Othello: Comparison of Film and Play

This novel and film have some many comparisons between the two. When people think about books and movies, they believe that they have differences. In some instances that is true, but Othello it’s quite the opposite. This essay will be about the novel, Shakespeare’s Othello and the film, Parker’s Othello.

Novel

    Within this novel, Othello is the protagonist. He is a general for the armies of Venice and a moor. Othello is a powerful figure that is respected by all the people surrounding him. Regardless of the status of Othello, he is effortless prey because of his race, age, and his life as a soldier. He controls an open and free nature. Which then Lago uses to change Othello’s love for his wife into strong and negative jealousy. The antagonist is definitely Lago in the novel; Othello by William Shakespeare. The jealousy and the way he envy’s Othello causes him to eliminate the lives of Othello and his beautiful wife, Desdemona and others surrounding him.

    There are a lot of different conflicts that happen in this play. They range from gender, love, jealousy, and betrayal. Lago feels that all women are the same and don’t have any self-worth. He talks down about women and even his own bride. He thinks that the only good thing about women is for sex, which is wrong. Love is such a strong, deep emotion for people and can be perceived in many ways. A lot of the conflicts in this play can part from love. Othello had strong feelings about Lago, which led Othello to believe anything he once said, which then blinded him of the trickery and lie he once did. On the other hand, jealousy is also a strong emotion, which leads to the feeling of insecurity, negative thoughts, and anxiety. Where in this play Roderigo is jealous of Othello because Roderigo is in love with his wife. Lago is envious of Cassio because he had the place of Othello’s lieutenant, which Lago thought he deserved. Othello is also jealous of Cassio because he thinks Desdemona is having an affair with him. Betrayal can fall along the lines of jealousy, betrayal is breaking someone's trust. Lago and Roderigo were allegedly friends but Roderigo was sure that Lago would help him win over Othello’s bride, but instead, he made himself sell everything he ever had for him and his selfish needs. In an attempt to assassinate Cassio, but Roderigo ended up getting killed by Lago. The major conflict in this novel was that Othello and Desdemona got married in attempting to build a happy life together, besides their differences in race, experience, and age. Their marriage was damaged by the envious Lago, which persuades Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful.

Film

    Parker’s production of Othello is mirroring Shakespeare's plays, he kept the context pretty much the same.

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