Comparison Of Andrew Davies's Original Text To Othello

How successfully has Andrew Davies transformed William Shakespeare’s original text for a modern audience?

In this essay I will explain how Andrew Davies’ film, Othello, 2001 released in 2001, is a successful transformation of William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello first performed in 1604. The play follows the events of the General Othello while outlining his love for his wife Desdemona and watches it turn into jealousy, since Iago deceives him into believing she is having an affair with Michael Cassio. Iago’s lies lead Othello to suffocate his innocent wife because of his jealous rage. Then after realising he mistake commits suicide. Similarly, Davies film follows the manipulative Ben Jago’s plans to make the police Commissioner, John
Australia is seen as a civilised nation because of its established system of law and government. Yet we still have emotionally unstable individuals who will break the law structure leading to crime and disorder. In the play, Iago directs Othello’s passionate love for Desdemona, into jealousy from Othello’s belief that she is supposedly unfaithful. As his envy and fury grow into a jealous rage we are shown that his mind becomes a disordered mess. In the play, when Lodovico hands over a letter to Othello from Venice, it raises the conversation about the quarrel that has recently happened between Cassio and Othello. Desdemona is slapped by Othello who says, “O devil, devil! / If that earth could teem with woman’s tears, / Each drop she falls would prove crocodile”. This is the first time Othello has lost his temper and duty in public, highlighting his disordered mind. This metaphor effectively illustrates Othello’s negative thought of Desdemona crying crocodile tears. This scene from the play is like a dinner scene in Davie’s film. Ben Jago, John Othello, Lulu and Dessie are all having dinner when Michael Cass abruptly turns up. He tries to explain that the lies being spread about him aren’t true, which leads to John Othello jumping up, shouting and trying to physically hit Michael Cass. In this scene Othello reveals for the first time in the film his muddled mind in front of his guests. Moreover the low camera angled shots of Othello portray him as powerful and angry in comparison to Michael Cass. The close-up shots displays and emphasize his frightening facial expressions. These camera techniques reveal his disordered mind to his viewers, making them feel sympathy towards Othello after seeing his confusion overrule his personal moral