Othello (character)

Othello
Othello character
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 a character 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.