Othello is the hero of Shakespeare's play Othello . He is a black Moor and general of the armies of Venice, he is an eloquent and physical powerful figure, respected by all those around him. In spite of his elevated status, he is nevertheless easy prey to insecurities because of his age, his life as a soldier, and his race. He falls in love and marries the beautiful (and white) Desdemona, though he is middle-aged, and she is still young. He possesses a free nature, which his ensign Iago uses to twist his love for his wife, Desdemona, into a powerful and destructive jealousy.