ABSTRACT
Othello is one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. In Othello, Venetian senators commissioned the General to defend their Cypriot interests against the Turks. The characteristics of the zanni in Othello are blended with other commedia dell'arte and Plautus' Roman characters. Shakespeare contaminated Othello with lazzi in its comic structure. Silvio D'Amico suggested that Giraldi Cinthio's Hecatomithi was the primary source of Othello. Shakespeare named several of his characters in Othello after commedia types, some of whom use lazzi to achieve their goals. Iago is a nihilistic villain. He fiddles with Othello's emotions and dissolves his happy marriage because he can. Emilia seems to play the balia as she takes care of Desdemona. The loquacious Brabantio suits the Venetian merchant Pantalone, save that Brabantio lacks romantic interest in younger woman. Desdemona embodies the innamorata who believes that she is happily married to Othello. The Tragicomedy of Othello scenario was presented by Kazalište Lutaka Zadar in Croatia on 14 June 2014.
