Contrast of Modern Othello to Shakesperian Othello Essay Example
Contrast of Modern Othello to Shakesperian Othello Essay Example

Contrast of Modern Othello to Shakesperian Othello Essay Example

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  • Pages: 8 (1999 words)
  • Published: September 27, 2017
  • Type: Review
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Jeoffery Sax’s contemporary film version of Othello consistently portrays the strong and influential themes of race and women that are present in Shakespeare’s original play. However, these themes are greatly contrasted by the changes in society that undermine their values and purposes.

The accounts of both Shakespeare’s Othello vividly express the changes in values regarding gender roles. Throughout the play, women are consistently portrayed as having a ‘lower status’ compared to men, as society is dominated by males in almost every aspect. They are depicted as promiscuous, untrustworthy, impulsive decision-makers, lacking intellect or understanding. Instead of being respected, women are seen as mere props and lead lives not as respectable as those of men. This portrayal can be seen in Desdemona, who represents the typical wife, and Emilia, who embodies the typical female servant. This perceptio

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n is first evident in Act One when Desdemona’s father, Barbantio, disapproves of her marriage to Othello. He views Desdemona as his own property and believes that he has control over her until he can give her away to a successful and powerful white noble figure. This reinforces his stereotypical view of women in society, which is highly ironic considering Desdemona's actions go against the typical characteristics of women by deceiving her father and marrying someone who contrasts greatly with her father's desires - Othello.During Elizabethan times, women were expected to conform to the stereotype of remaining virgins until marriage. This meant that they were required to give their husbands their virginity as a symbol of their lifelong commitment.

The previous understanding of Barbantio representing women as objects and their ownership is in line with this. In Shakespeare’s Othello, the handkerchief serves

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as a symbol of virginity. It is adorned with red strawberries, resembling the bloodstains on a virgin’s wedding night sheets. Given to Desdemona by Othello, the handkerchief holds great significance in Igao’s manipulative tactics. Through questioning Desdemona's virginity, Iago successfully shapes her portrayal to match his perception of women. "In Venice they do let God see the pranks they dare not show their husbands."

Shakespeare ironically contrasts the purity of virginity to the defilement of promiscuous women by alluding to God. This is reflected in Iago's consistent portrayal of women as promiscuous whores. Othello's metaphorical comment to Desdemona, "come my dear love, The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue. The profit’s yet to come ’tween me and you," suggests that their marriage is not yet official through the act of sex. The "purchase" refers to the wedding and the "fruits" indicate sex. Ironically, this implies Othello's lack of control over Desdemona because he has not yet taken her virginity, which also highlights her potential promiscuity if she had given her virginity to someone like Cassio, making Othello susceptible to manipulation.

However, the metaphor implies that Othello may have already taken Desdemona's virginity, as the term "purchase" could refer to her virginity. This suggests that Othello is unwilling to acknowledge his own wrongdoing in awakening her sexuality. Emilia’s outlook on women's roles in Elizabethan society is strong and ironically goes against traditional norms. Her views sharply contrast with Desdemona's, who adheres to the societal expectation of female chastity. However, Emilia believes women should seek happiness outside of these expectations and argues for a middle ground. She presents the notion that women are humans with needs and desires,

rather than merely being categorized as either virgins or whores. She conveys this idea through a metaphor, stating that men are "all but stomaches, and we are all but food. /They eat us hungrily, and when they are full, / They belch us." In Jeoffrey Sax’s film adaptation of Othello, women are depicted differently due to the changing role of women in society.

Although women have made significant strides in terms of obtaining professional careers and the freedom to choose their own partners, they continue to be perceived as promiscuous, a reflection reminiscent of the Elizabethan era when they gained the ability to have multiple partners and no longer had to maintain their virginity until marriage. Notably, men still exert power over women in contemporary society, as exemplified by a scene in the film's opening soliloquy where a dark male hand is seen covering a light female hand. This image signifies the dominance of men within relationships, and the absence of wedding rings on both hands further emphasizes the changing attitudes towards marriage and its connection to sexuality. These two individuals are clearly not bound to each other for life but are engaging in sexual activities. Dessie's portrayal reinforces the notion of men's ownership over women, highlighting the power struggle in relationships.The stereotype of men talking and women listening is reflected in John and Dessie's relationship, hinting at the tragic ending where John's failure to listen to Dessie leads to her ironic death as a faithful wife. Dessie's lack of power in the relationship, illustrated by the metaphor "I am a blank sheet waiting for you to write your name on me," ultimately leads to her

demise.

Dessie’s purity and traditional values of innocence in women contrast with Lulu’s perspective on women in society. Lulu is bolder and more sexually liberated when it comes to men and sex, yet she can predict Othello’s actions based solely on her doubts about men in general. The statement "I used to shag people out of sheer politeness" exemplifies Lulu’s ability to engage in sexual encounters without being emotionally invested. This showcases Lulu's independence from men, in contrast to Dessie, who fully surrenders herself to Othello.

The contemporary version of Dessie and Lulu's stances closely resemble those of Desdemona and Emilia in Shakespeare's Othello. Sax's Jago directly alludes to Shakespeare's Iago, as his view of women mirrors the societal view of women in Elizabethan times. Through the use of sex as a tool for power and manipulation, Jago successfully manipulates John's trust in Dessie, symbolized by the robe that represents their sexual desires. In this modern version, the robe replaces the handkerchief as a symbol of love and sex between John and Dessie. However, in the contemporary interpretation, Dessie gives the robe to John, highlighting the changes in values and interpretations of sexual desire. This act also establishes a recurring theme of a shift in the power of women, as it is misunderstood that Dessie also gave the robe to Michael Cass. In Shakespeare's Othello, the depiction of race is evident early on, as Othello is referred to as "the moor," highlighting his black appearance.

In the opening scene, Iago and Roderigo portray a negative perception of Othello by accusing him of stealing Barbantio’s daughter. They directly label him a “thief” and explain that “Your daughter and

the Moor, are now making the beasts with two backs.” This association of Othello with animalistic qualities allows for the audience to view him as a devil-like character. The portrayal of Othello as having beast-like qualities suggests that his character is capable of extreme actions such as abduction and rape. These animalistic qualities serve as a metaphor for his race, depicting him as a savage Moor. Throughout the play, references to animals occur not only when referring to Othello himself. This reflects a sense of obeying the laws of nature instead of society's laws, which primarily govern the characters in the play.

The audience is introduced to Othello, a Moor, and it becomes clear that he does not possess the stereotypical evil qualities often associated with characters like Iago. In Act 1, Scene 3, the Duke uses figurative language to describe Othello as "far more fair than black," highlighting the contrast between his honesty and his skin color. This metaphor foreshadows the irony of Othello's eventual descent into jealousy and savagery, which contradicts his fair qualities. Later in the play, Othello starts to doubt Desdemona and their relationship due to Iago's manipulation, and he even mentions his race, saying that he lacks the conversational skills of a white man. This is the first time Othello himself brings negative attention to his race, showing his lack of confidence compared to the beginning of the play. Comparing Shakespeare's Othello to Sax's film adaptation, it is clear that race was less significant in Elizabethan times, suggesting that it has become more of an issue in contemporary society.The significance of race in Jeoffery Sax's film Othello is prominently displayed,

as it consistently generates tension in every situation depicted. This emphasis on race is clearly demonstrated in the opening scene, which showcases a close-up shot of a dark male hand placed atop a lighter female hand. This contrast between skin tones effectively introduces the theme of racial inequality in contemporary society and highlights the influential role played by the dark male hand within the relationship. Subsequently, the audience is immediately faced with fast-paced, handheld shots of race riots.

The shots in contrast with upper class white society are slower and smoother, highlighting a stark juxtaposition. This highlights further inequality, as it creates an image of black people behaving savagely and uncontrollably. This is similar to the initial introduction of Moore to the audience, where Rodrigo and Iago refer to him as savage and monstrous. Water is consistently present throughout the film as a symbol or motif, representing opposites such as black and white, much like yin and yang. This further suggests an ongoing battle between black and white individuals in modern society. It also relates to the values and portrayals of race from both perspectives.

The phrase "If I could find any of them with their brains as big as their dicks" expresses the negative stereotype of black men from the perspective of a white man. It represents the belief in the intellectual superiority claimed by white men. However, this statement is ironic because, at this point in the film, John Othello, a black police officer, is the only one using his intelligence to address the street riots that no other officer has taken action on. Hence, John Othello's actions contradict this statement.

During a conversation with Jago,

an interesting statement is made. Later in the film, Jago declares to John, "You clever big black bastard," implying that John is becoming more intelligent or has a greater intellect, making him more significant and important. Jago then directly addresses the audience and has a neurotic outburst in which he describes John as a "patronising ape." This use of animalistic representation is similar to Shakespeare's portrayal, associating John's race with animal-like actions and qualities through an extended metaphor. John Othello's approach to the inequality between black and white men and women is suggested from a less powerful standpoint. He expresses his lack of power through his past desire to be white, stating, "Your people brought my people here to work as slaves... I wanted to be like you, wanted to be white." This suggests that his pride in his race is diminishing and he is losing his power. The direct accusation also implies a shift in his character towards fitting stereotypical characteristics of a black man. This mirrors Shakespeare's Othello, where jealousy transforms Othello into the savage Moor that he always resented. Both accounts strongly depict themes of race and women, highlighting the persistent inability for societies to change over time.There are situations within these themes that indicate a shift in attitudes as they are depicted in various ways. The evolution of society and individuals' interactions with one another based on appearance versus reality is reflected in the changing significance of race from Shakespearian times to the present. Similarly, the perception of women has transformed greatly, with their acceptance as equal human beings enabling them to have autonomy over their lives and decision-making. The power

of women in modern society has clearly developed.

Both accounts magnificently demonstrate the similarities in times.

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