1. Othello: A christian moor who is the play’s main protagonist, he is also general of the armies in Venice. Othello is a kind, friendly man, but is not very trusting of people. Othello is married to Desdemona. Othello is friend with Cassio (until the affair rumour), Iago (not really but he thinks they are until the end), and I guess, less so, The Duke and Montano. Othello is enemies with Cassio (during affair rumours), Iago (when he finds out the truth) and Brabantio (for seducing his daughter). Othello kills Desdemona because he thought she cheated and himself because he was guilty of killing Desdemona.
1.1. Iago
1.1.1. Iago is his ensign, and a good council... in his mind...
1.2. Desdemona
1.2.1. She is his wife
1.2.2. He kills her because he thinks she is cheating on him
1.2.3. Othello convinces himself to kill Desdemona "It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul. Let me not name it to you, the stars. It is the cause. Yet I'll not shed her blood, Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light." (5.2.1-7)
1.2.4. He kills himself because he is ashamed of killing his wife "I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this,Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. (5.2.375-376)
1.3. Duke
1.3.1. Duke summons Othello to send him off to defend the island of Cyprus
1.3.2. Convinces Brabantio that Othello and Desdemona are in love.
1.4. Montano
1.4.1. Montano was the governor of Cyprus before Othello
1.5. Roderigo
1.6. Cassio
1.6.1. Cassio was his loyal lieutenant
1.6.2. He lost his position when he got drunk and fought Roderigo
1.6.3. Desdemona wanted Othello to reinstate Cassio
1.6.4. Othello thought Cassio was having an affair with his wife and wanted him dead
1.7. Bianca
1.8. Emilia
1.9. Brabantio
1.9.1. He was the father of his wife, who seemed to not approve of their marriage
2. Desdemona: She is Othello's wife and daughter of the powerful Brabantio. Desdemona is caring and selfless but can also be a little manipulative. She is very naive thinking that no woman could be unfaithful but her friend, Emilia thinks otherwise. Desdemona attracts many hearts including Roderigo and Othello. She is thought to be having an affair with Cassio but that turned out not to be true. She is killed by Othello when he gets angry at her "affair" but she doesn't tell anybody Othello killed her.
2.1. Othello
2.1.1. Married to Othello
2.1.2. Desdemona tells the Duke she loves Othello and defends him "And so much duty that my mother showed To you, preferring you before her father, So much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my lord." (1.3.213-218)
2.1.3. Gets killed by Othello
2.1.4. Othello thinks she is having an affair with Cassio and doesn't trust her in the slightest
2.1.5. Desdemona wouldn't say Othello killed her because she loved him even after he killed her.
2.1.6. Othello commits suicide for many reasons (most of which include Desdemona).
2.2. Iago
2.3. Duke
2.3.1. The Duke convinces Brabantio, Desdemona's father, that her and Othello are in love
2.3.2. He sends them to Cyprus.
2.4. Montano
2.5. Roderigo
2.5.1. Roderigo loves Desdemona
2.6. Cassio
2.6.1. Cassio is her friend and she tries to get him reinstated
2.6.2. This just makes Othello more angry and suspicious of her relationship with Cassio.
2.6.3. Cassio tells Bianca to copy Desdemona's handkerchief.
2.7. Bianca
2.8. Emilia
2.8.1. Emilia is her attendant and friend
2.8.2. She refuses to tell Emilia that Othello killed her.
2.9. Brabantio
2.9.1. Brabantio is her father, from whom she runs away to marry Othello
2.9.2. Brabantio doesn't believe that she could love a moor and thinks she was seduced by witchcraft.
3. Roderigo: He is young character who is rich and uses his money to buy love. Roderigo's main part in the play is getting into a fight with drunken Cassio, and attacking Cassio, both times being advised by Iago. He is pretty much just Iago's pawn because he thinks Iago is his best chance at winning Desdemona's heart.
3.1. Othello
3.1.1. He hates Othello for stealing his love from him
3.2. Iago
3.2.1. He pays Iago for intel on Desdemona
3.2.2. He trusts Iago for intel even thought Iago just pockets the money and does what he wants.
3.2.3. Iago convinces him to follow Desdemona to Cyprus and win her love.
3.2.4. Iago is the reason he fights Cassio TWICE and...
3.2.5. Iago is the one who kills Roderigo in the end
3.3. Desdemona
3.3.1. He loves Desdemona
3.4. Duke
3.5. Montano
3.6. Cassio
3.6.1. He fought with Cassio when he was drunk
3.6.2. He went to go kill Cassio but Cassio fought back and wounded Roderigo, only for Iago to come kill him
3.7. Bianca
3.8. Emilia
3.9. Brabantio
3.9.1. Roderigo is with Iago when they tell Brabantio about his missing daughter.
4. The Duke: Official authoritative figure in Venice who sends Othello to Cyprus. The Duke is very wise and smart. He talks to Othello and Desdemona to see if they are in love when Brabantio asked him to punish Othello for using "magic" to seduce his daughter. He also sent Othello to Cyprus to fend off the Turkish Fleet.
4.1. Othello
4.1.1. Duke summons Othello to send him off to defend the island of Cyprus from the Turkish.
4.1.2. He covinced Brabantio that Othello and Desdemona are in love.
4.1.3. He is responsible for Othello bing recalled from Cyprus.
4.2. Iago
4.3. Desdemona
4.3.1. He convinces Brabantio that Desdemona and Othello are in love with each other by letting everybody tell their sides of the story.
4.4. Montano
4.5. Roderigo
4.6. Cassio
4.6.1. He is responsible for Cassio becoming "Governor of Cyprus" replacing Othello.
4.7. Bianca
4.8. Emilia
4.9. Brabantio
4.9.1. Brabantio tries to get The Duke to punish Othello for seducing his daughter with "magic" but he says no.
5. Montano: Governor of Cyprus before Othello. Montano seems to be a powerful man that cares for his people, but there is not much background on his personality. He is stabbed by Cassio when Cassio was drunk and was the main reason Cassio was demoted, which is the main reason Cassio talked to Desdemona, which is why Othello was suspicious of a relationship... etc. I guess such a minor role can change a play,,,
5.1. Othello
5.1.1. He was governor before Othello
5.1.2. He respects Othello
5.2. Iago
5.2.1. He believes Iago when Iago tells him Cassio has a drinking problem
5.3. Desdemona
5.4. Duke
5.5. Cassio
5.5.1. He was injured when he tried to break up the fight between Cassio and Roderigo
5.5.2. He gets Cassio in trouble with Othello
5.6. Roderigo
5.7. Emilia
5.8. Bianca
5.9. Brabantio
6. Iago: The play’s main antagonist and also Othello’s ensign. He is very mischievous and cunning. He is also very tactical in the way he can strategically "play" the other characters. Iago is one of the most villainous villain. His only motives were because he got no promotion and there is a rumour Othello slept with his wife, Emilia. Iago plays the other characters by using his influence, persuasion and their trust in him to get them to do what he wants (in this case "ruin" Othello). He makes up an affair with Cassio and Desdemona and he uses Roderigo to fight Cassio not once but TWICE. They are his pawns, and so is pretty much every other character in this story. He is smart, and tactical, and cunning, but above all he is ruthless.
6.1. Othello
6.1.1. Iago want to destroy Othello
6.1.2. He heard a rumour Othello slept with his wife
6.1.3. So he started a rumour that Cassio and Desdemona were having an affair "Her honour is an essence that's not seen" (4.1.16) in this quote Iago convinces that you cannot see a woman's honour (basically that she is having an affair with Cassio)
6.1.4. He was also mad about not getting a promotion
6.1.5. He used Othello's jealousness of Cassio to his advantage "Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green eyed monster which doth mock"(3.3.167-168) he was being tactical, telling him not to be jealous would make him more jealous.
6.1.6. He was the reason Othello committed suicide
6.2. Desdemona
6.2.1. Iago staged an affair between Desdemona and Cassio
6.3. Duke
6.4. Montano
6.5. Roderigo
6.5.1. He was being paid for intel on Desdemona by Roderigo
6.5.2. He killed Roderigo
6.5.3. He told Roderigo to fight Cassio
6.5.4. He told Roderigo to follow Othello to Cyprus and win the heart of Desdemona
6.6. Cassio
6.6.1. Iago stabbed Cassio in the leg
6.6.2. He staged the affair between him and Desdemona
6.6.3. He hid the handkerchief in his house
6.6.4. He was jealous of Cassio's promotion and this is one of the only known reasons why he is so villainous "A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife, That never set a squadron in the field, Nor the division of a battle knows" (1.1.21-23)
6.7. Bianca
6.8. Emilia
6.8.1. Emilia was his loyal wife (until the end)
6.8.2. Emilis stole the handkerchief for Iago
6.8.3. Emilia tells everybody that she STOLE the handkerchief for Iago, which leads to his downfall.
6.9. Brabantio
6.9.1. Iago brought Desdemona's escape to Brabantio's knowing "I am one, sir, who comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs." (1.1.128-131) (Iago to Brabantio)
7. Cassio: Cassio is Othello’s lieutenant but is young and inexperienced. Cassio is very loyal to Othello and a friend. He is very charming, handsome, and can smooth talk women. However, he is not too smooth when drunk. When Cassio is drunk he gets into a fight with Roderigo and eventually injures Montano... making him lose his position and reputation. "Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!" (2.3.281-284). Cassio's biggest part in the play is being framed having an affair with Othello's wife Desdemona. He goes on the be Governor of Cyprus after Othello dies.
7.1. Othello
7.1.1. Othello's loyal lieutenant
7.1.2. Is thought to be cheating on Othello's wife, Desdemona
7.2. Iago
7.3. Desdemona
7.3.1. Talks to her asking to get reinstated
7.3.2. Thought to be having an affair with her
7.4. Duke
7.5. Montano
7.6. Roderigo
7.7. Bianca
7.7.1. His prostitute, she loves him and wants marriage
7.8. Emilia
7.9. Brabantio
8. Emilia: Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s Attendant. Emilia is loyal to her husband, Iago but also distrusts him and doesn't feel any love from him. She is very good friends with Desdemona, her main part in the play was stealing the handkerchief for Iago. She also told everyone that Iago lied a lot and staged the entire affair between Cassio and Desdemona, getting him arrested and tortured.
8.1. Othello
8.1.1. She talked to Othello after he killed Desdemona
8.2. Iago
8.2.1. Iago's wife
8.2.2. She doesn't trust Iago at all but is loyal to him
8.2.3. She steals the handkerchief because Iago tells her to
8.2.4. She was the reason Iago was punished for his crimes (quote?)
8.2.5. Iago stabs her when she tells everybody that she stole the handkerchief for Iago.
8.2.6. She was the reason of his downfall.
8.3. Desdemona
8.3.1. She is Desdemona's loyal attendant and friend
8.3.2. She was there when Desdemona died
8.3.3. She steals the handkerchief for Iago then lies about it "I know not, madam."(3.4.24)
8.3.4. She tells Desdemona that Othello is being influenced by Iago and that is why he is so angry.
8.3.5. She dies singing the "willow song" which was taught to her by Desdemona, showing true friendship.
8.4. Duke
8.5. Montano
8.6. Cassio
8.7. Bianca
8.8. Brabantio
9. Bianca: A prostitute in Cyprus, Cassio is her main "costumer" and she loves him and wants to get married. Her main part in the play was when she copied Desdemona's handkerchief for Cassio and being the women that Cassio talked about (Othello thought it was Desdemona).
9.1. Othello
9.1.1. When Cassio talks about "his women:" (Bianca) Othello thinks he is talking about Desdemona.
9.2. Iago
9.3. Desdemona
9.3.1. She was told to copy Desdemona's handkerchief.
9.4. Duke
9.5. Montano
9.6. Roderigo
9.7. Cassio
9.7.1. Bianca loved Cassio and wanted marriage
9.7.2. She was Cassio's prostitute
9.7.3. Bianca copied Desdemona's handkerchief only to give to Othello, where a hiding Othello thought this proved Cassio's and Desdemona's affair.
9.7.4. Bianca was blamed for Cassio's stabbing (it was Iago).
9.8. Emilia
9.9. Brabantio
10. Brabantio: Father of Desdemona, an arrogant senator in Venice. Brabantio was first seen in Act 1 Scene 1, mad at Desdemona Othello for running off with each other (or more like othello "make" her come with him). he then talked to The Duke in hopes he would punish Othello, but instead The Duke sent Othello to Cyprus, setting up the play.
10.1. Othello
10.1.1. Thought Othello was doing witchcraft to make his daughter love him.
10.1.2. "She, in spite of nature, Of years, of country, credit, every thing, To fall in love with what she feared to look on! It is a judgment maimed and most imperfect That will confess perfection so could err Against all rules of nature,"(1.3.114-119) Brabantio argues that Desdemona could never fall in love with a black man.
10.1.3. Never forgives Othello for taking his daughter's heart and never likes or respects him.
10.2. Iago
10.2.1. Iago tells Brabantio that his daughter has escaped and ran away with a moor, Othello.
10.3. Desdemona
10.3.1. Father of Desdemona, felt betrayed when she ran off to marry Othello
10.4. Bianca
10.5. Montano
10.6. Duke
10.6.1. Tries to persuade The Duke to punish Othello for seducing his daughter with "magic".
10.6.2. Duke tells him to accept their love
10.7. Cassio
10.8. Roderigo
10.8.1. Roderigo was with Iago when he told Brabantio that his daughter has run away.