Othello Hardcover - 1705

London: Printed for R. Wellington, 1705 Seventh and final quarto edition. Lightly browned with some spotting and marginal dampstaining, small stain to title affecting advertisement at foot. Modern speckled tan three-quarter calf and marbled boards, gold-stamped red morocco spine label. Housed in a brown cloth folding box. Quartos represent the earliest and rarest printed material offered by William Shakespeare. Seldomly surviving the 17th century, they were sold unbound and usually used for the stage by actors. Othello was first published in quarto format in 1622 and was then included in the First Folio edition of collected plays. It is one of Shakespeare's most popular tragedies, conveying important lessons about love, war, and racism. The ambiguity of Othello's race is one of the most intriguing and enduring aspects of the play. Although generally described to be dark-skinned, it is unknown whether he is African, Arab, or a dark-skinned European. Othello experiences discrimination while serving as a soldier in Europe, but his devoted wife Desdemona sees him only for his merits. Othello is timeless, warning us of the perils of self-isolation and the necessity of unconditional love. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Hard Cover. Very Good.