Why a Booktrail?
16th century: Who knows Bianca from the story of Othello?
Pale Mistress
What you need to know before your trail
Cyprus, 16th century. Murder, lies and vengeance has left lovers dead, promises broken and no one to trust. Only one woman survives, Bianca.
The slain? History knows their names: Emilia, Desdemona, Othello.
But why do we not know Bianca? Who was the pale mistress? Liar or lied to? Instigator or victim? In telling one woman’s story, Naomi Kelsey dazzlingly recasts a Shakespearean tragedy as a psychological thriller of jealousy and gaslighting, ambition and envy, and the making and breaking of one of Shakespeare’s most notorious villains, Iago.
Locations
Reset- Cyprus
- A: Famagusta Bay
- B: Othello Tower
- Italy - Venice
- C: Venetian Lagoon
- D: Courthouse
Travel Guide
Cyprus and Venice
Othello is set in two primary locations: Venice (Act I) and the island of Cyprus (Acts II–V). The setting transitions from the organized, civilized power structure of Venice to the chaotic, isolated military outpost of Cyprus, which serves as the backdrop for the tragedy.
This book reflects those settings and structure. Othello takes place during the late 16th century – the 1570–1571 historical period when the Turkish fleet threatened Cyprus
BookTrail Boarding Pass: Pale Mistress
Destination/location: Cyprus, Venice Author/guide: Naomi Kelsey Departure Time: 16th Century
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