Oedipus and Othello
When comparing and contrasting the character's Oedipus and Othello by
means of the different theatrical practices, one must take in account that there
have been many interpretations, and productions of each of their respected plays.
The differing presentations of each may lead someone to think differently about
the play than another would. In comparing and contrasting the dramatic
representation of the protagonists Oedipus and Othello, theatrical presentation,
costume design, and character will lead the reader, and viewer, to have a
greater insight into the theatrical practices of their times and their
approaches to the issue of verisimilitude.
The theatrical presentation of both plays are very similar. The two
plays would both be presented on a thrust stage, which is a platform surrounded
on three sides by the audience. Except for the backdrop which would have some
element of scenery, the stage itself would be bare apart from a few scenic
elements and props. Othello, like most of Shakespeare's plays, had what is
called an abstract setting. That is a setting in which the locale may change
rapidly, it may not be indicated by the script that it has changed, and was most
likely suggested by a few props. Abstract settings place more emphasis on the
language and the performer, which causes the spectator to use their imagination.
It also places more emphasis on costuming. This type of setting helped set up
the style of representational theater, which places high emphasis on the
realistic. The style used in classical Greece was presentational which, because
of the use of the mask, gave no illusion that this story is happening before
their eyes. The audience is reminded that they are watching a play, and not
merely observing life. Thus, the use of the thrust stage is the only similarity
of the two types of presentation. Othello is a purely illusionistic play,
whereas Oedipus Rex is one that when watched, the viewer knows that they are
watching a performance.
Costumes convey information about the character and aid in setting the
tone or mood of the production. Because most acting involves impersonation,
most costumes are essential to re-create historical or to the period in which
the production takes place. Costumes like that of William Shakespeare's Othello
maybe abstract, ever-changing, like it's setting. When using the costume design
of the latest film version of Othello, he is usually seen in a toga-like uniform
which may have stemmed from his moor background. Since costume elements were
formalized in classical Greek theater, the costumes would be that of everyday
dress with slight additions of colour, designs, all of which created a larger
In the play "Othello", Othello is a black, which is same as Odin (in the movie "O"). Also, Othello is a person who has won many battles, and everyone respects him. This is similar to the situation of Odin. In "Othello", all the characters are living in high class society, which have high reputation and rich. Moreover, in "O", a private school requires expensive school fees to study, this shows that the characters or their families are
Undoubtedly there has been a tremendous amount of speculation and dissection of this play by countless people throughout the ages. I can only draw my own conclusions as to what Sophocles intended the meaning of his play to be. The drama included a number of horrific and unthinkable moral and ethical dilemas, but I believe that was what made the play so interesting and that is exactly the way Sophocles intended it to be. The play was obviously meant to entertain and portray the author’s own insight. The underlying theme to the play is that no man should know his own destiny, it will become his undoing. This knowledge of things to come was presented to both Laius and Oedipus in the form of prophecies well in advance of it coming to be. The prophecies told of things that were so morally disturbing that they both aggressively did everything in their power to try and stop them from coming true. The story begins with Oedipus at the height of power as King of Thebes. His kingdom has encountered rough times and he has sent his nobleman Creon to seek help from the god Apollo to restore his land. Creon tells Oedipus that he must find the murderer of the previous King Laius and by finding this man and banishing him, his land will be restored. The murder occurred some time ago and King Oedipus sends for the seer Theiresias with his powers of prophecy to aid in the search for the murderer. Sophocles cleverly projects his feelings on wisdom and knowledge through Teirsias when he says “Alas, how terrible is wisdom when it brings no profit to the man that’s wise!”(23) Teirsias knows that this terrible prophecy has already been set into motion and the damage has already been done. There is really no point in telling it to Oedipus because it will only cause more harm than good. Oedipus provokes Teirsias into telling him the prophecy, “ Í tell you, king, this man, this murderer-he is here. In name he is a stranger among citizens but soon he will be shown to be a citizen true native Theban, and he’ll have no joy of the discovery: blindness for sight and beggary for riches his exchange, he shall go journeying to a foreign country tapping his way befor him with a stick.
Othello, takes place in Venice during an attack of the island of Cyprus . The
The purpose of the character, Tiresias, in both “Antigone” and “Oedipus the King” is to introduce new information to the audience. When the blind soothsayer makes an entrance, some truth will be revealed and the plot will take a new course. In both plays, the main characters, Creon and Oedipus are both overly confident and proud. At this time, some calamity occurs in the plot, and they seek a prophecy from the blind soothsayer. To their demise, both men challenge the foretelling, thus promoting the logical and and significant transformation to the plot.
For the production of “O” to advertise that the movie will be a modern translation of William Shakespeare’s tragic Othello creates a compelling inaccurate statement. Do to the fact that Odin’s character remains on a very different level than Othello in almost every situation of these two pieces of entertainment. The speech, racism, and the portrayal of the characters within their themes couldn’t have been more different. The level of importance and intensity within the play Othello will always be much more relevant to the main ideas of what Shakespeare really wanted in his play. Everything else seems to be a classic movie production attempting to make a lot of money off of someone else’s idea.
In the play, Oedipus the King, blindness is used metaphorically and physically to characterize several personas , and the images of clarity and vision are used as symbols for knowledge and insight. Enlightenment and darkness are used in much the same manner, to demonstrate the darkness of ignorance, and the irony of vision without sight.
Oedipus, the ruler of Thebes, approaches a group of unhappy citizens, represented by a priest, and asks them what is wrong. They answer that the city is dying and that they are sick and poor. Oedipus sympathizes and tells them that, as their ruler, he is also troubled by the sickness of the city, and has already taken steps to see that something be done about it. The first step he has taken was to send Creon to Apollo's shrine to see what the god recommends they do. As Creon appears, he tells them that the god, Apollo, said that there is bad blood in Thebes, and that until this blood is expelled Thebes will be a sick city.
In Shakespeare’s Othello, Othello and Desdemona’s marriage was doomed from the start. They did not start well; their marriage was controversial because of their race and Othello’s failure to follow proper etiquette while he was courting her. However these issues could have been overcome with time. The biggest problem is Othello’s attitude to Desdemona. Othello’s model of Desdemona prevents him from considering her a person. He thinks of her instead as superior to himself in every way, to the point that she is a god. Her race, beauty, and status make her godly in his mind. She becomes untouchable in Othello’s mind, and he begins to distance himself from her. Because Othello thinks of Desdemona as “Alabaster”(5.2.5) he will never consider her capable of responding to his love.
Othello, a valiant soldier, has a much more complex character underneath the surface of his firm rough exterior. To represent these characteristics, in the form of a colored shape, I chose to compare Othello to a square with a red-orange exterior, contrasted with an ice-blue interior. This figure, while portraying some of the more literal traits of Othello, mainly focuses on his inner emotions, and his circumstances throughout the play.
They have many of the same motives, personality traits, and plans. In attempts of making the movie "O" slightly different than the original Othello they changed only a few small details. Most of which involve the new generation, thus causing people in this generation to watch or be interested. Iago and Hugo 's motives, personalities, and plans are so much alike that you can tell they are the same character that has just been remade. Their brains and personalities are the same they are just put into different scenarios which lead to why they have subtle differences. From the antagonist, it is proven that "O" is a good rendition of the origional Othello. "O" should be watched after reading the original play for a better understanding of characters or a new way of looking at the
never had seen her before he had removed the veil himself when she had arrived
According to Aristotle there are five characteristics of a tragic hero: Flaw or error of judgment, (Peripeteia) a reversal of fortune, the enlightenment (anagnorisis) the discovery or recognition, (hubris) excessive pride, and the character’s fate. Oedipus finds the elders of Thebes praying to the gods for liberation of the plague. Oedipus “alone can help. The cause of the trouble is himself; the chances he has had in his life are precisely the source of the plague” (Diski 1). Oedipus is the cause and the solution to end the plague, but he is blind to the true. Hamlet, differently from Oedipus, is a “man of thought and action, a justice seeker and a criminal, a victim and a wrongdoer, a deeply reflective introvert and a man capable of acting on impulse” (McHugh 1). Hamlet’s free will, injected him with the desire to vengeance his father at any cause. Both Hamlet and Oedipus meet all of the characteristics of a tragic hero. In the beginning of both stories is introduced the first characteristic of a tragic hero, the flaw and error of judgment. In Hamlet, the ghost of his father tells him to revenge his death and In Oedipus; the oracle warns Oedipus about killing his father. Next, the reversal of fortune, in both tragedies leads to the death of their mothers. The anagnorisis of Hamlet was when he discovered how his father died and in Oedipus when the shepherd recognized Oedipus as the killer of Laius. The hubris overpowered both heroes, Hamlet for vengeance of his father’s death and Oedipus to revenge the death of Laius, which ironically was his real father, and he had killed him. Hamlet and Oedipus have the five characteristics of a tragic hero, the main characteristic that both share, is the error of judgment, however, their fate ...
This analysis of Oedipus’s character shows how Oedipus, the protagonist and the antagonist against himself, dealt with unfortunate situations which sealed his fate. Oedipus was a strange round character that was really interesting and mysterious. Oedipus’s life was a good example of a true Greek tragedy; he worked himself up to be a great king and ultimately in the end he died with only his perception on life. Oedipus was once a man of power who falls impoverished. He goes from having much respect in his great position to being impure, blind, and expelled from the land that he once ruled.
With a slow dawn I remembered. Had I slipped or had he hit me with something? My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth as I relived the figure advancing towards me. It was dark. The street light that shone from behind the man in the faceless thickset man in the grey hoody ensured anonymity. Now he was coming. How long had I been here? My head ached as I struggled to assess my surroundings.
of the use of the mask, gave no illusion that this story is happening before