| Othello | |
|---|---|
| Othello character | |
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Othello_and_Desdemona_in_Venice_by_Th%C3%A9odore_Chass%C3%A9riau.jpg) Othello and Desdemona in Venice by Théodore Chassériau (1819–56) | |
| Created by | William Shakespeare |
| Based on | "The Moorish Captain" from Cinthio's Hecatommithi |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | The Moor |
| Occupation | Soldier |
| Affiliation | Republic of Venice |
| Spouse | Desdemona |
| Religion | Catholic; formerly Islam |
| Origin | Africa or Arabia |
Othello (/ɒˈθɛloʊ/, oh-THELL-oh) is the titular protagonist in Shakespeare's Othello (c. 1601–1604). The character's origin is traced to the tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor.
Othello was first mentioned in a Revels account of 1604 when the play was performed on 1 November at Whitehall Palace with Richard Burbage almost certainly Othello's first interpreter. Modern notable performers of the role include Paul Robeson, Orson Welles, Richard Burton, James Earl Jones, Laurence Fishburne, Laurence Olivier, and Avery Brooks.