Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Spring 1998

Keywords

Shakespeare, Social concerns, Directors of Shakespeare

Abstract

The tensions in William Shakespeare's plays revolve around social concerns relevant to the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare provides his audience with weighty civic issues to debate, while at the same time often refraining from making obvious his own stand on these matters. For example, in Othello, Shakespeare addresses racial and gender relations. A strong case can be made that the tragedy of Othello shows that interracial love affairs should be avoided. An equally persuasive case can be made that Othello's trust of a male associate over his wife, or that Desdemona's boldness in taking charge of her own future and overstepping the authority of her father to many cross-racially leads to tragic results. Or, perhaps, Othello's downfall is the result of Othello's own tragic character flaws, his rush to judgment -an impetuosity perhaps associated with race -- and misplaced trust. Thus, Shakespeare has in one drama provided a complex setting in which to bring up issues of gender and race.

Department

English

Subjects - Names (LCNAF)

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616--Film adaptations

Genre/Form

student projects; term papers

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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