio - A Venetian senator and Desdemona’s father, a somewhat blustering and arrogant senator. He dislikes Othello for marrying his daughter in secret.
Duke of Venice - The official authority in Venice, the duke has great respect for Othello as a public and military servant. He overrules Brabantio accusation of Othello using magic to charm Desdemona, his daughter into loving him. He sends Othello to capture Cyprus in war.
Montano - The former governor of Cyprus. We see him first in Act II, as he recounts the status of the war and awaits the Venetian ships also he is the when to capture Iago when he tried to flee.
Lodovico - Venetian ambassador, acts as a messenger from Venice to Cyprus. He arrives in Cyprus in Act IV with letters announcing that Othello has been replaced by Cassio as governor and witness the chaotic event the enfold at end of the play.
Graziano - brother of Brabantio, accompanies Lodovico to Cyprus. Lodovico rewards him of Othello assets and mentions the news of Desdemona’s father death.
By Abigail
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