Othello: It's Called Deception

Lust, jealousy, rage, race, and one very inconveniently misplaced handkerchief lie at the center of Shakespeare’s "Othello," an emotional tour de force that takes manipulation and evil to new levels. Will and James discuss where Iago falls in the pantheon of Shakespearean villains, their visceral reactions to the breakdown of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, and the role that Othello’s race and status as an outsider in Venice play in his downfall. // Credits // Intro Music: Jon Sayles, "The Witches' Dance" (composed by anonymous); Outro Music: Jon Sayles, “Saltarello” (composed by anonymous); Illustrative Excerpts: "Inception," dir. Christopher Nolan (2010); "Othello," dir. Oliver Parker (1995); Eileen Atkins, “If wives do fall,” The Guardian (2016).