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Michael Kadish
12/11/95
.5
In Shakespeare's Othello, it becomes quite apparent that it is one of the Bard's most difficult play to be put on for the actors. By making the roles hard, Shakespeare probably got better variety in his show. Shakespeare wrote this play needing a skilled ensemble cast. Unlike most of Shakespeare's plays the characters that go through a transition are not merely the title characters. Shakespeare wrote a hard play for three characters especially. Othello, Desdemona, and Iago are among Shakespeare's hardest roles.
Othello is hard for an actor for a number of reasons. Not much is told of him- from the background. Obviously, his skin color leads to a great deal of his personality. We do not know exactly what Othello's race is. The critics argue. He is either Asian because of his references to the orient , or an African , which is the commonly accepted belief, or my favorite, he is a Native American, because of three references to Indians in the play. The most important part of Othello's different ethnicity had to have been the surprise. One version was done incredibly well. When Quinn entered the stage he was wearing a military uniform, powdered wig, and large white gloves. It was when he soon took off the gloves that the color was seen. The main importance is not to show he is an alien but that he is not different. This was so important that up until recently it would be permitted for the character to be done in blackface . The problem with this character is not so much his background, but his attitude. Othello has a serious problem that he does not listen to anybody except Iago. Without a good actor to justify this attitude, Othello becomes an idiot. Othello keeps believing in Iago without showing any reason. While an amateur actor might go from the perspective that Othello was simply naive, we also have that seen where he lies through his teeth to Desdemona about the handkerchief. While Hamlet is considered the hardest Shakespeare role, many have been able to play the Danish prince beautifully while bombing at Othello. The best man to have played this it seems was a negro (this is a direct quote) named Booke who never played another role in front of a mainstream audience.
Desdemona's role is also very difficult. She has to be afraid of Othello and respectful the entire time. Furthermore, she must feel a little remorse for something she didn't do. She obviously loves her husband to an excessive degree. Even after he has strangled her, she loves him so much that her last words, when asked who is responsible for her dying she replies, "Nobody. I myself. Farewell." At the same time she must also not want to die, due to her pleading for prayer and time. It is not an obscure fact that Desdemona was the first role on a British stage to be played by an actress. This shows the toughness of the role. Women on the stage remained obscure after that incident for a while showing that Desdemona's calmness was also hard especially for actor. An actor playing the role must be a well singing soprano, a good actor, able to make the audience feel for the character, and be very slow moving. She\he must be "Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion\ Blush'd at herself!" One of the best actresses to play this part also was famous for playing Lady Macbeth.
When she acted in 1690's it was a new idea that women would act, and this prologue was added before the play:
The point is, that with the singing Shakespeare realized how hard it would be for a man to play the part. This part was probably written to let women in. Shakespeare had already made fun of men portraying women previously in A Midsummer Night Dream and As You Like It . The odds are with this play he made the means for a black actor to have a part and for an actress.
The most challenging role in the play is Iago. This is a change for Shakespeare. The hardest role as usual is the one who goes crazy through the story. This is true for most of Shakespeare's dramas, however, it is not normal for the nemesis of the title role to be that complex. The exception that comes to my mind is Brutus, but in no way is Brutus anywhere near as complicated for an actor. Iago from one perspective could be considered a true evil villain. He knows what he is doing, doesn't care what he is doing, and doesn't even have that good a motive. He must give Rodrigo an inferiority complex in the beginning. Iago does not have the most lines but he has the most character. By the end of course, we see Iago's one weakness, his girl, but it is quite obvious that in the beginning when Iago says "for shame, put on your gown!" he is enjoying looking at Brabantio in his negligee. With all his humorous, difficult, and evil character, Iago has one of the hardest lines to block. "Call up her father.\Rouse him, make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the street..." It is not certain if Iago is talking about Othello or Brabantio, or both, but the audience must know. He must pick one and let the audience understand which he is talking about. To overcomplicate matters, many critics do not think Iago should be evil. They contend that after hating his associate he did intend for bloodshed. It was not until his wife was ready to see him that he saw the error in his ways. This way he was hard-boiled, definite, mean, but not evil. Clearly, with the lack of lines compared to most of Shakespeare's characters and the possibilities of the direction the actor can take, this would be a great test roll for good actors.
When Shakespeare wrote Othello he probably had goals in mind. He probably wanted to get women into the theatre, foreigners in a large role, and he didn't want his more talented actors to have to worry with lines so much. The result is a nice script, but the effects of his plan were much better.
Brooke, Tucker ed. and lawrence Mason ed. The Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice. Yale University Press, New Haen 1947 p.167
Parrott, Thomas Marc and Edward Hubler. Shakespeare Six Plays and the Sonnets. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1956 p.146
Chappell, Warren. The Elizabethian Tragedies Volume II. Random House, New York . 1944 p. 1240
Brooke, Tucker ed. and lawrence Mason ed. The Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice. Yale University Press, New Haen 1947 p.178
Fadimon, Clifton . Shakespeare. Macmillianc New York. 1954 p 127
Grebanier, Bernard D. N. English Literature Volume I. Barron's Educational Series. Woodbury, NY , 1959 p113.
Brooke, Tucker ed. and lawrence Mason ed. The Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice. Yale University Press, New Haen 1947 p.177
Grebanier, Bernard D. N. English Literature Volume I. Barron's Educational Series. Woodbury, NY , 1959 p114
Brooke, Tucker ed. and lawrence Mason ed. The Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice. Yale University Press, New Haen 1947 p.153
Brooke, Tucker ed. and lawrence Mason ed. The Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice. Yale University Press, New Haen 1947 p.153