Othello

The play “Othello” by William Shakespeare is a tragic love story that takes place in the sixteenth century. Whereas the movie “O”, directed by Tim Blake Nelson and written by Brad Kaaya, is a modern version of “Othello” and takes place at a preparatory high school. Because these tragic love stories take place in two rather different time periods causing the characters to have a great age difference which then creates a rift in what actions are considered to be acceptable and which actions will gain no sympathy from the audience. Do we tend to turn a blind eye to those in their teen years, rather than adults, because they are ‘young and reckless’? The main character in Shakespeare’s version is an African American male fighting for his love for a woman of another race. Othello is a man that is strong and respected for his abilities to fight and protect his land. When he kills the love of his life, it is rather unexpected and therefore may be claimed as a tragedy. In contrast, Odin from the movie “O”, is a young male trying to find true love. Having been raised in a poor area without proper love from his family, Odin is seen as a more sympathetic character than Othello. Also, when Odin kills Desi, he is under the influence of some sort of drug which may alter his sense of mind thus making it a bit more ‘acceptable’. Iago and Hugo are also to comparable characters. Iago is a man that is to not be trusted. He over emphasizes every detail creating a drawn out, dramatic story. Shakespeare uses humor
Baldwin 2 to lighten the mood during Iago’s part but he still is a man who wins no sympathy from the audience. Hugo, on the other hand, is a teenager who comes second to his father following after Odin. The audience is more drawn to feel sympathetic for Hugo because he is a lonely teenager who needs to be heard. Drugs are also used to in his favor which creates a more ‘acceptable’ image towards his actions. Desdemona and Desi are also two very different yet relatable characters. Desdemona is very submissive. When Othello is killing her, she does not fight back. It is as if she has lived her whole life to make her husband happy and if he wants her dead, she will not argue with him. Desi, unlike Desdemona, is capable of standing up for herself. When Odin brings up the idea of Desi and Hugo fooling around behind Odin’s back, Desi argues with Odin and does not let him accuse her of false accusations. Also, when Desi is being choked to death by Odin, she tries to fight back even though she is not strong enough. Desi is seen as more of a likeable and relatable character than Desdemona because she is more developed and falling into young entrancing love.

Feedback: * What other characters can I compare? * How can I add to my comparisons to make them stronger and more developed? * My thesis is weak, how can I fix that?