Browse Exhibits (1 total)

In this exhibit, I've showcased various texts and posters whose content or background exemplifies one aspect of a culture that is linked to William Shakespeare's Othello, and the way it has been performed, criticised, and linked to 17th century English society. The play is widely regarded as being such an important and valuable work because of the way in which it depicts social and cultural phenomena present within English society at the time, such as sexism and racism, both of which are inherent within Shakespeare's construction and characterization of the the moor and Desdemona. It is also not far-fetched to say that the play has influenced our understanding of the the time period in which it was written in innumerable ways. Because of this incontestable connection between Othello and culture, I've decided to explore the cultural paradigms of some of the main themes surrounding the play, namely gender and geography. Through this, I've tried to outline how established knowledge of these two aspects of society, or perhaps a lack thereof, influenced how the play may have been written and how it was interpreted. Additionally, I've attempted to explore the theatrical cultural paradigm, namely the ways in which plays were appreciated, through an analysis of a 17th century critique. Finally, so as not to limit the scope of the my exhibit to the 17th century, I chose to examine the racial element in the play's productions in the 19th century. This further demonstrates the continued influence of the play over several centuries.