Chapter Osiris to Overie of O by Brewer's Readers Handbook

The fiery openness of Othello, magnanimous, guileless, and credulous, boundless in his confidence, ardent in his affection, inflexible in his resolution, and obdurate in his revenge…. The gradual progress which Iago makes in the Moor’s conviction, and the circumstances which he employs to inflame him, are so artfully natural… that we cannot but pity him.—Dr. Johnson..

(The story of this tragedy is taken from the novelletti of Giovanni Giraldi Cinthio, who died 1573.)

Addison says of Thomas Betterton (1635–1710), “The wonderful agony which he appeared in when he examined the circumstance of the handkerchief in the part of ‘Othello,’ and the mixture of love that intruded on his mind at the innocent answers of ‘Desdemona,’…were the perfection of acting.” Donaldson, in his Recollections, says that Spranger Barry (1719–1777) was the beau-ideal of an “Othello;” and C. Leslie, in his Autobiography, says the same of Edmund Kean (1787–1833).

In my opinion, from the insinuation of lago that Cassio played false to the close of the play, Edmund Kean’s acting was perfection.

Otho, the lord at whose board count Lara was recognized by sir Ezzelin. A duel was arranged for the next day, and the contending parties were to meet in lord Otho’s hall. When the time of meeting arrived, Lara presented himself, but no sir Ezzelin put in his appearance; whereupon Otho, vouching for the knight’s honour, fought with the count, and was wounded. On recovering from his wound, lord Otho became the inveterate enemy of Lara, and accused him openly of having made away with sir Ezzelin. Lara made himself very popular, and headed a rebellion; but lord Otho opposed the rebels, and shot him.—Byron: Lara (1814).

(Keats, in conjunction with Brown, wrote a tragedy called Otho the Great, but it was never acted, 1795–1820.)

Otnit, a legendary emperor of Lombardy, who gains the daughter of the soldan for wife, by the help of Elberich the dwarf.—The Heldenbuch (twelfth century). (See Günther, p. 458.)

Otranto (Ernest of), page of the prince of Otranto.—Sir W. Scott: Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Otranto (The Castle of, a reomance by Horace Walpole (1769).

O’Trigger (Sir Lucius), a fortune-hunting Irishman, ready to fight every one, on any matter, at any time.—Sheridan: The Rivals (1775).

“Sir Lucius O’Trigger,” “Callaghan O’Brallaghan,” “major O’Flaherty,” “Teague,” and “Dennis Brulgruddery,” were portrayed by Jack Johnstone [1750–1828] in most exquisite colours.—The New Monthly Magazine (1829).

(“Callaghan O’Brallaghan,” in Love à-la-Mode (Macklin); “major O’Flaherty,” in The West Indian (Cumberland); “Teague,” in The Committee (Hon. sir R. Howard); “Dennis Brulgruddery,” in Colman’s John Bull.)

Ottavio (Don), the lover of donna Anna, whom he was about to make his wife, when don Giovanni seduced her and killed her father (the commandant of the city) in a duel.—Mosart: Don Giovanni (opera, 1787).

Otterbourne or Otterburne (The Battle of), a ballad between Henry lord Percy (Hotspur) and James carl Douglas of Scotland (1388), by Richard Sheale. Douglas had made a raid on England, advancing as far as Newcastle, but was driven back by Hotspur. A battle ensued at Otterburne, in which Douglas was slain, and Hotspur with his brother was taken prisoner.—Froissart: Chronicle (fourteenth century).

The “Battle of Otterburne” should not be confounded with “Chevy Chase,” which is quite another affair, and arose from quite another cause. In the border-lands those on one side could not go hunting on the other side without permission; Percy, out of bravado, went hunting on the Scotch side, and Douglas resisted. This is the short and long of the more modern ballad.