Othello is the fifth of Shakespeare’s Tragedies written circa 1604-5. Rather than an historical, it is a domestic tragedy in which a great man suffers a reversal of fortune in his personal life due to a weakness – his naivety or credulity. The play is set in Italy, at this time not yet a nation state, rather a collection of City States with Venice one of the more powerful ones. Venice represents the centre of power, civilisation, culture and order.

Shakespeare’s World - Othello # = Shakespeare sets several of his plays in Italy - the earliest appearance of the Renaissance. Italy is at this time not yet a nation state, rather a collection of City States with Venice one of the more powerful ones. Venice represents the centre of power, civilisation, culture and order. Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean is one of its colonial outposts under threat from the Turks and represents insecurity, danger, uncivilised society.

Shakepeare and Justice # Shakespeare canvasses the issuses of order and good governance in most of his plays. Order tends to be disrupted and then restored at the end. The question of whether justice comes from the heavens or from humans is raised repeatedly. When Macduff’s wife and children are murdered by Macbeth, the questions, Did heaven look on,/ And would not take their part? We look for evidence in other plays.