Othello has long been and remains one of Shakespeares most popular works. It is a favourite work of scholars students and general readers alike. Perhaps more than any other of Shakespeares tragedies this one seems to speak most clearly to contemporary readers and audiences partly because it deals with such pressing modern issues as race gender multiculturalism and the ways love jealousy and misunderstanding can affect relations between romantic partners. The play also features Iago one of Shakespeares most mesmerizing and puzzling villains. This guide offers students and scholars an introduction to the plays critical and performance history including notable stage productions and film versions. It includes a keynote chapter outlining major areas of current research on the play and four new critical essays. Finally a guide to critical webbased and productionrelated resources and an annotated bibliography provide a basis for further research.