The Murderous Kind of Love

Why don't people just say what they mean? There is no need for all of the fluff that adds unnecessary depth to a conversation that is as plain as saying, "What a beautiful day!" 

I think a lot of people feel these same sentiments whenever Shakespeare comes up in conversation or -for those of you who do not drag amazing, famous, dead writers into everyday chats - in an English class. This is understandable since William Shakespeare loves to use a form of English that dramatizes some of the most simple sentences, soaks his dialog with figurative language, and makes puzzles of scenes in a play that require deciphering to realize what is actually going on. 

Well, I have one word for all of you who think you hate reading Shakespeare: Othello. 

This image provided by Jack Dorsey.

William Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello, is my absolute favorite piece of old English literature I have read thus far. Othello possesses so many different aspects of so many different genres that I found myself engrossed in the story after just the first scene. 

A friendship of the ages,

Betrayal that is hidden by a suspicious smile,

Greed that ruins so many lives,

Pride only ending through death,

Deception that will leave you dumbfounded,

Irony of all ironies,  

An immense amount of humor that may leave you questioning the sanity of humanity,

The must-have murder, 

A love that couldn't be shaken only to be killed by the slightest slip of trust; there really isn't any better plot than William has to offer in this play. The questions you must prepare yourself for... How far will a man go to seek revenge for not being promoted? How far will a jealous lover go to win the heart of a married woman? How strong are the bonds of friendship? Strong enough to kill? 

You still may not give a hoot or a holler about yet another Shakespearian play, especially since you are not being forced to read this in school; however, this particular play takes on an entirely new atmosphere. 

One of the countless reasons I love this play is because of its easy-flowing rhythm. Yes, there are still spurts of figurative language and some drawn out asides, making every audience member of our generation ask: "Why is this man dramatically talking to himself about the other man standing only a few feet away from him?" Aside from some comprehension of old English, Othello is a quick read, filled with a plethora of intertwining events all occurring within a quick span of time, snowballing into outrageous events that could only exist in the movies now-a-days. 

The fascination audiences have for this classical piece has encouraged the remaking of this book into live plays and film productions for viewers to see the masterpiece of Shakespeare. PlayShakespeare.com offers a list of reviews from performances to movies, all renditions of Shakespeare's original Othello, offering visual aid to the literature.  

The cast and crew from on of the multiple renditions of Othello. Image provided by Shehal Joseph. 

If you have been waiting for a great book full of plot twists and a terrific finale, this is the book for you! For a book-jacket description of Othello, visit the website Good Reads.