Power & Equality

Truly this movie “O” reveals how the ideals in Shakespeare’s Othello are timeless, yet ideas progress to show differences in perceptions. I think this movie does a very good job of adapting Othello to modern day standards. Specifically I will center on a certain scene. This is the scene where Oden is called in the Dean’s office where he accused of attacking Desie. The Dean portrays Barbantio, while the coach, plays the duke as a mediator. I think it was interesting to notice Othello’s actions in this scene. In Shakespeare’s play, Othello’s initial reaction is not as much of a defensive denial as Oden. Oden is surprisingly outraged, telling the Dean he did not do it, and would never do anything like that. Othello on the other hand calmly tells Barbantio how he did woo her, but not with magic drugs.

Why are these reactions different? I think it is due to the fact that ideals of equality have been ingrained in our society. We live a world that has seen horrendous conflict from decades gone past and thus we have strived to erase the bonds of discrimination. With his high status, Othello is not worried that Desdemona’s father can challenge his convincing word. However, in modern society we have struggled for inequality, so people of high status can still be held accountable for their crimes. Therefore, even though Oden is the star basketball player, he still is fully, if not even more so, held accountable for this accusation.

Today we have learned to critique our leaders, giving them ratings. Certainly, President George Bush’s ratings have not been favorable in the last few years. In Othello’s time, one would be unlikely to directly confront another of high power with their outright approval. However, today we in fact often seek to evaluate those in power, because those people are the ones that have often caused inequality to exist in the first place.