"OTHELLO: ...Speak of me as I am, nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice...
(Stabs himself.)"
pg. 1460
Although it may seem somewhat uncertain towards the middle of the play, Act V of Othello certainly marks it as a tragedy. With Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo, and Othello himself dying, it is certain that this story will have no happy ending. The best compensation is knowing that Iago will be tortured and punished for his deeds, but that cannot erase the deaths of the characters that the audience comes to know and love. The classification of the play, however, does not inhibit the audiences chances of understanding the play. Throughout the work, there is no mention of death. Though betrayal, treachery, and anger are all expressed, there is no clear clue that the end of this story will be bad (except maybe that it's written by Shakespeare). It is almost better to not know the ending. It makes the audience more attached to the story. If they would have known how the play was going to end, it would have been much less enjoyable to watch. Othello's lack of information and Iago's conniving spirit are pinned against Desdemona's innocence and Cassio's loyalty. They go back and forth throughout the work, leaving the audience guessing as to which will come out victorious in the end. Because Desdemona and Othello die but Iago does not, it becomes pretty evident that the story is a tragedy.
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