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Cover of Othello by William ShakespeareOthello
Classic · Fiction, Classics, Plays

Othello

by William Shakespeare
1603 · 226 pages · Fiction
65.0Must-Read
Score Classic
Critics' pick
≈ 6 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Othello, a Moorish general in the service of Venice, secretly marries Desdemona, a senator's daughter. His ensign, Iago, furious at being passed over for promotion, sets out to destroy him by convincing him that Desdemona is unfaithful, using lies, suggestion and a lost handkerchief, until Othello's love turns to murderous jealousy.

Why it's worth reading

It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books. Iago is one of the most chilling villains ever written, and it's a powerful play about jealousy and race.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's a play, and seeing a production helps. There's racist language from the characters and a murder on stage.

By the numbers

65.0Must-Read Score
  • Readers25 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

On the lists
Bokklubben World Library (100 greatest books)

Reads as

Funny

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Classic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 rankedHistorical novelsTop 25 · 116 ranked

Quick answers

Is Othello worth reading?

Yes. It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books. It ranks #1,872 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.0 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Othello about?

Othello, a Moorish general in the service of Venice, secretly marries Desdemona, a senator's daughter. His ensign, Iago, furious at being passed over for promotion, sets out to destroy him by convincing him that Desdemona is unfaithful, using lies, suggestion and a lost handkerchief, until Othello's love turns to murderous jealousy.

How long does it take to read Othello?

About 6 hours (226 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Othello?

If you liked it, try Hamlet by William Shakespeare, King Lear by William Shakespeare or Medea by Euripides.