Linguistic and literary techniques in Othello The linguistic and literary techniques used in William Shakespeare's Othello enrich the settings, plot, characters and themes. Othello is a complex tragedy about good versus evil, loyalty, love, sexual jealousy, appearance versus reality, and intrigue, told from the first-person point of view. The show takes place during the Renaissance in Venice, Italy and Cyprus for three days. It is written in blank verse, usually in unrhymed iambic pentameter. The protagonist, Othello, is a Moor highly esteemed by senators for his valiant service in war and married to Desdemona, a Venetian woman. The play is titled Othello and the plot and action envelop him, thus supporting his position as the protagonist. The antagonist, Iago, is an unscrupulous individualist who bitterly despises Othello. Iago's evil and intricate plan for revenge leads to the deaths of Othello, Desdemona, Iago's wife, and Roderigo, a suitor of Desdemona. The play begins in Venice, where Othello and Desdemona are eloping. Othello is needed to lead the Venetian forces to Cyprus and must leave immediately. Othello is joined in Cyprus by Desdemona, Iago, Emilia (Iago's wife), Roderigo and Cassio (Othello's lieutenant). Iago falsely informs Roderigo that if Cassio were to die, Desdemona could be Roderigo's wife. Iago then cunningly encourages Cassio to drink excessive wine and in a drunken brawl, instigated by Roderigo, Cassio wounds Montano, the governor of Cyprus, and Othello rebukes him. Meanwhile, Iago continually plants thoughts of sexual jealousy and suspicion in Othello's mind. He tries to convince Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful to him and that she is having an affair with Cassio. In...... middle of paper......oston: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1981.Bevington, David, ed. William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies. New York: Bantam Books, 1980. Bradley, A.C. Shakespearean tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991.Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeare's Tragic Heroes. New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1970. By Yanni, Robert. "Character revealed through dialogue." Readings on tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprinted from Literature. N. p.: Random House, 1986.Mack, Maynard. Everyone is Shakespeare: reflections especially on tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968.Shakespeare, William. Othello. In Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No lines n..