Michael Neill

William Shakespeare

This is the first scholarly edition of Othello to give full attention to the play's bold treatment of racial themes. Designed to meet the needs of theatre professionals, the edition includes an extensive performance history, a commentary illuminating the complexities of Shakespeare's language, and appendices on music in the play and a full translation of the Italian novella from which the story derives.

The Moor of Venice

THE OXFORD SHAKESPEARE: Othello

Kate

I truly hate Othello (the character) so goddamn much. He is misogynistic, easily manipulated, weak, abusive, and just generally awful. He has absolutely no faith or trust in the woman he supposedly loves and no ability to communicate. He has 100% trust in Iago who is shady af but none in his in-every-way-perfectly-behaved-and-unobjectionable wife. (Because she's a lady and they can't be trusted amirite?) I know that this is supposed to be a commentary on the human condition and the power of jealousy but I honestly do not think it is that bleak for us all and also that interpretation totally ignores the blatant misogyny and just general personality defects that Othello displays.

Iago is an interesting, manipulative character who is in control the entire time. I get Iago, even though he's evil. He's intentionally evil! He knows exactly what he's doing! Othello behaves atrociously and then gets to blame it on human nature instead of his own actual huge personal flaws. He gets to be an anti-hero! (There is also probably a lot we can say about the fact that Shakespeare's only black lead is murderous and unable to control himself l m a o.)

Emilia is the best character in the whole play and one of my favorite Shakespeare characters in general. She redeems this play slightly for me but only when she's actually on stage. She is the only one with a moral compass AND a backbone. Obviously it's not Desdemona's fault that her husband eventually murders her, but it is weird af that she basically has premonitions of her own death and then lets Othello tell her he's about to kill her for like half an hour and doesn't try to escape.

The end of the play is painful to watch because you know what's going to happen but it's so drawn out and (if you're me) by that time you're furious at everyone anyway and you kind of want Othello to just strangle her already so it can be over! Not that I want him to strangle her at all but if it's going to happen anyway I don't want to hear seven monologues about it first.

I watched the film adaptation in my English 218 class without revisiting it first (I'd seen it two years previously) and was clenching my jaw for the entire film because I was so angry at Othello. Then about a year later I forgot how much I hated it and went to see it live and got so mad my mom asked if I wanted to leave at intermission (which I would never do because it is sooo rude and I have seen some truly awful things in my time so don't think I haven't considered it). In the aforementioned English class we did "hot seats" where each student had to behave as a Shakespeare character in front of the class and answer questions in that persona and I basically cross-examined the guy doing Othello because like what??? is his damage????

ANYWAY I hate it and just thinking about it makes me mad but Iago is kind of deliciously evil and Emilia is bomb except for how no one listens to her about anything. That is my official and very scholastic review.

THE OXFORD SHAKESPEARE: Othello The Moor of Venice

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