Shakespeare has been known for his plays.

One in specific, Othello, is

about a tragedy. Othello, who is of African descent, is a general and his right
hand man is Iago, a truly vile, corrupt, and vicious person… but we’ll get to
that later. Othello falls in love with the Senator’s daughter, Italian
Desdemona and they live together as newlyweds. Iago after not getting the
promotion to the job, feels devastated and plans to ruin Othello by getting in
the way of his marriage. The story goes as follows. Debate has been
breeching out about whether or not Shakespearean plays are relevant in the
21st century and if they should still be taught in schools. With each passing
year, the world is becoming more modernized and changing its tactics.
Although learning should always still be relevant. His plays help show the
difference in morals and opinions society had and how it changed over time.
We will look towards one of his plays to show just how relevant it is.
Shakespeare should still be taught in schools because Othello covers some
topics and feelings that are relatable such as adultery between a married
couple, and jealousy, the motives behind a person connecting to their
emotions. The rumors and trust developed in Othello make it the story that it
is. Although some may argue about its endings being irrelevant and
unrealistic.
Shakespeare is relevant and should still be incorporated into schools
because it talks about the topic of adultery in Othello. This is brought up
when after the two newlyweds face trials like all couples do. Othello believed
that Desdemona was having an affair with another man and this lead to
some major key events in the play. In Othello Log #6, adultery was discussed
and the question of whether or not it should be considered illegal if a spouse
were to cheat or be unfaithful in the relationship. It shouldn’t be illegal or
treated with a punishment such as death because this will simply be based
off on the other person’s emotions and it will seem like revenge. This is not a
healthy solution. The outcome of this cheating could show you the true
colors of the other person and how much you mean to them. If they really
loved you then they wouldn’t see cheating as an option. You saved yourself
time and you know their intentions and can save yourself from that
unhealthy relationship where you aren’t appreciated. Everyone has free will
and this will only be an act of revenge. In Act 3 Scene 3 Othello discusses
with Iago about the relationship between Desdemona and Cassio. “Iago: Look
to your wife; observe her well with Cassio; Wear your eyes thus, not jealous
nor secure… In Venice they do let <God> see the pranks They dare not show
their husbands…. She did deceive her father, marrying you, And when she
seemed to shake and fear your looks” Iago is clearly trying to make Othello
believe that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him. This is part of Iago’s plan
because he wants to ruin Othello just as he “did” to him and tries to say that
adultery has been committed when it really has not. On page 135 and 137,
Othello voices his thoughts once Iago “leaves” and says “ Why did i marry?...
I had rather be a toad And live upon the vapor of a dungeon Than keep a
corner in the thing i love For others’ uses.” The words that Iago tells Othello
sways him to rethink his marriage and he wishes to not be married than to
face betrayal from his spouse. From this point on, Othello will see
Desdemona as unfaithful and cause a hole in their relationship.
Newsarchive.ohchr.org states that “ Provisions in penal codes often do not
treat women and men equally and establish harsher sanctions for women,
and in some countries, rules of evidence value women’s testimony as half
that of a man’s… The group of experts warned that maintaining adultery as a
criminal offence… face extreme vulnerabilities, and violation of their human
rights to dignity, privacy and equality, given continuing discrimination and
inequalities” Based on this, adultery seen as a crime already has faults and
deals with the injustice laws applied to both genders. It is seen as a violation
to one’s privacy and the government shouldn’t interfere with a relationship
but should instead handle more important matters that affect and could help
the rest, not worrying about settling whether someone cheated or not. This
can also bring an issue with dating people who have already been married.
Wouldn’t that be considered a crime? This will do more harm than good.
Shakespeare also teaches the impact that jealousy can have. Othello’s
most trusted person Iago became jealous when Othello didn’t him the
position of Lieutenant but to someone else. This jealousy soon leads to
revenge and betrayal. Iago’s plans and scheming was out of the ordinary for
acting on his emotions. Othello Log # 3 talks about jealousy. Holding a
grudge and resenting someone for having something that you don’t have
isn’t doing you any good. It ruins the relationship you have or had with that
person. Bottling up your emotions will hurt you and you will keep that with
you until you blow up and act out irrationally. Iago couldn’t forgive Othello
and has taken his envy and rage out on Othello and Cassio, the man who got
the position instead of him. In Shakespeare Othello, Act 4 Scene 1, Iago tells
Othello to hide while he talks to Cassio about the relationship. Othello thinks
they are talking about Desdemona when in reality, Iago asks Cassio about
Bianca because Iago knows fully well that Cassio never had an affair with
Desdemona but Iago will go to such great lengths to frame Cassio because
he is acting out on his emotions. It states “ Othello: Look how he laughs
already! Iago: I never knew woman love man so. Cassio: Alas, poor rogue, i
think <i’ faith> she loves me. Othello: Now he denies it faintly and laugh it
out.” Othello is now jumping to conclusions and makes him hate Cassio,
whom he once treasured. As soon as Cassio leaves with Bianca, Othello goes
to Iago and asks “ How shall i murder him, Iago? Iago: Did you perceive how
he laughed at his vice? Othello: O Iago! Iago: And did you see the
handkerchief? Othello: Was that mine? Iago: Yours, by this hand! And to see
how he prizes the foolish woman your wife! She gave it to him, and he hath
giv’n it his whore. Othello: I would have him nine years a-killing!... Ay, let her
rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live.” The impact of
jealousy shown here is that now Othello is jealous too. He feeds off of his
jealousy and plans to kill both Cassio and Desdemona for what they “did”.
Looking at Psychologytoday.com, Ph.D. certified Lisa Firestone states that
“ Jealousy itself can take on a sort of wicked presence in our lives. Actions
taken on its behalf have been known to crush a budding romance, slowly
erode a longstanding union or even lead to serious abuse.” This connects to
Othello because both Iago and Othello have become jealous for their own
reasons and it turns into a diminishing romance, abuse, and death. She
continues by saying that “ The problem with jealousy is that it masks other
feelings and attitudes that are even more hurtful to us and those closest to
us. Its intensity is often shielding deep-seated feelings of possessiveness,
insecurity or shame.” Iago is being blinded by his jealousy because he is
going after his own selfish ambitions and not taking into consideration other
people’s feelings or how he’s hurting them. Othello is hurting Desdemona
and his relationship.
Shakespeare might not be relevant today due to the crazy resolutions
made which one wouldn’t normally follow. In the end of Othello, he killed his
wife for the cause of infidelity and then kills himself after finding out the
truth. One wouldn’t go to such great lengths if their partner cheated on
them. In Act 5 Scene 2, it talks about the ending of the story and what
happened to Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. As the audience who has
been there from the beginning, one wants to know if things get resolved
between them. Sadly this is not the case as the book title does have the
words tragedy in it. Shakespeare writes, “ Desdemona: Kill me tomorrow, let
me live tonight… But while I say one prayer! Othello: It is too late. <He>
smothers her…. <He stabs himself.> I kissed thee ere i killed thee. No way
but this, Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.” In today, Othello’s actions
wouldn’t have been taken so lightly after the killing of his wife then of
himself. At the end, Othello is stripped of his position of general and
everything is given to Cassio as the new ruler. In our society today, we would
all have the officers and news reporters at the scene of the crime. People
would want this news to start spreading and the police would be ready to
arrest him and sentence him to jail time for killing someone and call it
scandalous. Although the ending is seen as dramatic and over the top extra,
Othello along with Shakespeare’s other plays are still relevant today. That
same ending relates to a lot of court cases happening between couples.
Theconversation.com talks more in depth of Othello’s and Desdemona’s
relationship and how it is viewed now in today’s society, its’ effects, and
reasons leading to this cause. It states “ Othello’s abuse of Desdemona
matches the Commission’s description of family violence as a multifaceted
pattern of escalating behaviour rather than a single event.” This is viewing it
from a new perspective and further understanding their marriage. “ Othello
repeatedly verbally abuses Desdemona in sexual terms – he calls her a
public whore, a commoner, a strumpet and a devil. He makes increasingly
violent threats to harm and kill Desdemona. The abuse escalates again when
Othello publicly strikes Desdemona. In the final murder scene Othello
terrorises Desdemona” Clearly we are seeing the main character of
Shakespeare’s Othello in a different way. No longer is the reader feeling any
type of sympathy or remorse to Othello because he was mislead by Iago but
the next actions and steps taken were all on Othello’s part and he really had
issues and tried controlling and abusing Desdemona. It continues with “
strangulation as a common method used by male perpetrators to kill female
victims” This is relevant because we are now learning that this is common
with statistics and research. Then we are shown the reason made for
Othello’s suicide. A common reader or viewer might say that Othello killed
himself because he killed his wife and has done wrong, which is true for the
most part but not entirely. The website clarifies that “ Othello suicides not
because he killed Desdemona, but rather because he killed her on the
mistaken understanding that she had desired and loved another man. The
implication is that if she actually had an affair with Cassio, Othello would
have considered the killing justified, and not taken his own life.” Whether
Othello killed Desdemona because she cheated or didn’t cheat, Othello
would have made the murder seem justifiable and killed himself solely for
the fact that he was wrong and what he did was unacceptable. Hence, him
taking his own life rather than to face the consequences or have someone
else kill him because remember, Othello just got removed from his position
and his job. He is now a nobody, a disgrace, and a fool who was deceived
and blinded enough to believe such a treacherous lie. For these reasons, it is
still relevant today.
Shakespeare should be taught in schools and is very much still relevant
today because of the topics it touches. The resolutions make the story
unique and the unrealisticness adds to its popularity. It is a play for a reason
after all. Language shouldn’t be a barrier or difference when it comes to
reading Shakespeare and the meaning behind each story is developed
through topics and themes. Shakespeare’s Othello discusses adultery and
jealousy which can heavily influence one’s decisions in the future and how
you are viewed. The play Othello can strike up on a conversation concerning
these issues and help people understand the play and possibly apply it to
their lives. For example, after reading it or seeing it in a theater, you could
learn not to be like Iago and run after your own ambitions while hurting and
stepping on others to get what you want in the process. Success shouldn’t
mean trying to bring others down to lift yourself up. You could learn to not be
like Othello and be more careful in who you trust, not believing in rumors
about other people, and thinking things through before taking any type of
drastic actions. You could learn from female characters as well. Such like
Emilia and how she spoke up for herself, even if she was told to keep quiet,
she spoke the truth and uncovered the lies spread. Who's to say that
Shakespeare doesn’t go beyond just a play, it is a form of art and its
relevancy still continues as people take actions upon their feelings and face
the consequences.