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Othello: Texts and Contexts (Bedford Shakespeare)

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I was assigned "Othello: Texts and Contexts" for a class on race in Shakespeare. I'd read "Othello" before, but I really felt that this edition deepened my understanding of the play. The Cinthio story that inspired Shakespeare to write "Othello" is included, there are many informative essays and first-hand sources. These are divided into chapters such as "Race and Religion" and "Marriage and the Household" that make it easy to find the information you're looking for. In addition to essays on attitudes during Shakespeare's day, there's a section entitled "Encounters with Othello" that focuses on interpretations of "Othello" throughout history. Included in this section are exerpts from fiction, artistic representations, poetry, and even scripts for controversial Black face performances. The introduction also has some interesting arguments about color blind casting of the play, including Patrick Stewart's "photo negative" performance from 1997. The essays and sources included are relavent and understandable. I also appreciated the guideline questions that preface them.

"Othello" is one of Shakespeare's greatest works. It combines themes of race, alienation, and loyalty and betrayal, asking more questions than it gives answers. "Othello: Texts and Contexts," can give any reader insights into the play, and to the cultures that have performed it. Great for students and Shakespeare enthusiasts.