How Relevant Is The Shakespearean Play To The Modern Times?

In this story, Othello is initially seen as the main protagonist or the hero. He was the most powerful figure but at times he seemed to be the most vulnerable. He was well respected but had serious insecurities because of his age and race. Throughout the play, there was a deliberate and constant act of stereotyping the Blacks as an enchanting, beastly and uncivilized race. There was also a comparison of the Moor with the wealthy and fair whites of Desdemona’s family.

Othello is a story of jealousy and manipulation, which overrides love and trust between two individuals. During the 17th century, racism was a common phenomenon of day to day life, so perhaps Shakespeare’s use of Racism as a tool in his play, was a result of the societal pressures, which he would have refrained if he wanted to. Nevertheless, he does not portray the character of Othello as an inferior or savage being; Only the derogative conversation among Iago, Roderigo and Brabantio made him sound so. Racism is not a minor part of the play, as it eventually arouses sexual jealousy too, and drives the audience’s attention towards the Elizabethan as well as the modern times. The far-sightedness of Shakespeare can be proved by comparing the situations depicted in his plays with the modern era conditions; Jealousy, Anger, Ego, Vengeance, Domination, Distrust and manipulation are few common features describing the current 21st century too.

The brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare’s Play, Othello, can be viewed with a feminist perspective. An interesting analysis of the female characters in the play allows people to comprehend about the women status and values during the Elizabethan era. The tragedy of Othello can also be seen as demonstrating the desires and expectations of the patriarchal society along with the restriction and suppression faced by the femininity. In spite of Desdemona being a loyal and faithful adherent of her husband, she was objectified as an unfaithful and adultery soul.When Desdemona marries Othello, he explains his wife as sinning against all the rules and laws of nature. Its natural for the women to abide their fathers and husbands. It’s unnatural if they do anything apart from that. This was a unique characteristic of the Venetian or the pre Elizabethan era driving the interests of the audience and made it relatable.

The biggest Irony is the role of Iago, who despite of being the most venomous evil character, pretends as a well wisher and friend of Othello. His power and mastery in the art of manipulation ,resulted in emerging the play as one of the biggest tragedies of the History of English Literature. The limelight of the play was the fall of Othello from his position in the society, and a drastic transition of his role from a protagonist to a murderer and an antagonist. Tragedy is the realisation of the irrevocable occurrence of a heinously wrong event and Othello is well known for it’s depiction of conjugal jealousy.

The relevance of Shakespearean ideology in today’s world covers a major part. Just like his plays, we too have materialised human beings and the bonds that we share with each other. We fail to realise that an iota of doubt soon may result into a detrimental consequence. Similarly, the relativity of the characters and the common domestic as well as societal issues are well decorated and framed by Shakespeare in his compositions.