Othello

William Shakespeare · 1564–1616 · England

Why it matters

A Venetian general, a Moor and an outsider despite his rank, is destroyed not by a rival in battle but by the ensign he trusts most. Iago's unexplained hatred (Coleridge called it 'motiveless malignity') makes this Shakespeare's most claustrophobic tragedy: jealousy engineered by a genius of manipulation.

At a glance

Sustained psychological pressure and Iago's serpentine, persuasive rhetoric demand close attention.