Good evening TED guests. Over hundreds of years, the challenges faced by
humans have differed greatly. Yet, it can be seen by studying a famous text
and a contemporary adaptation that the same key issues are approached time
after time, each with evolving interpretations, ultimately demonstrating
changing attitudes and values over time. Othello, a play written by English
playwright William Shakespeare in 1603 presents attitudes and beliefs
regarding racism and Machiavellian villainy also present in Andrew Davies’
2001 film adaptation. Shakespeare presents racism as an internal prejudice
held by all members of society and accepted as a common social truth,
reflecting the play’s Elizabethan context, while Davies focuses on the
systematic and institutionalised nature of racism present in modern London.
Shakespeare explores how Machiavellian villainy corrupts an individual, while
Davies portrays the potential of Machiavellian villainy in corrupting
contemporary society’s institutions and establishments.
Shakespeare and Davies both explore the racist belief system of society and
the consequences of these paranoid beliefs. Shakespeare presents racism as
an internal prejudice held by all members of Venetian society and accepted as
a common social truth, while Davies reveals that although racist ideologies
have been dismantled as common social truths, racism is still present
systematically and institutionally. Shakespeare develops this notion in Act 1,
Scene 1 when in response to Othello and Desdemona’s relationship, Iago
proclaims,”Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white
ewe.” Shakespeare uses a metaphor coupled with juxtaposed light and dark
imagery to elucidate racist Elizabethan anxieties regarding miscegenation as
barbaric and uncivilised, solidified through the use of the epizeuxis of “now,
now, very now,” to present the scale of abomination miscegenation is viewed
within Elizabethan society. Shakespeare explores the consequence of this
racism in Act 3, Scene 3, when Othello proclaims towards Desdemona in
response to her supposed adultery,”Her name, that was as fresh as Dian’s
visage, is now begrimed and black as mine own face.” Shakespeare presents
blackness as being antithetical to purity in a hyperbolized simile through the
mythological allusion, “Dian's visage,” representing the pale face of the moon
through Diana, the Goddess of the moon. This is the first time Othello racially
describes himself, clearly elucidating the effects of racism in Venetian society,
as Othello who has been so prudent to racial stereotypes begins to reflect the
same internal prejudices others hold about his race. Davies then establishes
the institutional nature of racism in contemporary London and it’s
consequences through the court trial of Billy Coates’ murderers. This shot is
set in a courtroom, as courtrooms represent justice and equality, but Davies
completely juxtaposes this notion, revealing to the audience that the unlawful
murderers of Billy Coates are not charged for their crimes.The institutionalised
presentation of racism is furthered through the cross-cutting shots between
Othello and the courtroom staff, whose condescending facial expressions we
see from a low-angle shot to establish their power over Othello as a force
trying to oppose institutionalised racism. The use of non-diegetic sound
through tense music completes the atmosphere of the scene, creating a
scenario in which Othello is shamed for daring to oppose London’s systematic
racism. Hence, racism is clearly elucidated as a defining theme in both
compositions, with Shakepseare focusing on its ubiquitous prevalence in
Elizabethan society, while Davies emphasises its’ institutionalised nature
within contemporary London.
Shakespeare and Davies both explore the corrupting effects of Machiavellian
villainy on an individual, and the tragic consequences of its corruption. While
Shakespeare portrays how an infatuation with Machiavellian villainy can be
the hamartia of an individual leading to the downfall of them and those around
them, Davies explores how the corrupting power of Machiavellian villainy has
the potential to corrupt contemporary institutions. Shakespeare elucidates the
self-destructive nature of Iago’s Machiavellian villainy by paralleling it to the
story of the fall of Satan in the Old Testament. Since Elizabethans were a
Protestant, god-fearing society, the story of the fall of Satan would be a part of
the shared cultural conscience, appealing to Shakespeare’s context. This
parallel is seen in Iago’s soliloquy Act 2, Scene 3, when Iago proclaims,''
When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with
heavenly shows as I do now.” The conceit of “heavenly show” alludes to Iago
pretending to be a well meaning servant, but in actuality, just like Satan, he is
committing a ‘blackest sin,’ paralleling the story of Satan.Sibilance is used
constantly throughout the soliloquy, such as, ”Seals and symbols,”
acknowledging Iago’s serpentine nature through the imagery of a snake - a
symbol of pure evil to the god fearing Elizabethen audience, through which
Shakespeare compares Iago with the snake in the Garden of Eden who
demolishes paradise. Davies explores how the power of a Machiavellian villain
has the potential to corrupt and penetrate contemporary society’s most
important institutions during the trial of Billy Coates when Jago successfully
manipulates the result. The setting of a courtroom with a low-angle shot of
Jago looking down upon the entire courtroom shows how Jago has full power
over the court proceeding, suggesting how he has manipulated the justice
system of London.The zoom into a close-up shot of Jago with a blank,
menacing facial expression furthers Jagos’ villainy while the very striking,
dramatic non-diegetic music and sound effects further develops the menacing
atmosphere, aiming to transmit the amount of power Jago has over London’s
most important institutions to the audience, hence developing the
effectiveness of his Machiavellian villainy. Overall, Shakespeare and Davies
both prove the corrupting nature of Machiavellian villainy, with Shakespeare
focusing on how it corrupts an individual, and Davies focusing on how it
corrupts contemporary institutions.
To conclude, despite the 400 year difference between the creation of
Shakespeare’s play, Othello, and Davies adaptation, both compositions
approach they key ideas of Machiavellian villainy and racism, focusing on the
similarities and differences in the expression of these themes in contemporary
and Elizabethan contexts to reflect the contextual concerns of their composers
and responders.