Othello (1965): Laurence Olivier & Maggie Smith

We'll be discussing film adaptations and performances of Othello in class this week. Please take a look at this 10-minute clip of the play's final scene (Act 5, scene 2) from a 1965 performance with Laurence Olivier as Othello in blackface and Maggie Smith as Desdemona (a.k.a. Professor McGonagall from Harry Potter).

Placing Othello

While much of Othello takes place on the island of Cyprus, the play opens in and is colored by the city of Venice. As we've discussed in class, Venice served as a gateway between East and West on the Mediterranean. Its streets and buildings showed signs of influence from a variety of cultures, religions, and regions. In the image above, you'll see evidence on this in the domes and arches of St. Mark's Cathedral.

For Paper 1, you are welcome to write on Othello. In what ways does place or setting produce meaning in the play? What ideas do you have about how you might incorporate our discussions of Othello into your assignment? into our broader conversations on the importance of place, space, and location in forming identity?

Othello resources

Reading Tips:

• As you make your way through Othello, don't forget to jot down summary notes to remind yourself what happened in each scene and Act. When you go to reflect on what you've read, these notes will be hugely helpful to you.
• Also, highlight or bracket passages & speeches that you find really interesting, even if you don't fully understand them. Read and reread these sections. Maybe you can ask your roommate or classmate to read a couple lines or scene with you out loud. Hearing things aloud sometimes helps.
• Underline patterns of language, images, or words you notice over and over (honesty, black/white, honor, see/sight...). This way you can identify those areas quickly later on. You might also keep note cards with you as you read so you can write down some of these thoughts and reactions and store them in your book.
  

Other Resources:

• Summaries are very helpful. However, beware the quick analysis sites you can find online--through Sparknotes, enotes or any other random website. Generally, websites with "edu" are more reliable because they have affiliation with universities or colleges.
  
• Some HUST majors recently read Othello, and they took some notes online that you might find useful. Check out their historical analysis and summaries.
  
• Don't forget to consult your book. Kim Hall's introduction to the Bedford/St. Martin's edition of your text is very useful, especially for its explanation of how race is understood in Shakespeare's time.
  

Questions to Think About:

• What are Iago's reasons for plotting against Othello?
• After Cassio gets drunk and fights Montano (2.3), he laments the loss of his reputation (2.3.240). Why is reputation so important to Cassio? How essential is it for the other characters?
  
• Why do Iago, Othello, Branbantio and other characters keep talking about what you can see? Othello claims he needs "ocular proof" of Desdemona's faithfulness--what are limitations does "ocular proof" present? Can we always trust what we see?

SMC Monologues

Looking for a way to share powerful women's experiences?

Want to get in touch with your inner drama (or comedy) star?

Or just to try something new?

ACT in the 5th Annual SMC Monologues!
**No acting experience necessary--there's a part for everybody!**

Come to the Monologues info session:
When: Monday 2/9, 7:30 pm
Where: Women's Resource Center (2nd floor Student Center)ime Commitment: 2 hours a week for 3 weeks,
Performances on Sat. 2/28 and Sun. 3/1
--So Questions or schedule conflicts?
Email Becki at rfaunc01@saintmarys.edu

_Girl, Interrupted_ film viewing

There will be two viewings for Girl, Interrupted before our discussion on Tuesday (2/10).

1. Thursday (tonight!) from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Vander Vennett Theater (downstairs in Student Center).
   
2. Monday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Vander Vennett Theater (downstairs in Student Center).