The Masks of Othello: The Search for the Identity of Othello, Iago, and Desdemona by Three Centuries of Actors and Critics

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2016 Reprint of the 1961 Edition. This classic study by noted Shakespearean Marvin Rosenberg explores the interpretations of the complex characters in the play by actors and critics from Shakespeare's time to today. Rosenberg examines the various stage editings of Othello, which were made to shorten playing time or to align with the evolving tastes and moral standards of different eras. His analysis serves as a commentary on social and cultural history, highlighting how these adaptations influenced actors' portrayals of the characters. Othello is recognized for its erotic and sensual language, which resonated in the seventeenth century but later offended more conservative cultures. The eighteenth century attempted to "refine" the play, while the Victorian era sought even greater refinement, yet the core essence of the work endured. The study is divided into several parts: the actor's role during the Restoration, the interpretations in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the modern portrayals in the twentieth century. It also includes critical defenses of Iago, Othello, Desdemona, and the play itself, along with an appendix discussing Bowdler's influence.