William Shakespeare s Othello Race And Performance

PAGE 1 Pass Ilari Pass ENGL 400 Seminar: Literature and Ethics Hood 7 November 2014 Barbary Horse: Race and Performance in Othello Ethics never went out of fashion in philosophy. It did, however, in literary studies. In Critical Terms for Literary Study, Geoffrey Galt Harpham asks, ?What is ethics? The answers to this simple inquiry are complexity itself, for they take us straight to the decentered center of ethics, its concern for ?the other (394). According to Harpham, ?Ethics does not solve problems, it structures them? (404). Ethics, he argues further, helps humans to articulate and negotiate questions of moral law and the human other. Shakespeare?s Othello serves as a brilliant example of how literature explores such questions. The essays and texts that will be discussed here can help readers articulate and negotiate those questions?both in Othello and in the world. The characters in Shakespeare?s play use language to ?other? Othello. Examining that language?and interrogating the way black actors playing Othello have been treated?helps a reader to consider the ethical dilemma of race and language. In an essay titled ?Shakespeare?s Othello: Sinned Against or Sinning Anthony Bisti writes, ?William Shakespeare was responsible for creating some of the most time-honored characters in all of literature,? including Othello (Bisti 1). Bisti explains further that Shakespeare?s characters have had a profound effect on us as readers, leavingShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Sax s Film Othello 1457 Words   |  6 PagesGeoffrey Sax s advanced retelling of William Shakespeare s Othello can control Shakespeare s unique ideas in spite of the time period and connection in which both writings happen, while investigating the all inclusive topics of prejudice, misogyny and force. Shakespeare s play reflects conventional Elizabethan connections and qualities in its investigation of such ideas amidst a catastrophe impelled on by misleading and desirously (Aebischer 12). On the other hand, Geoffrey Sax s 2001 representationRead MoreDifferences Between Film And Othello1503 Words   |  7 PagesThrou ghout the years the play Othello by William Shakespeare has been adapted both on the screen and on stage many times. The questions or race and racism that have quite often been a point of discussion with William Shakespeare’s play Othello can be seen through the bard, however some may argue that Othello’s skin colour was purely a plot device. This paper will look at two film that have been re-made since the 1960’s, which provides an analysis of the concept of race and how political ideas and eventsRead MoreOthello As Symbol Of The White Upper Class919 Words   |  4 PagesDesdemona becomes a symbol of the white upper class to Othello. In this sense, by killing Desdemona he is revenging the power the white society exercises over him. Shakespeare writes: OTHELLO It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul – Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars: It is the cause. Yet I ll not shed her blood, Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow And smooth as monumental alabaster – Yet she must die, else she ll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the lightRead MoreOthello As A Powerful General Of The Venetian Army1991 Words   |  8 PagesVenetian army, Othello, whose life and marriage are ruined by a conniving, deceitful, and envious soldier, Iago. The literary work of Othello focuses on themes such as the dangers of jealousy, race, and manipulation. Iago is Othello s ambitious ensign. Othello promotes Michael Cassio to the position of personal lieutenant and Iago is deadly jealous. Iago begins an evil and malicious campaign against the hero. Othello elopes with Desdemona but Iago starts to plot against them. Othello becomes jealousRead MoreIra Aldridge By Lolita Chakrabarti1348 Words   |  6 PagesIra Aldridge is not a â€Å"house hold name† in the Theatre committee, but it should be. A native New Yorker who moved to England when he was in his late teens, Ira achieved immense fame in mid-1800’s Europe, mesmerizing people of all nationalities with his renditions of Shakesp eare. Since his death he has become rather obscure, although a dramatization of his life, by Lolita Chakrabarti, is making its way into theatrical seasons across Europe and the USA. Ira Aldridge is a man who undermined the racialRead MoreRace in Five Film Versions of Shakespeares Othello Essay example4150 Words   |  17 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Othello is only moderately interested in questions of race and racism. For Shakespeare, Othellos blackness was mainly a plot device. Though the bard did demonstrate concerns about racial and religious prejudice, in Othello and The Merchant of Venice, his interest in the tragedy of the Moor was principally psychological. For Shakespeare and his contemporary audience, Othello was about jealousy, hatred, and vindictiveness. The play has aged well, as have all ShakespearesRead MoreJames Earl Jones: a Voice in the Crowd2904 Words   |  12 Pages March 19, 1996 People all around the world know the voice of James Earl Jones. From Star Wars fans listening to the voice of Darth Vader to news junkies who hear a voice that dramatically intones AThis is CNN@ just before all the cable network= s station breaks to children who hear the stately voice of the majestic Mufasa, the king of the jungle in Walt Disney Pictures= animated The Lion King - people know this deep harmonious voice belongs to this consummate actor of stage and screen. JamesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Merchant Of Venice 1918 Words   |  8 PagesPerformance Analysis of T he Merchant of Venice Jordan Thomas Mullineaux-Davis William Shakespeare has regularly throughout time been referred to and could be viewed as anti-Semitic because of the cultural implications within many of his plays. A particularly strong example of this could be The Merchant of Venice. This essay will explore arguments of post-colonialism within The Merchant of Venice, discussing the pertinent issues of anti-semitism, racial isolation and prejudice. It will also commentRead MoreLena Horne9265 Words   |  38 Pagesblacks could perform, but not be admitted as customers; by 1969, when she acted in the film Death of a Gunfighter, her characters marriage to a white man went unremarked in the script. Horne herself was a pivotal figure in the changing attitudes about race in the 20th century; her middle-class upbringing and musical training predisposed her to the popular music of her day, rather than the blues and jazz genres more commonly associated with African-Americans, and her photogenic looks were sufficientlyRead MoreLangston Hugh es Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 Pagesthat awakened his heart with a love-fire sharp like pain. On June 6, 1920, Hughes and 126 classmates marched down the aisle of Central High School to receive their diplomas. In a letter to Langston, a favorite teacher commended his academic performance at Central High, but questioned whether his easy-going attitude would carry him through the grim realities of life, where manhood is tested. Langston Hughes soon discovered what his teacher meant by grim realities. Adrift on the Big Sea of