Othello: moral and immoral aspects of the play Some aspects of the moral dimension of the Shakespearean tragedy Othello are evident to the audience, for example the identity of the most immoral character. Other aspects are not so obvious. We consider this dimension of the drama in depth in this essay. Francis Ferguson in “Two Worldviews Echo Each Other” describes Iago's deception: how he paints an innocent association between Cassio and Desdemona as evil: The main conflict of the play is a strange one, for Othello cannot see his adversary if not too late. But the public sees with extraordinary clarity. In Act II Iago tricks Cassio into dishonoring himself, and then takes advantage of the innocent affection between Cassio and Desdemona to create the appearance of evil for Othello. He explains this pattern to the audience, with increasing pleasure, as it develops; and in Act III he is ready to trap Othello himself. . . .(133)The moral and immoral dimension of Othello, especially the latter, is increased simply by its location in Italy. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar in "The Engaging Qualities of Othello" comment on how the exotic setting of this play fulfilled the Elizabethan playwright's dream of portraying evil: Elizabethan playwrights loved to portray characters of absolute evil, and if they could setting the scenes in Italy, all the better, because the literature and legend of the time were full of stories of Italy's wickedness. [. . .] Venice above all had a charm and interest beyond the ordinary. Each returning traveler had an incredible story to tell about the beauty and complacency of Venetian women, about the passion, jealousy and quick anger of...... middle of paper ...... reenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare: The design of his carpet. Np: np, 1970.Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985. Pitt, Angela. "Women in Shakespeare's Tragedies." Readings on tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprinted from Shakespeare's Women. Np: np, 1981.Shakespeare, William. Othello. In Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line n. Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. “The Engaging Qualities of Othello.” Readings on tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from the Introduction to the Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. NP: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.