Once upon a time Othello was a slave. He doesn't go into too much detail about his experiences of forced captivity, but he tells of how he was invited into Brabantio's house, where he regaled his future father-in-law, and Desdemona, with tales of his past adventures, including his period of slavery. Eventually, he was redeemed, or bought of slavery by a large payment, presumably from those who desired to secure his services as a warrior.

After Othello secured his freedom, he quickly established a reputation as brave and noble warrior. Quickly rising to the top of Venice's military hierarchy, he became one of the city's foremost citizens. In that sense, one could say that Othello virtuously redeemed himself from his previous state of servitude after his monetary redemption. Othello's liberty has allowed him to show everyone what he can do, challenging prevailing racial prejudices by demonstrating clearly that the natural condition of man is freedom, not slavery.

Yet all that hard work and effort goes to waste when Othello, consumed by jealous rage thanks to Iago's lies, murders his wife Desdemona. But when he finds out the sordid truth of Iago's vile machinations and of how he's been played for a fool by the man who's supposed to be his subordinate, Othello achieves a very different kind of redemption—albeit partial—by committing suicide.