O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock
The meat it feeds on
(Iago, 3.3.164-6)

A highly-charged tale of jealousy, revenge and murder, Othello has been called "Shakespeare's most intense play". It is a story of -

racial and sexual tension

love and jealousy

prejudice

evil and the destruction of innocence

revenge

The RSC's new Othello Play Guide is a roadmap of

the play

the current production

the history of the play in performance at the RSC.

It contains interviews with the director, designer and actors as well as background information to Shakespeare, his life and times. All references are to the New Penguin edition edited by Kenneth Muir.

We hope you enjoy reading this Play Guide.

Roz Symon
RSC Play Guides

Credits