What is the subtitle of Shakespeare's play Othello?

The subtitle of Shakespeare’s Othello is The Moor of Venice.

The play’s full title is commonly given as The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The subtitle identifies Othello by his role and outsider status in Venetian society: he is a Moor who serves as a highly respected military commander for Venice.

That contrast drives much of the tragedy. Othello has authority on the battlefield, but racial prejudice and social suspicion surround his marriage to Desdemona, a Venetian noblewoman. Iago exploits those tensions, manipulating Othello into believing that Desdemona has been unfaithful.

The play was probably written around 1603 and was first performed at court in 1604. Shakespeare adapted its central plot from a story by the Italian writer Cinthio, but expanded the characters’ psychological complexity. A common mix-up is treating “The Tragedy of Othello” as the complete subtitle; it is part of the full title, while the distinctive subtitle is “the Moor of Venice.”