Othello
Othello by William Shakespeare is assigned in US schools at grades 10–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. 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.
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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; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
jealousy · racism · betrayal · reputation · race
Content notes
violence · racism · domestic violence
Where this book is assigned
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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.
- What curricula assign Othello?
- Othello appears on reading lists for AP English Literature & Composition. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- 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
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- 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.