Theater Order Variety Fortunate Today. Because Shakespeare

¶ … theater order variety fortunate today. Because Shakespeare the Globe Theater great

It was quite an experience to watch Shakespeare's Globe Theater Production of Othello in 2007. There are quite a few elements of Shakespeare, and of dramatic works in general, that take on different connotations when they are acted out and presented to the public vs. simply being read. These connotations had both positive and negative effects for both of the media in which a play may be absorbed, either by watching it in person or by reading it. As such, they certainly contributed to a unique viewing of Othello.

One of the several aspects of a dramatic work that is enhanced by watching a play is humor. The laughter of the audience, indeed, the audience's very participation in the Globe Theater's 2007 production of Othello, helped to heighten the viewing experience. Whereas in reading a play one merely laughs at the humor in the monologues and dialogues presented within the work, in proper theater there is situation comedy in which there are no words spoken and plenty of opportunities for the audience to laugh. In such a manner was the audience in the Globe Theater's production of Othello an active participant in the play, as it helped to clue me in as a viewer as to when parts were funny or serious.

One of the drawbacks of watching this play -- in which the military leader Othello's happiness, in the form of his wife Desdemona and his coveted position as general in the Venetian army, is destroyed -- was the actual language, the old/middle English Shakespearean prose/poetry that makes for compelling reading, but which is not easily understood when it's rapidly spoken. In many parts, it was hard to understand what certain members of the cast were saying, particularly during parts of heightened emotion when the characters would yell at each other. The fact that they were shouting (and also speaking so quickly) in words and phrases that would give most viewers pause for consideration if they were simply reading such language, also contributed to a limited understanding on my part. In this respect the audience was able to help with my understanding, since there verbal reactions could be used as a measure to indicate in what direction the course of the conversation was going.

In general, it can be said that visualization of the actions of the different authors, particularly Othello, who I thought did a very good job of portraying the confidence and the misery which he alternately endured during various aspects of this performance helped to bring the work to life in a way that simply reading it probably could not have done. The character Iago was quite an evil villain, and contrived a fairly complex plot to take his revenge on Othello, who had recently married (Desdemona) and promoted Cassio to a high position in the army. Iago is able to systematically affect both of these aspects of Othello's life by getting him to lose faith and trust in both his wife and Cassio, who are very dear to him. Iago gets Cassio drunk and makes him take the blame for a fight that occurs soon afterwards; as a result Othello strips him of his rank. Iago also gets Othello to believe Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, which causes Othello to have serious doubts about her fidelity and eventually kill her because of them.