Day 14: Love, Shakespeare, Morrison and Black History Month?

     Love is the word of  the day.  We humans, love so many things.  Music.  Books. We may love a painting or film.  We can even love a play.  What a funny word that is and yet it used in many different ways and situations.   In keeping with this them of love and throwing it in with black history month,  is it beyond the possibility to explore English Literature to find examples of racial tensions and how society of the past dealt with the same topics that are faced today? Is that possible?  Indeed it is.    Don't look any further than William Shakespeare's  Othello.    Before going into the summary of the play and why it's befitting to read during Black History Month, let's take a step back together to see the big. picture. 

    First things first,  a full confession is due at this point.  Shakespeare has been and will always be one of my loves.  His words and view of humanity has been spot on for hundreds of years.  He covers everything from love to jealousy, humility and greed,  honor and duty.  Shakespeare is and was brilliant at exploring human emotions and what makes us tick.  His words are as true today as when he wrote them in the 1600's.  With that in mind,  it safely can be said that Shakespeare penned the first play based on a bi-racial couple.  First play to feature a Black Moor who is in a position of power in a land where he is a stranger, a foreigner, someone who definitely stands out in a crowd.  Not just because of his color but because of his talents and ambitions.   What is  note worthy about the play is that centuries later,  these tragic love stories still exist.  In fiction and in reality. 

    The story of Othello is that he is a Moor who is commanding the army against a Turkish evasion.  He is living in Venice and has just married the beautiful Desdemona, who happens to be a Venitian Noblewoman.   As a Moor, he is looked at differently because of his race.  He clearly stands out as having "darker" skin than the others around him.  Thus his marriage to Desdemona is not accepted by her father.  Perhaps, not accepted by most of Venice because Desdemona's father holds a powerful position in the Senate.   Othello explains to his new father-in-law, that he has won the love of Desdemona honestly and truthfully.  When his beautiful wife tells her own story of her how she fell for Othello, her father disowns her.      The plot gets a little thicker when Iago,  Othello's friend, is angry at being passed over for a promotion by Othello, in some eyes, he is also jealous that a Moor would hold a higher rank than himself.  In Iago's jealous eyes,  he deserves so much more than he has ever been given.  He convinces Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him and that her loves belongs to another.  This makes Othello act out in jealousy and anger, which leads to him killing his wife and himself.  What would a Shakespeare tragic play be without  lovers and dying?  Simply put, it would be boring.  But I digress.   The point is that although Othello had a beautiful wife,  a "best" friend and a position of prominence he is still all alone.  Why?  Perhaps he just doesn't know who to trust. 

    At this point, a gentle suggestion to pick up the title or video of Othello from a local library would be advised.  However, knowing full well that Shakespeare is not everyone's cup of tea.  Another suggestion is warranted.  Famed Nobel Prize Laureate, Toni Morrison,  wrote a play entitled Desdemona.    Ms. Morrison gives this  iconic character of literature   a stronger voice to capture the imagination of a younger generation living in the 21st Century.  Desdemona shares her views about  complex issues such as race, class, gender, war and the transformative power of love.  All difficult topics yet done with sensitivity that Toni Morrison is known for and Shakespeare might even have given a nod of approval at Morrison's play. She certainly gives the audience much to ponder, just as Shakespeare did in his day.  

 If reading Othello sounds like a chore,  then skip that and read Morrison's work.  However,  for a real literary treat that binds the two eras and authors together, read both.