Desdemona (Othello)

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thumb|Théodore Chassériau (1819–1856)]

Desdemona is a fictional character in the tragedy "Othello, the Moor of Venice" (1604) by William Shakespeare. She is the daughter of a Venetian senator and wife of Othello, a Moor in the service of the Venetian Republic. Desdemona falls victim to her husband's villainous ensign Iago, who convinces Othello she is unfaithful. Othello then murders her. When her innocence is established and Iago's machinations uncovered, Othello kills himself. In Greek, Desdemona means 'the unfortunate one'.

On December 8, 1660, Thomas Killigrew's new King's Company acted "Othello" at their Vere Street theatre, with Margaret Hughes as Desdemona — possibly the first time a professional actress appeared on a public stage in England. She certainly played Desdemona in the performance of "Othello" seen by Samuel Pepys on February 6, 1669.

Desdemona has seen notable modern interpreters. Uta Hagen played the character opposite Paul Robeson in an acclaimed 1943 Broadway production. Suzanne Cloutier played Desdemona opposite Orson Welles in his controversial 1952 film. In a 1966 film, Maggie Smith played the character opposite Laurence Oliver's Othello. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/Actors-and-Actresses-Sc-St/Smith-Dame-Maggie.html Maggie Smith at Film Reference] ] The film holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations for acting given to a Shakespeare film with Smith, Olivier, Frank Finlay (Iago), and Joyce Redman (Emilia) all being nominated. Irene Jacob played the character in a 1995 film opposite Laurence Fishburne. In "O" (2001), Julia Stiles plays a character based on Desdemona in a version of the play set in a contemporary high school. Desdemona is a character in Jose Limon's ballet "The Moor's Pavanne" (1949) and in operas by Rossini (1816) and Verdi (1887).

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