Shakespeare’s Transformation Essay

Can William Shakespeare’s text Othello ever be transformed?
Transformation is changing a text, in this instance, a play so it can be adapted to a modern day setting to better suit the new context. With the change in context, comes a shift in values. Composers are conscious of the fact that they need to entertain an audience which has a different outlook on the world. I believe that William Shakespeare’s text ‘Othello’ performed in 1603 can be transformed to suit the modern day audience. Davies transformed Shakespeare’s play of the Jacobean era into a film. This film relates to the modern audience and I will discuss how Davies has successfully transformed Shakespeare’s play through his presentation of the character Othello and the theme of jealousy.
At the start of Shakespeare’s play ‘Othello’, Othello was presented to be a powerful, in control man who had authority, integrity and respect. Throughout the play he’s then described to be kneeling down, looking up which is the complete opposite of what was shown at the start of the play. He no longer had the authority, control and respect that he used to. In the play Othello says “…of one that loved not wisely but too well, of one not easily jealous, but being wrought. Perplex’d in the extreme”. In this quote Othello begs to be spoken of as a man so “perplex’d” that he didn’t know what he was doing when he accused Desdemona of infidelity and murdered her. Othello doesn’t want to be remembered as a man who was “easily jealous”. This quote also shows Othello’s downfall since the start of play, going from a man who was not jealous, to one who killed his wife because of it.
Andrew Davies film successfully transformed Shakespeare’s Othello as we can see through the character Othello. Othello says “who the hell wants to be the nigger”. This was spoken by a man who is in control, who is in control of his emotions, has stature and mobility. The use of that derogatory language is like the language when he refers to Desdemona a “whore”. Here Andrew Davies is presenting that same idea of loss of control, loss of power and respect. Deterioration of Othello is shown in the film; he is turning into someone who is losing control, he’s turning away from Desdemona, which love is being corrupted as much as they love each other. The use of camera spinning shows that his world has turned upside down, and showing that it’s falling apart, the collapse of the dignified and controlled Othello. The use of music that is played throughout the film helps build tension and chaos to the audience.
Another example of how Shakespeare’s text was transformed was through the presentation of jealousy. In Shakespeare’s play, Iago makes Othello jealous by giving him graphic descriptions of Desdemona and Cassio in bed together which is an expression of Iago’s jealousy and hatred of Othello. “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, a fellow almost damn’d in a fair wife…” This quote spoken by Iago claims that he is far more qualified than Cassio who lacks in experience on the field of battle. The reason that Iago has turned against Othello was because of Othello not promoting him which leads to Iago manipulating him into believing his wife is cheating on him.
Davies has successfully transformed the play ‘Othello’ by continuing the theme of jealousy in present-day situations with which a modern day audience can easily identify. Once Jago finds out about Othello giving the promotion to someone else, he hysterically paces through the office building while speaking quickly and furiously to the camera engaging the audience. The language Jago is using is commonly used phrases by people in contemporary western society which helps connect the audience with the film. Davies’ associates the jealousy Jago feels in the play to the movie but within the business world as it also has another connection to the audience as people face these same situations in the work place.
Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ has been transformed successfully by Andrew Davies as it appears in a new context for a new audience with a new purpose. The story is highly recognisable as it withholds the same key themes such as reality VS. perception, love, race and jealousy. Even though Andrew Davies’ transformation is based on Shakespeare’s place it has been transformed for a modern day audience allowing them to relate to it.