othello [characters]

othello plays protagonist/hero, possesses a “free and open nature” which iago uses to twist his love for desdemona into a powerful and destructive jealousy
iago antagonist/villain, motivations never clearly expressed, manipulative
desdemona daughter of brabantio, secretly married to othello before the play begins, determined/self-possessed
brabantio desdemona’s father, doesn’t approve of othello
cassio othello’s lieutenant, inexperienced soldier
roderigo jealous suitor of desdemona, thinks that if he works with iago, he will win desdemona’s hand
emilia iago’s wife and desdemona’s attendant
bianca prostitute in Cyprus
lodovico one of brabantio’s kinsmen, acts as a messenger from Venice to Cyprus
gratiano accompanies lodovico and tells desdemona that her father has died