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SceneFiend library

Othello

By William Shakespeare - Stage play

Stage playStageACT I, Scene 1
A nineteenth-century painting of Othello and Desdemona in Venice.

Theodore ChasseriauPublic domainWikimedia Commons

Roles

  • Iago - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Male

About this piece

Iago tells Roderigo why he hates Othello

Summary

The story is set in Venice. The play starts with Roderigo, a rich and foolish gentleman, complaining to Iago, a high ranking soldier, about Desdemona's secret marriage to a Moorish general in the Venetian army, Othello. Desdemona is Roderigo's love interest and he has been paying Iago to help him seduce her. In this monologue Iago tells Roderigo that he hates Othello and why. Iago is Othello's ensign and he was expecting to be promoted to lieutenant. Othello, however, chose another man, Michael Cassio, even if Iago was more qualified than him.

Tone

AngryDescriptiveComplainingFrustrated

Use cases

classaudition
View on Actorama

Library metadata only. SceneFiend never includes script text here - pick up the published version to rehearse.

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