Jealousy
Jealousy is the driving force behind the tragic events of the play. Iago plants the seeds of jealousy in Othello's mind, falsely convincing him that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Othello's overwhelming jealousy leads him to murder his innocent wife.

Racism and Prejudice
As a Moor in white Venetian society, Othello faces constant racism and prejudice. This underlying prejudice makes him insecure about his marriage to Desdemona, allowing Iago to manipulate him more easily. The play explores how ingrained racism can lead to tragic consequences.

Manipulation and Deception
Iago is a master manipulator who deceives all the major characters through his lies and machinations. His ability to twist the truth and plant compelling fictions drives the play's tragic trajectory.

Appearance vs. Reality
Iago's deceptions highlight the gap between appearance and reality. Othello is convinced by Iago's fiction rather than the reality of Desdemona's innocence, showing how jealousy can distort one's perception.

Love and Betrayal
The play explores different types of love - romantic love between Othello and Desdemona, platonic love between Desdemona and Cassio, and twisted love like Iago's possessive feelings for Othello. Betrayal of these bonds of love leads to the tragic downfall.

Shakespeare's Othello is a searing exploration of how jealousy, prejudice, and manipulation can shatter lives when fiction is mistaken for reality.

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Othello, as a Moor, would have been perceived as an exotic and foreign figure by contemporary English audiences. This perception was shaped by the limited and often stereotypical views of Africans and non-Europeans during the early 17th century. There was an ambiguous and complex understanding of race.

The play would have been seen as offering moral lessons about the dangers of jealousy and the consequences of manipulation and deceit.

Its depiction of gender roles and the treatment of women like Desdemona and Emilia would reflect contemporary attitudes towards women and marriage. Issues of power, honor, and the subjugation of women would have been familiar and perhaps even accepted as normative.

The way "Othello" was staged, including the use of male actors for female roles and the portrayal of Othello by a white actor in blackface, would reflect the theatrical conventions of the time. These practices would shape the audience’s perception and interpretation of the characters and the story.

In summary, the general perception of "Othello" in 1622 would have been shaped by contemporary attitudes towards race, gender, and morality, as well as by the dramatic conventions of early 17th-century English theatre. The play's powerful exploration of jealousy, trust, and betrayal would resonate with audiences, while also reflecting the social and cultural norms of the time.

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