Interestingly, this would imply that Shakespeare had a working knowledge of Italian since an English translation of Cinthio was not available in his lifetime. It is believed that Shakespeare took the broad outline of the story from the Italian writer Cinthio’s tale, A Moorish Captain. Who inspired the famous character of Othello, the Moor of Venice who is driven to near madness by jealousy? Once again, there is no definite answer, only scholarly conjecture. Modern adaptations are thus based upon the First Folio version, and scholars surmise the quarto was either an earlier, briefer version of the play, perhaps intended for traveling companies. However, the First Folio version is considerably longer, though it lacks about a dozen scattered lines from the quarto. A quarto was published in 1622, and it was included in the First Folio a year later. The first mention of the play is in a 1604 government account of its performance at Whitehall. Scholars generally accept 1603 / 1604 as probable, though others date it a few years earlier. Its exact date of composition, like much of Shakespeare’s work, is unknown. Othello is one of the longest of Shakespeare’s plays. It was popular in Shakespeare’s time and is notable among his works for rarely being altered during the 17th and 18th centuries (when Shakespeare’s works were rather liberally ‘adapted’ by theater companies.) In modern times, it has sparked debate due to its subtext of race and miscegenation.
Othello is perhaps the most famous story of romantic jealousy ever written.
The Tragedy of OTHELLO, the Moor of Venice
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