OTHELLO

Othello is undoubtedly a brilliant piece of literature and theatre; it’s a riveting story about the worst parts of human nature that culminate in a satisfyingly tragic conclusion. And Iago is undeniably a brilliant character; his master class in manipulation is mesmerizing to watch. But it was also a particularly interesting play to read amidst the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, as discussions about Black representation in the media are currently in our cultural foreground.

Othello is a general in the service of Venice. Iago is Othello's friend, but then Othello promotes Michael Cassio to the position of personal lieutenant and Iago is incredibly jealous. Iago begins an evil and malicious campaign against the hero. Othello elopes with Desdemona but Iago starts to plot against them. Othello becomes very suspicious of Desdemona. He confides in Iago that he plans to poison Desdemona. Plots and murders ensue and Othello returns to the castle to kill his innocent wife, eventually smothering her to death. Emilia tells Othello the truth about the scheming Iago. Othello wounds Iago and then kills himself. Iago kills Emilia.

Over the years, while admiring the craftsmanship inherent in "Othello," I had always been bothered by one question.

How in hell could Othello ever let himself be taken in by so obvious a viper as Iago?

There’s a contradiction at the heart of Othello that makes for unsettling reading: Iago, while ostensibly the villain to Othello’s tragic hero, is also the character that the audience has the strongest connection with through a series of prominent soliloquies (that Othello himself is denied); Iago is also a flagrant racist. Reconciling these two truths about Iago is a challenge, and no matter which way you look at it, it doesn’t sit comfortably as we circle the ‘is this play racist’ question.

On the one hand, it’s easy to argue that because Othello is the hero and Iago is the villain, the play itself has (what we would call in our contemporary terminology) anti-racist intentions. But I also think that largely discounts the shocking, brutally violent act that Othello commits on stage in (spoiler) killing his white wife Desdemona, the archetype of the waif ingénue. Even if you know it’s coming, the optics of this scene are shocking and hard to stomach.

What’s compelling about this play is the interpersonal dynamics, not the characters individually. I almost feel like everyone’s character is inextricably tied to the events of the play, in a way that feels almost the antithesis of Hamlet or Lear, where all of the characters’ inner lives and motives are so intricate. Othello is without a doubt one of the greatest tragedies ever written.

It is one of Shakespeare's later plays and, in my opinion, one of his best. Although originally based on a short story, Shakespeare did adapt it and make it his own. But, as I said, the interpersonal shines here. Othello and Iago positioned as mirrors of one another’s jealousy is done expertly. And Emilia is a fascinating character to me as well as she relates to Iago and Desdemona, with the apparent contradiction in her actions and loyalties.

Anyway, to say I have mixed feelings about Othello is an understatement, but that’s not to say that I don’t enjoy it or haven’t enjoyed the time I’ve spent wrestling with it.

I like that Othello is brave and quite competent, even if towards the end his decisions aren't quite so rational and he acts on impulse. It is a great example of a text that was written hundreds of years ago, but with themes that can be applied to modern-day situations. It is a difficult read and takes a long time to get through so I would only recommend it to people who like classics and have a lot of patience!