Othello provides background information on Shakespeare's play Othello. It discusses that the play was written around 1603-1604 and performed for King James I in 1604. It introduces the main characters including Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, his wife Desdemona, and his ensign Iago who plots to destroy Othello. The document also covers themes of jealousy, honor and reputation, and being an outsider. It provides context on Elizabethan theater, military terms used in the play, and Shakespearean tragedy.