Desdemona's Ethic
The current Globe Theatre as it now stands in London. Last September, while watching W. Jerome Stevenson, Kevin Asselin, Sophie Moshofsky, and the Oklahoma Shakespeare company perform Shakespeare's "Othello ," it struck me how much time Iago spends on stage. Iago has nine of the play's 15 monologues. Othello has selected Cassio as his lieutenant, passing over Iago. So Iago vows to have his way at last. He first tells Brabantio of Othello's marriage to Desdemona, Brabantio's daughter. Iago hopes to cast Othello in disfavor with the powers of Venice. And Brabantio pleads his case before the Duke in terms both heart-rending for the betrayal he felt and racist against the Moor and bewitcher of Desdemona. But Brabantio and Iago are defeated by Desdemona's love for Othello, Othello's honor before the court, and Venice's need for someone to lead their forces against the Turkish fleet then bound for Cyprus. As Brabantio turns away, he ...