Othello is the protagonist of the tragedy. He is a black man from Africa who has gained the position of a general in the Venetian Army due to his skills. He is very confident as he is aware of how crucial he is for the Venetian forces.

• “Let him do his spite: My services which I have done the signiory, shall out-tongue his complaints.” (Act I; Scene 2: line 17-20)

However, Othello is very insecure about his ethnicity, his age and his skin colour. He is often defensive, and points out his weaknesses by saying:

• “Rude am I in my speech, And little bless’d with the soft phrase of peace:…” (Act I; Scene 3: line 81-82)

He is, to some extent, accepted in the Venetian society. Brabantio often invites Othello to his house and the Duke trusts Othello to win the war and to deal with the politics in Cyprus.

At first, Othello is sure that his wife is not deceiving him, but he also cannot believe that Iago is lying, as he believes him to be an honest man.

• “No, not much moved: I do not think but Desdemona’s honest” (Act III; Scene 3: line 224-226)

• “I think my wife be honest and think she is not; I think that thou art just and think thou art not.” (Act III; Scene 3: line 384-386)

In the end, he is manipulated by Iago to such an extent that he plans to kill Desdemona even though he still loves her.

• “Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night; for she shall not live: no, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature: she might lie by an emperor’s side and command him tasks.” (Act IV; Scene 1: line 183-187)

He even wishes that Desdemona would not exist because he is still in love with her, but also devastated by her alleged betrayal.

• “…Who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet that the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne’er been born” (Act IV; Scene 2: line 67-69)

Iago is the villain of the tragedy. He is Othello´s ensign. Iago is very confident about his work in the army.

• “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place…[…] (Act I; Scene I: line 11-29), (place=the position of a lieutenant)

He secretly hates Othello because Othello did not consider him for the role of lieutenant and decided on Cassio instead.

He is very manipulative. The whole tragedy unfolds based on his successful plotting. His intelligence can be seen in his thorough planning, his intimate knowledge of people’s weaknesses and insecurities and his skill of deception. He knows how to gain Othello’s trust in order to deceive him.

• "In following him, I follow but myself…” (Act I; Scene I: line 56) → him = Othello

Only by hiding his intentions and by keeping up his good reputation as an “honest man”, can he eventually mislead everyone. However, he informs the audience early on in the beginning about his plan.

• “The better shall my purpose work on him. Cassio’s a proper man: let me see now: To get his place and to plume up my will in double knavery—How, how? Let’s see:— After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear that he is too familiar with his wife. He hath a person and a smooth dispose. To be suspected, framed to make women false. The Moor is of a free and open nature, That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, And will as tenderly be led by the nose” (Act I; Scene 3: line 394-404).

• "Or failing so, yet that I put the Moor At least into a jealousy so strong That judgment cannot cure. Which thing to do, if this poor trash of Venice, whom I trash for his quick hunting, stand the putting on, I’ll have our Michael Cassio on the hip, abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb — For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too — Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me.” (Act II; Scene 1: line 290-312)

He wants to manipulate Othello to get his revenge and to take what he sees as his rightful position. Iago is racist towards black people. He believes that “Moors”, as he calls them, are very naive and have less determination than others.

• “…These Moors are changeable in their wills” (Act I; Scene 3: line 349 and 352)

He can also be seen as sexist. Iago believes women to be false and that one cannot trust them. In his opinion, women behave well outside; however, when they are at home, they are “wild-cats”, which means they behave badly. According to him, they act as if they were innocent but often injure people. He compares them to the devil.

• “Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, housewives players in your housewifery, and in your beds.” (Act II; Scene 1: line 108-113)

Iago says women do not take their responsibilities seriously and goes as far as to say that all women are prostitutes, as they “go to bed to work”.

• “Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk: You rise to play and go to bed to work.” (Act II; Scene 1: line 114-115) => Here he says that they only “play”

However, he knows that women can be clever and intelligent because they are able to influence men. Based on this knowledge, he starts his plotting. By making Cassio plead to Desdemona to influence Othello, Iago can infuse jealousy in Othello.

• “You or any man living may be drunk at some time, man. I’ll tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife is now the general…[…]…Confess yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in your place again.” (Act II; Scene 3: line 313-320)

Iago is extremely cunning as he lets others do all the work (Roderigo, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia). He himself only gives ambiguous messages and advice to Othello. This leads Othello to come to the conclusion that Desdemona is not faithful to him. Furthermore, Iago absolves himself of any responsibility of being the villain as he declares that he only gives advice, never directly forces anyone’s behaviour. His strategy is to clear himself of all blame and to keep the option open that all he did was give bad advice. However, he knows the weight of words and misunderstandings.

• “And what’s he then that says I play the villain? When this advice is free I give and honest…[…]…Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes and she for him pleads strongly to the Moor, I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear, that she repeals him for her body’s lust;” (Act II; Scene 3: line 337-358)

He is a hypocrite, who does not follow his own advice.

• “Men should be what they seem” (Act III; Scene 3: line 127)

Iago gives Othello advice to not be jealous, while constantly sparking his jealousy.

• “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But, O, what damnèd minutes tells he o’er who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!” (Act III; Scene 3: line 165-171)

Desdemona is the daughter of Brabantio. She fell in love with Othello because of his adventurous stories. She secretly marries Othello. Desdemona takes an example from her mother and considers her husband to be more important than her father.

• "I am your daughter: but here’s my husband, and so much duty as my mother show’d To you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor my lord.” (Act I; Scene 3: line 180-189)

Desdemona has a sense of justice and tries to convince Othello that Cassio should get his position back. By always talking about Cassio, she sparks Othello´s jealousy. She is unaware of this as she believes that Othello is not a jealous person.

• “I’ll intermingle every thing he does with Cassio’s suit…” (Act III; Scene 3: line 26)

• “…but my noble Moor Is true of mind and made of no such baseness as jealous creatures are, it were enough to put him to ill thinking.” (Act III; Scene 4: line 26-29)

She is a selfless person and truly loves Othello. Even as Othello kills her, she tries to hide this fact with her last words. She says that she killed herself and tries to clear him of all blame.

• “Nobody; I myself. Farewell! Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell” (Act V; Scene 2: line 123-124)

Cassio is Othello´s lieutenant. He is described by the other characters to be a young and handsome man. He is very loyal to Othello.

• “My hopes do shape him for the governor” (Act II; Scene 1: line 55) & “[…] My general will forget my love and service.” (Act III; Scene 3: line 18)

After he starts a fight in a drunken state (planned by Iago), he is very concerned about his reputation.

• “Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal art of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!” (Act II; Scene 3: line 262-264)

He deceives Bianca, who is a prostitute, into believing that he will marry her.

Emilia is the wife of Iago. She goes to Cyprus to assist Desdemona. Emilia is unaware of Iago´s plan. On Iago’s asking, she brings him Desdemona´s handkerchief even though she knows how much it means to Desdemona.

• “I am glad I have found this napkin: This was her first remembrance from the Moor: My wayward husband hath a hundred times woo’d me to steal it; but she so loves the token, for he conjured her she should ever keep it, that she reserves it evermore about her to kiss and talk to. I’ll have the work ta’en out, and give’t Iago: what he will do with it heaven knows, not I; I nothing but to please his fantasy” (Act III; Scene 3: line 290-300)

Emilia’s and Desdemona´s ideas of men and marriage contrast starkly. Emilia has quite a negative view of men as she believes that they only use women for their own purposes.

• “Tis not a year or two shows us a man: They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; they eat us hungerly, and when they are full, they belch us...” (Act III; Scene 4: line 103-106)

She is also very intelligent. Emilia understands early in the beginning that Othello seems jealous. She also says that this could be the plan of a villain.

• “But jealous souls will not be answer’d so; they are not ever jealous for the cause, but jealous for they are jealous: ’tis a monster begot upon itself, born on itself” (Act III; Scene 4: line 159-162) => she tells Desdemona that jealousy is highly irrational

• “…The Moor’s abused by some most villainous knave, notorious scurvy some base knave, some fellow…” (Act IV; Scene 2: line 140-141)

Brabantio is Desdemona´s father. He believes that Othello must have bewitched Desdemona into marrying him. When he learns that Desdemona actually secretly married Othello, he warns Othello and says that Desdemona cannot be trusted. He tells him that someone who can deceive her father can also deceive her husband. With this warning, he lays the foundation for Othello´s future distrust.

• “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father, and may thee.” (Act I; Scene 3: line 192-194)