Using Act 1 Scene 3 as a starting point, assess the importance of Venice in the tragedy of "Othello"- William Shakespeare.

In the play "Othello", the whole of the first act is set in Venice. Venice is a mercantile city, markets and stalls can be seen on every street; even in the first scene of "Othello", Iago comments that "I know my price," ["Othello"; Act 1 Scene 1, page 3, (1) ] a term that is linked to trade. Venice is a serene and quiet city due to the lack of vehicles; the canals and gondolas are the main form of …

…quesID=2160&AuthorID=10 - (29/09/05) (3)<Tab/>Auden, W. H.; "Shakespeare: Othello"; ed. by John Wain; Casebook Series (4)<Tab/>Granville-Barker, Harley; adapted from "Prefaces to Shakespeare"; Batsford (5} http://www.bard.org/Education/Shakespeare/othellomoralgeog.html - (04/10/05) (6)<Tab/>Shakespeare, William; "Othello"; ed. by Alvin Kernan; Signet Classic Shakespeare (7)<Tab/>http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/othello/themes.html - (12/10/05) (7a) adapted from (7)