Othello
Othello by William Shakespeare is assigned in US schools at grades 10–12. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Othello is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
Where to find this book
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About this book
Shakespeare's tragedy follows Othello, a respected Moorish general in the Venetian army, as his ensign Iago feeds him false evidence of his wife Desdemona's infidelity. Iago's patient manipulation drives Othello from love to murderous jealousy, exposing how reputation, race, and insecurity can be weaponized. A standard text in tenth- to twelfth-grade and AP English, it is one of the most taught of Shakespeare's tragedies for its compact structure and its still-resonant questions about trust and prejudice.
Why widely assigned
This Drama title, typically at grades 10–12. Written in the 1600s; pairs with curriculum units on jealousy and racism.
Themes
jealousy · racism · betrayal · reputation · race
Content notes
violence · racism · domestic violence
Where this book is assigned
No curriculum assignments on file yet.
Similar grade-level books
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding · 770L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
1984George Orwell · 1090L
Fahrenheit 451Ray Bradbury · 890L
See all books like Othello→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Othello?
- Othello is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 10–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- How long does it take to read Othello?
- It takes about 6h 45m to read Othello (368 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 405 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Othello banned in schools?
- Othello does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does Othello explore?
- Central themes in Othello include jealousy, racism, betrayal, reputation, race. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 10–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Not yet documented in any tracked curriculum.
- State-level evidence
- Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.