The Influence Of Words In Shakespeare's Othello

560 Words3 Pages
In Othello, the power of the word is a continuous theme emphasized by many different characters and moments. These moments are highlighted further in the film adaptation through Iago and Desdemona. Beginning with Desdemona, the power of the word is shown through the recounting of how she came to love Othello. In this scene, Desdemona is shown having her maid attend to her as Othello talks and as he does she pulls her hair away from her ear many times. Such an action shows how Othello's stories affected her, and the influence of words in the film and play. The fact that Desdemona fell in love with Othello due to his stories also makes later scenes, where Cassio is seen intimately whispering to her all the more relevant. Oliver Parker is showing how people can be manipulated by the word, and how language is such a large theme of Othello. Desdemona is not the only character who uses the ear to emphasize how words can get to people. In many scenes, we see Iago at work, whispering directly into people's ears. By whispering directly into the ears of his victims, Iago is portrayed as the devil on the shoulders of other characters.
Open Document