Similarities Between Guess Who's Coming To Dinner And Othello

The relevance of “being different” depends on the relationship between the values and context within a society. This concept is shown through the comparative study of the 1600’s play “Othello”, by William Shakespeare, and the 1967 feature film “Guess who’s coming to dinner”, by Stanley Kramer. Both these texts have similar issues of difference in the form of race and character trait. Comparing the two texts it can be seen that the presents and or elimination of evil and the values of trust, honesty, protection and suspicion all impact upon the characters that are considered to be different. The values and character traits present in these two texts are part of the context of the society in which they were composed in; therefore showing the
relationship between values and context. Both composers communicate their own messages about those who are different. The texts were composed in different time periods and places. William Shakespeare would have had responders from the 1600’s and Stanley Kramer would have had responders from the 1960’s. Due to the different contexts of the texts, both the responders and composers would have comprehended different meanings and messages. So a responder from Australia in 2011 will be influenced by the knowledge of the difference between these two contexts and their own context.
The Value’s of support and abandonment of those who are considered different play a massive role in the preservation of difference.
In the play “Othello”; when the fair beauty Desdemona elopes with a dark skinned man she is disowned by her father. The marriage of a white woman and Black man was unheard of in that society and in that context morally it was a huge insult and sin. “O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood! Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters’ minds”, the use of punctuation like exclamation marks shows the intensity of Brabantio’s (Desdemona’s father’s) words. This mistrust and abandonment is one of the two main reasons why Desdemona’s and Othello’s relationship fails. They have no external support or protection. “Guess who’s coming to dinner is set in California in 1967 in America. A white woman marrying an African American man is also very shocking in this context. However when Joey tells her parents of her plans to be wed to a “Negro”, they may be apprehensive by they do not abandon her at all. Her families values are more modern and open minded than the typical American family and so Joe’s own personal context allows her to have a support network. Joey’s mother is told first of the plans to be married and she is shocked but not angry nor betrayed, “Doc, Doc, Doctor John Prentice, I’m so pleased to meet you. Well I suppose it would be alright if I said my goodness, oh my goodness.” The repetition of the words Doc and my goodness communicates
that she was stuttering and in shock, even so she still attempts to be polite and supportive with her use of emotive language like “pleased”. The different values of the families in “Othello” and “Guess who’s coming to dinner” resulted in their own different personal context and in the case of Othello Brabantio’s values were the same as the values of the society in the 1600’s in Europe.
In the 1600’s when Shakespeare was composing “Othello” the racial difference in the play would have been the most significant and controversial issue within the Elizabethan society.
However Shakespeare does not concentrate on this factor. He almost teases his responders by having a dark skinned lead character, that is wealthy and successful and then letting his race be only an identifier but not something to cause obvious uproar within the play. Instead the role of evil, as a difference based on character trait is the largest issue within the play. Iago uses the values of trust and loyalty to manipulate Othello into thinking that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him. Iago steals a handkerchief from Desdemona (which was a gift from Othello). Then he tells Othello that he saw Cassio with Desdemona’s handkerchief and that he suspects a love affair between the two. “Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief spotted with strawberries in your wife’s hand? But such a handkerchief I am sure it was your wife’s did today, see Cassio wipe his beard with.” The strong imagery in this quote would have clearly aggravated Othello’s jealousy. So Othello’s value of trust of Desdemona is replaced by suspicion and jealousy. The Evil villain Iago being part of Othello’s and Desdemona’s context helps to destroy their relationship. In “Guess who’s coming to Dinner” there is no real villain. The closest thing to a villain is the character “Hilary” who is a nosy woman shocked by the news. Hilary
comes to meet Joe’s fiancée pretending she wants to offer congratulations’, when all she really wants is some gossip. However she is not evil. Hilary is merely the voice of a 1967 white woman. She is a creation of the society and context of the time. “Well I must admit I was intensely curious, I simply couldn’t believe it! I mean it’s so unlike Joey to do something so appallingly stupid.” The use of the emotive language appallingly shows Hillarys opinion on the matter and therefore the opinion of the American 60’s society. However Unlike in Othello, the possibility of someone evil trying to destroy Joe’s and John relationship is eliminated by Joey’s mother. “Now I have some instructions for you, I want you to go straight back to the gallery. When you get to the gallery make out a cheque for cash, for the sum of $5000. Then carefully, but carefully remove anything that might subsequently remind me that you had ever been there. Then take the cheque for $5000 and get permanently lost.” The tone of voice Joey’s mother uses shows her contempt and sternness towards Hilary. This shows that Joey’s mother values her daughter more than anything else, and will eliminate any “evil” that she can.
The two texts end with completely different outcomes. Due to the lack of protection and the presence of an evil character Othello strangles Desdemona, then realises she in fact was faithful. Kills Iago for his lies and then kills himself. Iago as a villain and different based on character is also not protected and so difference is once again abolished. However In Stanley Kramer’s, “Guess who’s coming to dinner”, Both John Prentices parents and Joey’s Parents decide to come together as a family and support and protect Joey and John as much as they can. The ending scene shows, them all sitting down for dinner happily chatting, the camera looking through the frame of the door, which alludes to their close bond which will preserve the relationship.
In conclusion difference can prosper only when there is someone to help support and protect it. Shakespeare’s play Othello demonstrated what happens when difference not only has no protection, but also when evil is present trying to destroy it. Stanley Kramer’s feature film showed that even in a society and context that can’t appreciate the difference, if there is support and protection it can be preserved. In 2011 Australia, we are far more open minded to difference, whether it is racial, religious, cultural, or character based. However even in this modern society if there was no one to try to support and protect these differences they could all be eliminated just like in Othello.