HOW SUCCESSFUL IS EXPOSURE AS A TRANSFORMATION OF OTHELLO?
Mal Peet I believe has successfully transformed Othello into a 'modern day tragedy', Exposure. He uses many similar characters, with many of the same personalities/motives. The two texts also explore many of the same themes, such as the outsider, racism and reputation. Mal Peet puts a modern spin on the tale.
The two texts portray and explore the main themes through different structures and language features. Othello by William Shakespeare, written in the 17th century when the main focus of plays were their rich language. Peet uses colloquial language which grabs the modern day readers attention and sets it apart from Othello "It sucks man". The narrative of Othello …show more content…
In Othello Desdemona comes from a rich family, and when she falls in love with Othello, the outsider, her racist father is far from happy. Although he is seen as a "Valiant Moor" Brabantio doesn't believe he is good enough for his daughter "Our house is not a grange". After being sent from Venice the civilised sophisticated city, to the border of barbaric land of Cyprus, Othello becomes vulnerable this gives Iago an even bigger advantage. The metaphor "that green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on", foreshadows the events to come from Othello putting all his trust in Iago. These ideas carry on to Exposure, where Otello moves from the northern football team to join Rialto in the south. His enormously costly move, funded mainly by Nestor Brabanta. Brabanta is quite satisfied with his decision until his daughter marries the football star. This reveals Brabanta racism, thinking Otello is not good enough for his daughter. In the new city and circumstances, Otello puts all his trust in his manager Diego, which is the beginning of his down …show more content…
Iago is also jealous of Othello and wants to feel powerful. Iago uses the idea of sexual jealousy against Othello, poisoning his mind by convincing him his wife was having an affair with Cassio "She did deceive her father, marrying you". In Exposure Diego talks about how he believes Otello doesn't deserve to be a 'hero' and that people shouldn't look up to him, he is jealous of Otello and threatened by him. Diego thinks he deserves more "It reduces all of us; it reduces me".
Love is one of the most prominent idea explored in both texts. Othello and Desdemona defy people and society. Desdemona even goes against her father "She is abused, stol'n from me, and corrupted by spells, medicines..." Brabantio believes Othello has used 'black magic' to gain his daughters love. It seemed from the start that their loved was doomed. The idea of defying society and following their hearts is used to in Exposure, with the love between Otello and Desmerelda. Although they do not die like in Othello, it does end with them separated, ending as a