Who Are the Venetians in “Othello”?

The Venetians in Shakespeare’s “Othello” are the citizens of Venice, Italy, where the play is set. The Venetians reflect the general opinion of the citizens during this time period. According to the Shakespeare Theater Company, the Venetians respected Othello for his leadership but disagreed with his marriage.

The use of Venice as a setting enabled Shakespeare to explain the opinion of the people regarding the marriage of Othello, a Moor, and Desdemona, a Venetian native. While the Venetians admired Othello for his role as a general in the Venetian army, they recoiled at the idea of marrying into a Venetian family, according to the Shakespeare Theater Company. While he is accepted in one regard, he is also outcast due to his race and background.