"Re-‘Turning’ Othello: Transformative and Restorative Romance"

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.

            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

“Theorising Early Modern Jealousy: A Biocultural Perspective on Shakespeare’s Othello”

Nordlund, Marcus. “Theorising Early Modern Jealousy: A Biocultural Perspective on Shakespeare’s Othello.” Studia Neophilologica: A Journal of Germanic and Romance Languages and Literature, vol. 74, no. 2, Dec. 2002, pp. 146–160. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/003932702321116172.

In his article, Marcus Nordlund attempts to unpack the loaded emotion of jealousy in early modern literature, specifically as it relates to Othello. He opens with a discussion of jealousy as a social construct, ultimately determining that jealousy is universal across all human cultures, which not only implies that jealousy has a natural inevitability, but also an “individual, cultural, and situational” fluidity.  After exploring these aspects of jealousy, Nordlund turns his attention to jealousy’s impact in both early modern times and in Othello. He addresses the fact that due to the perception of monogamy and marital roles in the household, men were more inclined to feel threatened by a woman’s infidelity than vice versa.  Finally, Nordlund attends to the most common interpretation of Othello’s jealousy, which is the fact that his quick change in character derives from a sense of low self-esteem.  He refutes that claim though by mentioning that in Othello’s case, jealousy and insecurity actually work in reverse: Othello does not feel jealous because of his self-doubt, but instead feels more insecurities after he becomes jealous. Ultimately, Nordlund claims that Othello’s transportation from “jealousy into this murderous rage” does not have an answer, which makes the play not only an unsettling one, but also a fascinating tragedy.

--Michelle Vucsko

"Stitching and Unstitching: Fabrications of Othello"

Brendon, Devika. "Stitching and Unstitching: Fabrications of Othello." The Hopkins Review, vol. 14, no. 1, 2021, pp. 74-86. doi.org/10.1353/thr.2021.0017.

In Brendon's article, "Stitching and Unstitching: Fabrications of Othello," she offers an examination "in the contexts of Postcolonial and Feminist criticism..." (74) of race in Othello, by drawing modern-day parallels and differences with a modern reenactment of the movie, Internal Affairs. Brendon argues that both "Othello's" are "strong-willed and strong-minded" (Ibid) men lending to their aggressive responses to the"Desdemona's" perceived conduct. In the movie, Andy Garcia's "Othello" violently slaps Desdemona (Nancy Travis) whereas Othello killed Desdemona in Shakespeare's Othello.

But unlike the seventeenth century Desdemona, our modern version lives in a world where women have a more equal footing and can rationally communicate to Othello. Travis's character is more equipped to deal with the conflict than the original Desdemona. The modern Desdemona is "able to break down the manufactured distrust with communication: because she has standing in the relationship; because they are partners; because there is respect, and honesty, at the base of the connection" (75).

Brendon argues that part of the dysfunction between Desdemona and Othello in Shakespeare's original origin arises from their racial differences; Othello subconsciously/unconsciously is motivated to act and react because of his race. The continual subtext of him constantly having to prove himself makes him this hyper-sensitive and reactive character. As Brendon asserts " Being an honored dinner guest of a Senator and being his son-in-law and the father of his grandchildren are two different matters" (82).

-David Kase

"Malcontented Iago and Revenge Tragedy Conventions in Othello"

 Cressler, Loren. “Malcontented Iago and Revenge Tragedy Conventions in Othello.” Studies in

Philology, Volume 116, Number 1, Winter 2019, pp. 73-100.

 

In “Malcontented Iago and Revenge Tragedy Conventions in Othello,”  Loren Cressler makes the argument that Othello can be considered a revenge tragedy in a manner unique to its contemporary works of the same genre by offering “successful scaffolding” with which to build a new dramaturgical category that combines the traditional model with domestic tragedy. Cressler focuses on the play’s principal revenger, Iago, and his role as a type required of revenge tragedies—that of the Malcontent. Cressler claims Iago has many motivations for his vengeful actions albeit few specifically defined goals, contrary to what some scholars have referred to as Iago’s “motiveless malignity.” The article argues that Iago’s lack of moral obligation for his revenge makes him a more human villain than the stereotypes presented in other plays of the genre (hence, the “scaffolding” of a new kind of drama), and outlines Iago’s reasons for retribution, explaining how they fit within the characteristics of the revenge tragedy as outlined by Wendy Griswold.

--Leslie Leffers

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In “Malcontented Iago and Revenge Tragedy Conventions in Othello”, Cressler writes that “Shakespeare’s Othello began its textual and dramatic life as a thoroughly typical revenge plot,” and that he will argue that “it is because of, not in spite of, the formulaic plotting of the revenge play that the genre succeeds and suggest, moreover, that revenge tragedies enable the development of new genres by providing a functional and successful scaffolding on which to build dramatic innovation” (Cressler 74). Or in other words, in Cressler’s essay, he is going to argue how although Othello does not match how we traditionally view the classic revenge plot, the revenge tragedy actually helps the genre succeed and provides a place for new genres to develop. Cressler first fleshes out the character of Iago, and how he believes that he is the beginning of malcontents, before showing the fall and end of malcontents. He then goes into detail about the black tragedies in Othello stating why Shakspeare probably made Othello black. 

      

Priscilla Adams