Sax And Othello Comparative Essay

A retrospective understanding of an author’s context, allows us to identify and contrast between the social values apparent in their respective literature. This is evident in both Shakespeare’s 16th century play ‘Othello’ and Geoffrey Sax’s 2001 variation. Both texts explore the differences in human nature; such as revenge and discrimination in the form of gender inequality and racial prejudice and this can be seen as a reflection it its context. Since these ideas are constant throughout both texts a comparative analysis would indicate the differing values of the society of each text. Shakespeare’s Othello has been crafted for an Elizabethan audience, thus he’s given importance to a higher supernatural figure as that was the belief of their time. In comparison Sax portrays a more modern ideology such as science
As such Shakespeare’s construction of Othello as an authoritative general can be viewed as controversial to his context, even at such a commanding level in a patriarchal society he is continuously referred to as ‘The Moor’, ‘thick lips’ or ‘His Moorship’. The use of derogatory language and pun had no noticeable effect on his character this is because of the social values of his context, as racism was generally accepted. “Your daughter and the Moor are now backing the best with two backs”, also uses derogatory and demonic language to convey discrimination. Gender inequality was another belief that was held firmly by the male dominated society. “O beware, my lord, of jealousy”, Iago uses the cultural and stereotypic references of all Venetian women being dishonest to provoke the anger that lies within Othello and promote gender inequality. Due to the social values of the time women weren’t permitted to having high class jobs which further prompted the disparity between males and