Other characters

The Clown

The Clown is a character that appears briefly in the play Othello by William Shakespeare. We do not know much about him, except that he is Othello’s servant and accompanies Othello and Desdemona to Cyprus most likely to entertain them. He also seems to have the duties of a messenger, as both Cassio and Desdemona use him to deliver messages to each other.

The main purpose of the Clown is that of comic relief. Through his brief scenes, he provides some escape from the tension caused by the events in the play.

The Clown seems to have a witty personality as he always responds with a comic answer:

CASSIO: Dost thou hear, mine honest friend? 

CLOWN: No, I hear not your honest friend. I hear you (3.1. 22-23)

The Clown also does not give direct answers, but speaks in a confusing, roundabout way. For example, when Desdemona asks him if he can tell her where Cassio lives, it takes a while for the Clown to finally admit that he does not know (3.4.1-15).

Bianca

Bianca is Cassio’s lover. Iago and Cassio hint that she is a prostitute: “A huswife...