![]() ![]() Iago’s initial plot peters out here because Brabantio has always respected Othello. Desdemona is summoned, and she confirms this to be true. The play opens with a furor that is created when Desdemona’s father (Brabantio) is informed by Iago (and Rodrigo) that Desdemona has been “making the beast with two backs” with Othello (still one of my favorite euphemisms for intercourse.) In the court of the Duke, Othello is accused of defiling Desdemona, but the Moor claims that he and Desdemona are legally wed, having eloped and married. ![]() In fact, it could be argued that Othello’s virtuous nature blinds him Iago’s duplicity. Unlike Ford from “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” Othello isn’t particularly jealous by nature, but he’s masterfully manipulated by one of Shakespeare’s most famously treacherous villains, Iago. Othello is a Moorish military commander, well regarded for his prowess in battle. “Othello” is Shakespeare’s tragic take on a plot device he uses in comedies such as “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” “Cymbeline,” and “The Winter’s Tale.” It’s the story of a jealous husband who falsely accuses his virtuous wife of infidelity. ![]()
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