De Gli Hecatommithi by Giraldi Cinthio, was Shakespeare's basis for Othello. Many people criticize Shakespeare for this, and claim that none of his works were his own and that Shakespeare was not even a playwright at all. What I think Shakespeare did was take an ordinary tale and make it into an extraordinary play. "In Othello he expands a brief story into a play so tightly knit that not one line is extraneous to the single plot whose suspense builds steadily in an atmosphere of immediacy unlike that of any other play."
             I would have to say that Shakespeare's main innovation was in developing the villainous character of Iago, or the Ensign. Shakespeare takes this "nameless villain and his victim to an unforgettable study of evil and to a tragic hero whose virtues and faults combine to make him a prey to that evil." In De Gli Hecatommithi, the character of the Ensign is neither as immoral or as unmerciful as Shakespeare's Iago. The Ensign is said to be madly in love with Desdemona, "..fell madly in love with Desdemona, and bent all his mind on how he might enjoy her." In Othello this love is only hinted at, which gives it a deeper meaning and adds to the development of the character of Iago. In De Gli Hecatommithi, the Ensign seems to be more of a helping hand in the tragedy, rather than being the cause of the entire thing.
             Another of Shakespeare's permutations is that of the character of Othello, or the Moor as he is referred to in De Gli Hecatommithi. Shakespeare, again takes a nameless character and develops him into Othello, the hero, a courageous and honorable man who was driven to engage in dishonorable acts.
             Shakespeare takes both of the female roles, Desdemona and the Ensign's wife, and builds them into the leading and very important characters of Desdemona and Emilia.
             I would agree in saying that Shakespeare is, very much so, more original then the original. Cinthio...