Nelson's modern appropriation of William Shakespeare's Othello transcends the Shakespearean concepts through time and culture, but also integrates 21st century values through the modification of characters. Comparison between the plays allows us to explore the changing roles of woman and society's differing understanding towards cultural marginalization and nobility. The two plays stands unique in their display of ideas, but remains relevant across time and culture as it educates us in its discovery of contextual values. .
The differences in the Elizabethan and modern understanding of cultural marginalization is highlighted in the comparison between the dialogues and characterisation of Odin and Othello. Othello is aware of the surrounding racial prejudice, but remains silent under internalisation of racism. He accepts the reference to himself as the "moor", much more than Odin accepts the equivalent word "nigger". Odin's eruption upon Mike's mention of "nigger" contrasted to Othello's unshattered calmness when confronted to derogatory insults draws upon our concern, guiding us to acknowledge Nelson's captivation of racial issues. Shakespeare's Othello outlines the protagonist with barbarity as seen in his characterisation of "thick lips" and the recurring use of animal imagery such as "an old black ram". It highlights the Elizabethan tendency to align black with barbarity and white with pureness and virtue. Othello's lack of criticism to these racial rejections elucidates racism as a prevalent form of prejudice in the Elizabethan context. However, Odin, under the much more concerning 21st society, is portrayed as a sensitive man to discrimination. As the Dean questions Odin's "run-ins with the police" and cultivates African American with "rape" and "drugs", Odin ascends to deny him and attempts to prove himself "clean".
