Othello

Posted: October 17th, 2013

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Othello

Othello is a tragic play by William Shakespeare, an English poet and playwright. It was written in 1603. The work revolves around four characters: Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, his wife Desdemona, Cassio, Ensign, and Iago. Desdemona is both feminine and wife material. She is very honest, romantic and is loyal to the husband. Throughout the play, she has a unique role of uniting people. The main item the audience should understand is how the feminine nature and wife role has been enhanced. This characteristic of Desdemona is well portrayed in the play.

The production will be unique through the articulation of words by the actors. The articulation should be so captivating that it motivates the audience to yearn for more. This means the sound system is well assembled and organized to the best standard. The same production will be enhanced by a good choice of sound effects that draw the attention of the audience. The choice of sound could be music that is inline with the production. The effect should create suspense to the audience while the performance progresses. Everything should be allowed to emerge from the language of the text. Preparation is also vital. It ensures proper budgeting for the play resources before it is cast. The production crew will be able to organize and have everything they require to eliminate confusion. Team building among the characters is important for the success of the play.

Roles chosen for the actors in the play should also be excellent. The play entails different roles of a black man and white man plays in the society. The roles given to the characters should be in line with the expectation of the audience. For instance, a role for a black man should be by a black man and so for the white man. It will be unsettling to see a white actor take up the role of a black man. In the production, it is important that the role of Othello be well enhanced. He is a courageous soldier and very insecure. The actor to play this role should be directed on stage through movements, facial expressions and body movements to elicit the traits named. The overall view of the play should be tragic. This will be enhanced by Desdemona in several ways. First, it is important that she remains the most attractive woman in the play to make the husband feel insecure. The insecurity will make Othello hate anyone who tries to get close to the wife. The same should be done to Iago, by ensuring that he is more handsome than Othello. The difference will make the two men be in conflict that will result to a tragedy.

The uniqueness of the production will also be enhanced by the costumes used. The actors on stage will have attires symbolic to their stage characters. Desdemona will put on attire that gives her the characteristic of a feminine nature and wife material. She is beautiful and plays the role of a good wife. It is important for her to dress up in attires that make her stand out from the rest of female actors. Desdemona is a main character, this should be observable from the costume she has. The scene will be in a military base to incorporate other themes such as military life, for purposes of a good developed plot. This will help make the play more interesting and break the monotony of a smooth flow of the story.

Camera shots for the play should also enhance a good production. It is said a picture is worth a thousand words. Film represents pictures in motion. The production should be composed of significant clips to ensure the intended message is received by the audience. Emotional effect should also be impacted by the shots. Close-up shots will be required to show emotions. In the last scene, the play should possess emotional features. The director should ensure the audience remains in sorrow after Desdemona dies. This means many close-up shots should be taken. Characters also are expected to employ many non-verbal communication techniques. The camera shots should also convey meaning and provide flow to the plot. In the scene that Othello kills, his wife, there can be followed by a shot showing Othello behind bars under extreme regret. This shot will make the audience believe that justice was done. In so doing, the production will have meaning. To make production more interesting, it can be prolonged. There may be development of conflict between Othello and Desdemona’s father.

Comical parts of the play should be incorporated in the production to help avoid audience boredom. This will give the audience an opportunity to feel as part of the play. Desdemona’s lines should also be increased and made in a way that engages the audience. Use of rhetorical questions will help draw audience curiosity more. The play should also bring out Desdemona as a tool for Iago and a victim in her marriage. It makes the audience feel sympathetic hence capturing the audience emotion as a result attention of the audience is enhanced. Clarity in the play is vital. Clarity will make the audience be able to concentrate, since they are able to see actors well. If the ability to see is hindered then the audience will loose interest. It is important that there are different shades of lighting to establish different moods in the play. During editing, the editor needs to provide a smooth transition of the different shots. Poorly edited work means the eye will get tired earlier before the production comes to the end.

The character mentioned has been witnessed in several cases. She plays a wife role when she elopes with the husband and goes to war with him. Although the husband kept on doubting her, she remained faithful to him even at the point of her death. She undertook the role of a wife to the husband just as her mother did. This is noted when she speaks to the father. “But here’s my husband, And so much duty as my mother showed To you, preferring you before her father, So much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my lord” (Shakespeare, Line 184-188). By this, she remained loyal to the husband and even chose to elope with him. This shows loyalty to the husband more than to the father just as her mother did. The character was also submissive to the husband. This is seen when she dies. She goes on to say that, she never offended the husband and loved Cassio. (Shakespeare, Line 63-64.)

The production will require an undertaking of research before the final product is worked on. It is important that the director introduce a pilot production first. This production is meant to test the reaction from the audience. Finally, after enough corrections are done from the pilot production the final copy of the production can now be released to the market.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William, and A. Laurel. Othello Paperback Book. Irvine: Saddleback Educational Pub, 2003. Internet resource.