2016-2017 Faculty Research Grant
Vanessa Coredera (English)
Othello and Modern Appropriation
Scholar Peter Erickson has called Othello Shakespeare’s emissary to the world; narrowing in focus, academic Francesca Royster asserts that Americans use Othello as a means of understanding race and Otherness in society. Though differing in scope, these statements present a similar view of the play and its eponymous protagonist: due to its depiction of a black Other in white society, Shakespeare’s famous tragedy has both an enduring international and nationally specific appeal. The tacit idea underlying these statements is the understanding that Othello remains relevant for contemporary culture since its exploration of the creation of self and Other through white Venetians and the blackamoor Othello speaks to ongoing discussions about race, identity, and alterity so prevalent in our modern world.
Precisely how and why Othello continues to speak to us in the 21st century is the focus of my project. My book (whose working title is Othello and Modern Appropriation) seeks to examine contemporary Western, and predominantly American, appropriations of Othello in order to explore the intersection of early modern (an alternative term for the English Renaissance) and modern conceptions of race, gender, and identity. By turning to a wide range of “texts” that either adapt the play or which make reference to the play and/or its characters—plays, novels, film, graphic novels, podcasts, etc.—I will consider how modern conceptions of race and gender have shaped the depiction of Othello, as well as its use in “high” and “low” culture. Furthermore, I will question whether early modern conceptions of race and gender still inform representations of the play and its characters. And finally, I want to explore why the choices made when adapting Othello matter.