Analysis Of Shakespeare s Othello, By William Shakespeare

When pairs of texts are considered together, their universal themes and ideas lead to greater understanding, appreciation and insight of both the old and the new. The texts Othello, William Shakespeare (1600) and Othello, Geoffrey Sax (2001), ring true for this statement. Despite the differing contexts and ages, the universal themes of racism and betrayal bring new meaning to each of the texts. The primary meaning from the juxtaposition of the two is that of the human condition, and how the problems faced in the 17th century are faced in modern times. The overarching theme of racial discrimination is bought upon by the differing contexts, is bought upon by the different contexts and therefore settings. Shakespeare’s play is set in†¦show more content†¦In a different context, Sax play upon the race accepting faà §ade of law enforcement and society as a whole, however underlying racial prejudices still exist. At the time of setting, the Brixton riots in London are occurring, exposing the underlying racial intolerances of society as a young black man is subjected to police brutality and eventually dies. The editing of the film juxtaposes the rioting scenes with a meeting of police commissioners, talking about racial equality in law enforcement. This technique conveys disconnect between races. After the speech about law enforcement equality, the commissioner and Ben Jago (Iago), are filmed talking in private making comments such as â€Å"if only their brains were as bug as their dicks†. Further exemplification of racial intolerance is in Jago’s explosive soliloquy punctuated with phrases such as â€Å"you stupid patronising ape†. Contrary however, to the play Jago keeps these thoughs to himself, jokingly using racial language, such as â€Å"you clever black bastard†. Jago’s hiding of his true colours shows the stance of society on racism, a friendly faà §ade however there is an underlying problem. It is through the universal theme of racism that a symbiotic relationship between the old and the new text occurs, allowing insight, acknowledgement and understanding between the