Othello, a Moor, a dark skinned warrior, has risen to rank of general in the Venetian army. The other officers are all white. Hence, it has created in others jealousy that Othello foolishly ignores. The manipulative Iago seeks to destroy Othello for reasons that Shakespeare leaves unanswered, but it is safe to say evil motivates him for evil's sake.
Othello secretly marries the white daughter of a Venetian senator, a mistake in that it turns others against him. A wiser man would know that others may be plotting against him; Othello doesn't take stock of those around him.
Iago manages to manipulate the weakened Othello into thinking that his new wife is having an affair with Cassio. Had Othello made the decision to marry Desdemona with the father's consent, he might not have had lingering feelings of his wife's ability to fool others. Iago is now free to manipulate others against the weakened Othello. Iago plants evidence of Desdemona's infidelities and has Roderigo planning to kill Cassio, right under Othello's nose. Yet, he refers to "his friend" Iago as "good" and "honest".
After having killed Desdemona and Iago is found to be the culprit of the whole sordid take, Othello does the only noble thing left for a soldier who has killed dishonorably: he commits suicide. A man of immense character and great flaws.
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