Desdemona’s role as Othello’s wife proves to be a weighty factor in the unsuccessful conversion of Othello. As Jane Hwang DeGenhardt discusses, a crucial aspect of the culture during this era was the idea concerning the “threat of Islamic conversion” which is “in light of England’s increased commercial engagement with the Ottoman empire” (84). In other words, the fear of the idea of “turning Turk” led to resistance from Christians, and this development was frequently represented on stage with Othello as no exception. As DeGenhardt explains: In each of these plays,
Islamic conversion is figured as the direct result of sexual intercourse between a Christian man and a Muslim woman, Conversely, Christian resistance is exemplified through the chastity of the Christian woman, a figure whose virtue remains constant though she is constantly pursued by lustful Turks and constantly doubted by her Christian brothers. (84) This insight can relate to the scene in Othello where Brabantio, Roderigo, and lago discuss Desdemona’s elopement.
Roderigo claims that Desdemona has fallen into the “gross clasps of a lascivious Moor” (I. . 124). The men continue to discuss how Desdemona ould not run off with a Moor, and the only possible reason that she would, would be as a result of magic or a curse performed by Othello. The language in both DeGenhardt and Othello stereotypes Turks as “lustful” and “lascivious,” which provides a less humanistic image and a more primal description and expectation. Also, the inclusion of such carnal description further distances Othello from the picture of a Christian. Another aspect to consider is the function Desdemona performs in Othello’s conversion.
Considering DeGenhardt’s explanation of the role that sexual intercourse plays in the oncept of “turning Turk,” it can be argued that due to the lack of consummation of the marriage between Othello and Desdemona, Othello’s conversion was never sufficiently achieved. Since the marriage was never consummated, Othello possessed the capability to reverse from the Christian religion to his stereotypical roots. As Harry Morris examines the role of Desdemona, he argues that Desdemona plays the role of Othello’s “good angel” and her role is “to work the salvation of the soul in her care” (11).
Morris continues to show that Desdemona’s death was inevitable due o the fact that “the devil triumphs in the tug-of-war for Othello’s soul, and Desdemona returns to heaven” as a result of the loss of Othello’s soul (11). While this should be considered and factored into the role that Desdemona plays as Othello’s wife, Morris argues that Othello’s damnation was a consequence of “the completely flawless man’s blindness to the demonic substance” (12).
I would argue that Othello’s unsuccessful conversion to Christianity was not solely a result of his blindness to lago’s evil doings. Extending Morris’s argument, Othello’s onversion to Christianity was unsuccessful considering lago’s symbolic presentation of the devil, as well as the unfulfilled wifely duties of Desdemona through consummation of the marriage. With this combination, Othello had not triumphantly converted to Christianity. Acquiring and executing the skills to decipher language and recognize symbolism is a crucial skill for students to develop in the classroom.
By instructing students to perform a close reading of a text, research the historical context of the play, and performing a portion of the text allows students to further xplore a text, as well as show an understanding of critical aspects of a piece through performance. Incorporating Shakespeare into a high school classroom can be seen as daunting task; however leading students through an exploration of not only the text, but the time period encourages students to better understand and connect with the piece.
When incorporating Othello into a high school classroom, one must first provide a historical context. With numerous allusions and references to the Bible, it would be necessary to start a unit with the reading of Bible stories, such as Judas’s betrayal of Jesus, as well as providing students with a text from the time period, such as The Book of Common Prayer. As a prereading activity, students would do research on The Book of Common Prayer. Research could include group presentations on the the four significant rulers, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Queen Mary I, and een Elizabeth I.
Students would present on the assigned ruler and provide context such as religious association, what impact he or she had on England, and the greatest accomplishments during reign. After gaining a better understanding of the time period, students will read Othello as a class. During each class period students will be assigned parts to read outloud to help practice performing. While reading, the teacher demonstrate guided practice by pointing out crucial aspects of the text.
Aspects can include the impact of language on the scene, significant actions and/or stage directions, allusions or symbols from other texts, etc. Before moving on to the final assignment of the unit, the teacher will demonstrate how to perform a close reading. For this particular section, a demonstration of close reading will be done on on Act I, Scene i, lines 40-64. The teacher will explain the important language, such as submissive tone of line 44 “many a duteous and knee-crooking knave” and the reference to the Bible with line 64 “I am not what I am. Once students grasp the practice of close reading, students will be assigned the application portion of the lesson. Students will be placed into groups of three to four students, and will select a scene in which they believe is a pivotal scene in Othello. As a group, students perform a close reading of their selected passage. They will be instructed to annotate their selection, ighlighting and noting important aspects of language and actions, as well as the specific impact that these aspects have on the scene and piece as a whole.
Students will then create a movie scene based on their selection. The teacher will encourage students to consider the influence of tone, camera angle, lighting, etc. and how they emphasize and tell the overall story. The teacher will provide students with a video camera, costumes, one class period to record their scene, and one period to edit and finalize the performance. Students will be allowed and encouraged to use creativity with their projects. Students can portray a scene as serious or satirical, depending on what the feel best conveys the message of the scheme.
Students will also be encouraged to incorporate their pre- reading knowledge into the scene. For example, students may include an improve comment referring to Othello as Judas, Desdemona as a lamb, or draw attention to lago’s statement, “I am not what I am,” and it’s coordination to the Bible. It will be clear to the class that text such as the Bible will be referenced as a piece of literature that encompasses literary devices such as allusions and symbols.
The Bible will not be discussed or debated on a theological level. Afterwards, students will submit their scenes to the teacher, along with a one page metacognitive reflection on their project. Students will need to include in the metacognitive reflection details explaining why the group chose the scene, how they used language, what camera techniques were implicated and the effect on the overall scene, and a brief statement on how they felt the assignment went.
Once all scenes have been submitted, the teacher will compile the scenes into one movie, then the students will watch the movie. While viewing the movie, students will fill out a chart for each scene. The chart will have students consider what was the most impactful element of the scene, what impact it had on the meaning of the scene, and a critique or compliment of the scene. By having students reflect on not only their scenes, but ponder why other classmates made the decisions they made helps establish a better understanding of the text as a whole.
Allowing students to work with a more challenging text, such as Othello, in a way that provides historical context, close reading or a better understanding, to perform encourages the students to not only comprehend the text, but to connect with on a more personal level and make the text their own. This project would meet two of the Common Core standards for English Literacy: CCSS. ELA-LITERACY. SL. 9-10. : Make strategic use of digital media (e. g. , textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. CCSS. ELA- LITERACY.
RL. 9-10. 9: Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e. . , how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare). English) In conclusion, through a New Historicism lens, the investigation of a primary text, such as The Book Common of Prayer, provides a better understanding of the culture surrounding the time period and the influence of Christianity. Employing the works of Christopher Baker, Harry Morris, Joseph Sterrett, in companion to Shakespeare’s Othello, and historical text like the Bible and The Book of Common Prayer allows for a thorough knowledge of the role of religion in Othello.
