Tim Blake Nelson’s 2001 “O” is an adaptation and modernization of the play Othello. “O” seems to capture the balance Shakespeare intended between portraying Othello as another, based on his race, and the problem of stereotyping a black character. “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.” (Act1:1 87-88) Along, with showing how personal motives can depict people who are unsecure about themselves or their relationships. The solution is to have Odin (Othello) question his position in society inwardly while appearing to be a very confident young man on the outside. Shakespeare created a multifaceted character. Othello’s downfall is rooted in his passionate and temperamental Moorish nature, but he is also articulate,
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Despite the fact that he is the son of a rich benefactor of the school, Roger Calhoun--the parallel to Iago's dupe, Roderigo lacks self-esteem; he is somewhat overweight, pasty-faced, un-athletic, and socially inept. He is tormented and beaten up by the athletes, who see him as the perfect victim. In Othello, we do not know why Roderigo is such an easy dupe with delusions of a possible romance with Desdemona, who presumably will become available the more money Roderigo hands over to Iago to further his hopeless cause. “I will incontinently drown myself.” (Act 1.3 305) Poor Roger just wants to belong, to be liked, to have a certain presence at school, and he cooperates with Hugo because he feels that the coach's son and an athlete can confer on him the identity he lacks. Hugo is able to play on the alienated emotions in Roger, which he recognizes in himself, and that is why he is successful in getting Roger to do his dirty work and to accept the beatings he gets when he is …show more content…
Also, he declares, as he is led away in manacles, that in a short while people will hear of him, presumably referring to the notoriety, which will result from the deaths he has caused. Ironically, although he considered Odin the hawk who distinguished himself from the crowd and saw himself as the white pigeon who lacked his abilities, Hugo has been the true, predatory hawk who has destroyed the people he has made his pigeons or victims. “I bleed, sir, but not killed.” (Act 5:2
Despite the fact that he is the son of a rich benefactor of the school, Roger Calhoun--the parallel to Iago's dupe, Roderigo lacks self-esteem; he is somewhat overweight, pasty-faced, un-athletic, and socially inept. He is tormented and beaten up by the athletes, who see him as the perfect victim. In Othello, we do not know why Roderigo is such an easy dupe with delusions of a possible romance with Desdemona, who presumably will become available the more money Roderigo hands over to Iago to further his hopeless cause. “I will incontinently drown myself.” (Act 1.3 305) Poor Roger just wants to belong, to be liked, to have a certain presence at school, and he cooperates with Hugo because he feels that the coach's son and an athlete can confer on him the identity he lacks. Hugo is able to play on the alienated emotions in Roger, which he recognizes in himself, and that is why he is successful in getting Roger to do his dirty work and to accept the beatings he gets when he is …show more content…
Also, he declares, as he is led away in manacles, that in a short while people will hear of him, presumably referring to the notoriety, which will result from the deaths he has caused. Ironically, although he considered Odin the hawk who distinguished himself from the crowd and saw himself as the white pigeon who lacked his abilities, Hugo has been the true, predatory hawk who has destroyed the people he has made his pigeons or victims. “I bleed, sir, but not killed.” (Act 5:2