A Whole New World?

Picture of Daniel Vitkus's Turning Turk

“Conversion to Islam (or Roman Catholicism) was considered a kind of sexual transgression or spiritual whoredom, and Protestantism proclaimed the same judgment – eternal damnation – for all those who were seduced by either the Pope or the Prophet.” - Page 145-6 of Daniel J. Vitkus’s Turning Turk in Othello: The Conversion and Damnation of the Moor

Hello!

I hope everyone had a really wonderful weekend, as well as getting the chance to read up on the two pieces of literature we had to delve into this weekend.

The Vitkus piece, as promised, was difficult and tough to read, but I felt it provided an extensive amount of background information on the time period we're dealing with. Prior to reading this, I thought race and religion were but small points in William Shakespeare's Othello, but now, I realize it is much more emphasized than I would have ever realized. Furthermore, location has become more apparent to me as an important factor in all of these things. Gender, well, that was something that was readily apparent from the very beginning.

I also liked the literary analysis into the 'contradictory terms' that I missed out in reading Othello the first time around. For example, I didn't understand that "The Noble Moor" was contradictory (though I did pick up "the honest whore", that one was a given.)

Overall, I really enjoyed the article, but finishing up Othello was definitely much more of an entertaining read for me.

I figured when I started reading this that everyone of any real importance was going to die. Shakespeare has the tendency to kill off anyone and everyone. I guess they don't call them Shakespearian tragedies for nothing.

I can't wait to talk about this tomorrow, but Iago is such a wonderfully awful character.

At any rate, I'll see you all in the morning, bright and early!

-Dan