Othello compared to Jonson's Volpone Both Othello and Volpone are set in Venice, well known for its wealth, power and justice. Shakespeare called Venice the Whore of the Adriatic, for many different reasons: it is a port city, with many ships coming and going; it is also a corrupt city, with a lot of pollution, not only of the environment but also of the soul. In Volpone the planned corruption between Volpone and Mosca is evident from the beginning. The two are taking advantage of their relatives' weaknesses: gullibility and an utter lust for money. This is similar to Iago taking advantage of Othello's gullibility and jealousy to win over Desdemona. In Volpone, Mosca and Volpone scam the people into believing that they will become the sole heir to Volpone's vast riches when he dies. The situation is the same in Othello, but Iago aspires to leadership skills and a title. Iago wishes to be leader of the Expendables as he believes he is more qualified for the position than Othello. Much of this is due to Othello's race and his love for Desdemona; he's a dark man who loves a white woman. Both comedies, full of corruption, deceit, lies and hatred, are best set in Venice which shares many of the same traits. Another shared trait is the theme of women's prostitution. Venice was known for its courtesan class, a group of well-dressed prostitutes. In both plays a young woman's virtue is compromised by men seeking to increase their fortunes. In Volpone, Corvino transforms his wife Celia into a whore by offering her to the men of the city and, in the opera's climactic scene, to Volpone himself. In both cases, Corvino is thinking of his own financial gain and not of the injustice he brings to his wife.