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Quick answer: If you loved Othello, try Macbeth, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, New Boy, Desdemona and The Kreutzer Sonata. Each one explores jealousy, manipulation, outsiders or love destroyed by lies.
Shakespeare's tragedy follows Othello, a Moorish general in Venice who secretly marries Desdemona. His ensign Iago, bitter at being passed over, plots to destroy him by planting suspicions that Desdemona is unfaithful with Cassio. Othello's jealousy grows until he murders her. Readers love its tension, its villain and its questions about race. These works share its jealousy, its manipulation and its tragedy.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Format | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macbeth | William Shakespeare | Play | readers who want another tragedy |
| Hamlet | William Shakespeare | Play | readers who want Shakespeare's most famous play |
| The Merchant of Venice | William Shakespeare | Play | readers who like Venice and outsiders |
| New Boy | Tracy Chevalier | Novel | readers who want a schoolyard retelling |
| Desdemona | Toni Morrison | Play | readers who want Desdemona's voice |
| The Kreutzer Sonata | Leo Tolstoy | Novella | readers who like jealousy |
| Rebecca | Daphne du Maurier | Novel | readers who like jealousy and manipulation |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | Novel | readers who like manipulators |
| Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Pierre Choderlos de Laclos | Novel | readers who like schemers |
| Wuthering Heights | Emily Brontë | Novel | readers who like destructive love |
| The Talented Mr. Ripley | Patricia Highsmith | Novel | readers who like villains |
| The Turn of the Screw | Henry James | Novella | readers who like ambiguity and suspicion |
| Atonement | Ian McEwan | Novel | readers who like lies with tragic results |
| Native Son | Richard Wright | Novel | readers who like race and tragedy |
| Julius Caesar | William Shakespeare | Play | readers who like manipulative speeches |
1. Macbeth by William Shakespeare
A general murders his king.
Best for: readers who want another tragedy.
2. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
A prince seeks revenge.
Best for: readers who want Shakespeare's most famous play.
3. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
A merchant borrows money from Shylock.
Best for: readers who like Venice and outsiders.
4. New Boy by Tracy Chevalier
Othello reimagined at a 1970s Washington school.
Best for: readers who want a schoolyard retelling.
5. Desdemona by Toni Morrison
Morrison gives Desdemona a voice in the afterlife.
Best for: readers who want Desdemona's voice.
6. The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy
A man explains why he murdered his wife.
Best for: readers who like jealousy.
7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
A bride is haunted by her husband's first wife.
Best for: readers who like jealousy and manipulation.
8. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
A wife disappears and her husband is suspected.
Best for: readers who like manipulators.
9. Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Two aristocrats manipulate others for fun.
Best for: readers who like schemers.
10. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Heathcliff's love leads to revenge.
Best for: readers who like destructive love.
11. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
A young man kills to take another's life.
Best for: readers who like villains.
12. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
A governess suspects ghosts have a hold on her charges.
Best for: readers who like ambiguity and suspicion.
13. Atonement by Ian McEwan
A girl's lie destroys two lives.
Best for: readers who like lies with tragic results.
14. Native Son by Richard Wright
A young Black man's crime in Chicago.
Best for: readers who like race and tragedy.
15. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Senators assassinate Caesar.
Best for: readers who like manipulative speeches.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Othello: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Othello. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For a modern retelling, try New Boy, which moves Othello to a school playground. Desdemona gives the wronged wife a voice. If you loved Iago's manipulation, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Gone Girl are excellent. For more Shakespeare, Macbeth is the next tragedy to read.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Othello about?
A general is manipulated by his ensign into believing his wife is unfaithful, and kills her.
Who is Iago?
Othello's ensign, one of Shakespeare's most famous villains.
Why does Iago hate Othello?
He gives several reasons, including being passed over for promotion.
What is the handkerchief?
Othello's gift to Desdemona, which Iago uses as false proof of her affair.
How does Othello end?
Othello kills Desdemona, learns the truth and kills himself.
Is Othello about race?
Yes. Othello's position as an outsider is central to the play.
Where is Othello set?
It begins in Venice and moves to the island of Cyprus.
What age is Othello suitable for?
It is usually taught to students about 14 and up.