I found Othello, the 1995 film, to be a close adaptation of the written play read in class, but in the part of Othello there are notable variances between the film and the written play that may be accounted for by the actor’s interpretation of Othello. Through his persona, Lawrence Fishburn portrayed Othello as commanding more clout in the film than he did in the written play, and Fishburn portrayed Othello as having less emotional intimacy with Desdemona in the film than he did in the written play.
When Othello is summoned before the Duke to answer Brabantio’s charges of thievery, he exhibits much clout, as he appears calm and composed in the filmed version. Fishburn’s interpretation of the character is obviously one of which he senses great clout because he exudes more authority in the hearing than Brabantio. He almost looks disgusted as he enters the room as if he should not even have to answer the frivolous charges made by Brabantio. After he addresses the Duke, he turns and walks directly up to Brabantio then he recounts his history with Brabantio while standing tall and looking down on the pitiful looking old man.
Fishburn’s persona in this scene does not give the slightest hint that he is afraid of the Duke’s judgment. The authoritative tone given to his voice while he is recounting his history with Desdemona shows Fishburn’s interpretation of Othello’s clout even while he is in the presence of the Duke. Although Fisburn portrays Othello as having much clout when he is summoned before the Duke to answer Brabantio’s charges of thievery in the filmed version, Othello appears to plead to the Duke for mercy in the written play.
When Othello enters the room there is nothing to signify his demeanor in the written play, but under the circumstances the reader is lead to think that he would be the least bit nervous since his life is at stake. Further, as Othello address the Duke in the written play, the reader sees the humbling words: (1)”Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, My very noble and approved good masters. ” These appear to be the words of one in search of mercy from his judges.
Furthermore, when he recounts his history with Desdemona, there is no sign of him walking over to Brabantio and looking down on him as he speaks of the history. Rather, the reader is inclined to think that Othello is addressing the Duke directly because he starts recount by addressing Brabantio as “Her Father”. Clearly, without the authoritative tone of Fishburn’s voice, the reader is inclined to see Othello in a state of meekness rather than clout while he recounts his history with Desdemona to the Duke.
While Fishburn portrays Othello as having much clout in the filmed version, he portrays Othello as having less emotional intimacy with Desdemona. When Othello rejoins with Desdemona at Cyprus, he gives her a big hug and two long, passionate kisses, but he doesn’t look into her eyes very long before he is off greeting Montano. Fishburn appears to show more physical intimacy with Desdemona by greeting her with hugs and kisses than emotional intimacy suggested by the passionate, intimate words given in the written play for this scene.
Although the filmed version shows Othello as having little emotional intimacy in the scene when he rejoins Desdemona at Cyprus, the written play delivers a very passionate, intimate line from Othello to Desdemona in this scene. The reader is lead to believe that Othello is very emotionally intimate with Desdemona when he says: It gives me wonder great as my content To see you here before me. O my soul’s joy! May the winds blow till they have wakened death! And let the laboring bark climb hills of seas Olympus-high, and duck again as low As Hell’s from Heaven!
If it were now to die, ‘Twere now to be most happy, for I fear My soul hath her content so absolute That not another comfort like to this By these words the reader see truly that Othello truly has an emotional intimacy with Desdemona that is not show by the brief greeting in the filmed version. In summary, Lawrence Fishburn appears to have interpreted the role of Othello as a strong, authoritative, confident general in the filmed version of Othello, while the written play showed Othello to be a passionate man in love and confused. Fishburn’s interpretation of Othello as shown through his persona is far more that the average reader can grasp from the written play.
Certainly Fishburn understood the role of Othello, but may have struggled with acting out the intimate emotions because of cultural influences that surrounded the movie set. Since Fishburn is seen in the black community as a highly respected role model and most of consider mixing of the race unpopular, I’m sure he felt uncomfortable being so intimate with a woman of the white race in a public setting. This would account for the little emotional intimacy shown through Fishburn’s persona; because he would have be too far out of character had he perused that aspect of Othello’s character. Still I think Fishburn was the best man for the job.
