Othello

            I chose the movie "O" and compared it to the play "Othello" by Shakespeare. The movie and the book hold many similarities. The movie was in fact based on the play. To truly understand the relationship one must summarize the movie and the play then compare them. .
             The movie "O" is based on Shakespeare's "Othello". The setting takes place in a wealthy private school. Othello is played by a African American basketball player, who made his way from the ghetto to a prestigious private school through means of his ability in sport. His name in the movie is Oden James. Othello's girlfriend is named Dessy, similar to Desdemona in Shakespeare's version of "Othello". Oden's rival is named Hugo, he is on the basketball team as well. His character is the equivelant of Iago. His father is the coach of the team, and favors Oden's sport ability over his son's. This enrages Hugo to the point where he begins to plot Oden's destruction. Roderigo is played by a wealthy prep, whom as in the play has feelings for Othello's girlfriend. His sane is Roger. Cassio's part is played by a basketball player named Mike who rivals Oden's skill but still has strong friendship with Oden. He soon looses this strong friendship after a brawl with Roger which was instigated by Hugo. The result of the brawl was Mike's suspension from the basketball team. Shakespeare's "Othello" is very similar in that Hugo uses Roger's passion for Dessy to his benefit in his plan for Oden's destruction. Mike is also used as a pawn by Hugo to ignite jealousy within Oden. Hugo does this by convincing Mike to befriend Dessy with the motive of using her friendship to put himself back in good graces of Oden and get back on the team. Hugo then covertly informs Oden of the tight bonding occurring between Dessy and Mike. Soon Oden's rage is released when he learns of a rumor that his hankechief, which he gave to Dessy, was in Mike's possession. Hugo used Dessy's roommate Emily to help orchestrate the rumor.