Britton, Dennis Austin. “Re-‘Turning’ Othello: Transformative and Restorative Romance.” ELH,
vol. 78, no. 1, 2011, pp. 27–50. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41236533. Accessed 14 July 2021.
vol. 78, no. 1, 2011, pp. 27–50. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41236533. Accessed 14 July 2021.
Current Othello critics focus on Othello’s identity as an outsider and on his race; however, Britton argues Othello’s identity as a Christian is more important to the transformative romance popular during that time period, especially in Italy. Britton focuses on transformative romance to emphasize Iago’s goal of restoring Othello’s original religious identity. To emphasize his point, Britton examines other works during this time period that featured the incorporation of non-European people into society, namely Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto and The Moor of Venice by Giraldi Cinthio. One feature of the romance genre is the ability to transform identity. Romance’s ability to convert was popular because Venice encountered people from other lands, so transformation meant acceptance into Venetian society. In order to destroy Othello, Iago cannot only focus on Othello’s race, and Iago, ultimately, failed in doing so in the first Act of the play. Iago must dissimilate Othello’s identity as a Christian since this is what permits him acceptance into Venetian society. Ultimately, Iago succeeds in eliminating Othello’s Christian identity and restores the other feature of the romance genre: the ability to return to the original identity.
- Tracie Yule
