In Shakespeare’s Othello, Othello Is as Much a Victim of...

Oliver Parker’s 1995 interpretation of Shakespeare’s 1600’s timeless classic Othello presents a differing construction of Othello from the original play, achieved through uses of a plethora of film devices. Both the play and the film masterfully spin a tale of romance, tragedy and death telling the fall of glory of Othello due to the acts of his ensign Iago, albeit with several differences in the presentation. Both Shakespeare and Parker explore themes of jealousy, power, and racism through the key characters of Othello and Iago. Parker utilises cutting, close-ups, mise-en-scene, music and a variety of others to bring his own in-depth dissection and construction of Othello. In the opening scenes of the play, Othello is the noble hero, he†¦show more content†¦In the entirety of the film Parker places many symbols, inferring the downfall of Othello, through clever scenic locations and the addition of his own locations, Parker is able to provide a different and fresh interpretation of Othello. In the film Parker is able to show Othello having visible seizures while showing false images of Desdemona together with Cassio, allowing the progression of Othello’s collapse to be observed, in another scene Parker places Othello in a dungeon hidden behind bars, symbolising the emergence of the dark ‘green eyed monster’ from within him. Parker integrates the plays act 3 scene 3 and turns it into a whole new entity showing the marriage of Othello and Iago, this scene is the climax of both of the play and the film with Othello succumbing to Iago’s words that Desdemona is a ‘whore’. They form a blood bond, this symbolisi ng the blood shed about to occur caused by Othello insecurities being pounced on by Iago. Parker’s film constructs a unique and unstable character of Othello, whose downfall is caused by his insecurities being preyed upon by the malicious Iago. Both Shakespeare’s and Parker’s text explore themes of power and jealousy utilising Iago and Othello as vessels for these ideas. Othello is constructed to be a honest man, whose is obsessed with power and control, without his mask of power, Iago plotting is able to bring upon his