Laurence Olivier Portrayal of Othello - Essay Example

Race relations in the 21st century are not stained compared to the previous century, particularly in 1960s when the film was shot.

Times have changed and the definition of appropriate sensitive language has also transformed whereas in the ancient times those hypersensitive to race issues would meet such portrayal; presently, such would be concluded to be genuine talents. Sensitive behaviour has also changed with the change in time; in fact, the Time magazine had complained that Laurence had overdone the acting and the makeup, equating that to a mere mummy singer and that the depiction was a modern stereotype (Arogundae).

In 1960, there was an aggressive agitation for black rights in the United States of America and any white man stereotypical portrayal of a black man would be adjudged racial. In the present times his portrayal of the Othello character in the movie would not be deemed racist, he plays the role of Othello by showing that the character even though valued for his military dexterity and nobility of character, he portrays a culture in which racial tensions, particularly questions about the mixing of races through intermarriage.

Additionally, Shakespeare had made the character to have an ambiguous race, the character was not specifically black, but had that likelihood. However, the character in the movie was without doubt black, with the typical African crinkled hair; he additionally imitated black Caribbean immigrants in England such as rolling his eyes and smacking of pink lips. A white man blackening typically portrayed the primitive ways of the black people, and many people argued against this manner; currently, there has not been a white man blackening and acting in that role, well naturally, black people have been adopted to take up such roles in subsequent releases of the Othello trio logy.

The movie is merely based on the script that Shakespeare wrote and that Olivier is merely exposing his acting talents, in the present circumstances such a movie would be accepted by a wide variety of audiences. The movie was based on the play; he did not perform the acts purely as ridicule to the Caribbean Negro community, but rather to demonstrate his deep knowledge of that community exquisitely, which would be appreciated in modern times. Current circumstances are a result of racial tension that has existed for many decades, and that many perceive that Laurence acts were prejudiced against black, which is not true because he was merely exposing his deep knowledge of their acts.