Othello

/oʊˈθɛloʊ/ noun

Definition

The title character from Shakespeare's tragedy; also a board game with black and white discs where players flip their opponent's pieces.

Etymology

The Shakespeare character Othello (likely derived from an Italian name) became so famous that his name was borrowed for the board game in the mid-1900s. The game was renamed 'Othello' as marketing to reference the theme of black and white conflict.

Kelly Says

Shakespeare's 'Othello' is a tragedy about a Black military leader in Venice whose downfall comes from manipulation—and the board game 'Othello' uses the color symbolism (Black vs. White) from the play, making the game name itself politically loaded.

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