Università degli Studi di Torino

Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Traduzione

A.A. 2018/2019

Corso di Letteratura Inglese

Final Essay
W. Shakespeare: Othello

Giulia Catozzi
N. matricola: 834056
 Introduction

When approaching Shakespeare’s Othello, the scholar is immediately presented with a

textual problem: what script should be considered to be Othello in the first place? Which edition
constitutes a definite, reliable source?
The tragedy was first performed by the King’s Men on 1st November 1604 at King James
I’s court with the title The Moor of Venis. The dates of its composition are still debated, ranging
from as early as 1601 to 1604.1 It was not published until 1622, however, when Thomas Walkley
put a Quarto2 edition into print. Only one year later the First Folio3, a collected edition that
comprises 36 plays including Othello, was printed by actors and Shakespeares’s colleagues John
Heminges and Henry Condell. As Pagetti notes 4 , these two versions show some significant
differences: in total, the Folio version consists of 3685 verses, 160 more than the Quarto version,
which on the other hand includes more than 50 instances of profanities, watered down or
completely cut from the Folio. This work of censorship most certainly indicates that the Folio
version is a later manuscript, redacted in accordance to the May 1606 Act to Restrain Abuses of
Stage Players, which banned oaths and swearing from the theatres. As far as the additional 106
lines are concerned, Pagetti suggests that they may designate the Folio as a more mature text,
since it reveals “an authorial intention to accentuate the personality of the two female characters
[Desdemona and Emilia]”.5 Nonetheless, McMillin advocates that none of these texts should
hold complete authority over the other. In fact, if there was one original Othello, so to speak, it
would have be the licensed version – that is to say, the one that was sent to the Master of Revels
for official review and approval before its first performance on stage. However, this copy,
holding the importance of a legal document, would have not been passed to the printing house
and thus we do not have access to it nowadays. Besides, many more Othello scripts must have
existed at the time: these would have been based on the actors’ direct memory, transcribed for
the private reference of the company, reflecting both theatrical choices (such as those linked to
the venue and the mise-en-scene), and changes in the personnel (as different actors were taking
on the roles during the years). According to McMillin, it can not only be assumed that they
would present differences from both the Quarto and the Folio versions, but also that the Quarto

1
A. Mabillard, “The History of Othello”, Shakespeare Online, 2 Aug. 2019, http://www.shakespeare-
online.com/plays/othello/othellohistory.html and C. Pagetti, “Introduzione – Note del traduttore”, in W.
Shakespeare, “Othello”, Torino, Einaudi, 2013 e 2017, pp.IX-X.
2
A Quarto is a book made up of full sheets of paper on which 8 pages of text were printed, which were then folded
two times to produce 4 leaves. Each leaf of a quarto book thus represents one fourth the size of the original sheet.
3
A Folio is a book made up of full sheets of paper on which 4 pages of text are printed, each sheet is then folded
one time to produce 2 leaves. Each leaf of a folio book thus is one half the size of the original sheet.
4
C. Pagetti, op.cit., p. XXV.
5
C. Pagetti, op.cit., p. XXV: “La volontà autoriale di rafforzare […] il ruolo dei due personaggi femminili”.
1
and Folio versions themselves would have been such “backstage scripts” (the Quarto being a
testament to how the play was represented before 1606, and the Folio one to its more recent
productions, probably in the years nearer to its publication). 6 The common practice for
contemporary publications, then, is to preserve as many lines as possible, creating a hybrid text:
the Folio version is used as a base which is then integrated with the profanities from the Quarto.7
Shakespeareʹs primary source for the plot of the play was a novella in Cinthioʹs
Hecatommithi, published in 1565, called Un Capitano Moro (“A Moorish Captain”).8 As far as
the theatrical context is concerned, Jones explains that by the time Othello appeared, the
Elizabethan audience was already used to seeing African characters on stage, who were all
generally referred as “Moors”. In particular,

two broad types are distinguishable […]. The first type, whose blackness was generally
emphasized in the text, was the villainous Moor. […] The other type was the Moor whose
blackness was not emphasized in the text, or who was specifically referred to as a “white Moor”
or a “tawny Moor”. Usually he was portrayed as a dignified oriental ruler, still capable of the
9
cruelty credited to all the Moors, but also capable of noble conduct.

The English audience was also generally familiar with the existence of African people: popular
notions were circulating in the forms of books and sailors’ tales, descriptions ranging from
Northern and West African courts to trade transactions to slave raids. Besides, the presence of
darker-skinned individuals in Shakespearean England is widely documented.10 The arrival of a
delegation from Morocco to the Elizabethan court in 1600, however, must have stricken the
imagination of the London public, and Shakespeare must have been no exception. Abd el-
Ouahed ben Massoud was the name of the Moroccan ambassador: he is portrayed in an
anonymous painting as a dignified 42 years old man and soldier of elegant posture. In the aspects
of his older age and his nobility he could have represented a reference for the character of
Othello himself.11 Jones highlights how Shakespeare “used this background [of stage tradition
and popular experience] very sensitively, exploiting its potentials for suggestion, but at the same
time moving away from stereotypes, so that in the end Othello emerges, not as a manifestation of

6
S. McMillin, “The Mistery of the Early Othello Texts”, in P.C. Kolin, “Othello: New Critical Essays”, New York and
London, Routledge, 2002, pp. 401-424.
7
C. Pagetti, op.cit., p. XXVI.
8
G.B. Giraldi Cinthio, “Un Capitano Moro”, in “Ecatommiti”, Deca III, Novella VII, Progetto Manuzio – Liber Liber, 2
Agosto 2019, http://www.dicoseunpo.it/Fiabe_e_racconti_files/NOVELLA%20VII.pdf.
9
E.D. Jones, “Othello's countrymen: the African in English Renaissance drama”, Fourah Bay College & the
University College of Sierra Leone, Oxford University Press, 1965, pp. 86-87.
10
E.D. Jones, op. cit., p. 87.
11
C. Pagetti, op.cit., p. XI-XII.
2
a type, but as a distinct individual who typified by his fall, not the weakness of Moors, but the
weakness of human nature”.12
The passage I analyze in my essay is an extract from Act V, scene I, at the core of the final
action. Roderigo and Iago attempt the assassination of Cassio in the dark of the night, but their
plan fails. Iago, then, wounds Cassio’s leg and gives once more proof of his chameleon-like
nature, murdering Roderigo and posing as the “honest man” to the rescue of Cassio, as if he was
unaware of the reasons behind the assassination attempt. Othello, at this point completely lost
under Iago’s spell, witnesses the scene by hearing voices from afar. Believing it is Iago
murdering Cassio, as he had promised, he feels empowered by this proof of solidarity and heads
to Desdemona’s chambers with the intention of murdering her. In order to better understand the
play, and therefore approach the translating process, it is necessary to analyze the two characters
of Othello and Iago.
According to Pagetti, the character of Othello is centered upon dualities: he was a slave but
of noble origins, he is proud of his Christianity and his role as a Venetian soldier but is also
prone to following prey to superstition, to impulses he himself attributes to his ultimate
“otherness”.13 Jones notes how Othello’s position and his services to Venice represent the pillar
of his confidence, but they also are the source of his security, without which his ethnicity makes
him very vulnerable. 14 Othello plays an ambiguous role: on one hand, the Venetian society
accepts him as a valiant man and a crusader against “uncivilized Moors”, on the other hand it
reinforces his cultural otherness (he is civilized, but he is a Moor) on many occasions, even when
praising him, constantly picturing him as an outsider.15 Reynolds and Fitzpatrick agree with this
view.16 Jones highlights how, in this context, his marriage to Desdemona (an insider to that same
society) and her own feelings towards Othello are a legitimization of his role, a validation of his
identity. This is precisely the reason why Desdemona represents the perfect matter for
blackmail.17 In addition, it must be taken into consideration how Othello seems to harbor racial
prejudices against himself: the State and its people ultimately only have accepted him, but still
view him as a cultural outsider. Episodes of open racial discrimination, from slurs to stereotypes,
are frequent18, but there are numerous instances where the discrimination is more subtle, such as

12
E.D. Jones, op. cit., p. 87.
13
C. Pagetti, op.cit., p. XXVII.
14
E.D. Jones, op. cit., p. 90.
15
It will suffice to quote the lines recited by the Duke of Venice in Act I, Scene III, 289-291: “[…]And, noble signior, /
If virtue no delighted beauty lack, / Your son-in-law is far more fair than black”, where blackness is still associated
with ugliness and corruption of the spirit.
16
B. Reynolds and J. Fitzpatrick, “Venetian Ideology or Transversal Power? Iago’s Motives and the Means by which
Othello Falls”, in P.C. Kolin, op.cit., pp. 201.
17
E.D. Jones, op. cit., p. 94-95.
18
Such as in Brabantio’s speeches (Act I, scenes I, II) or Iago’s words to Roderigo and aside (Act I, scenes I, III).
3
the aforementioned Duke’s statement. Othello simply follows this mindset. It is what we would,
in modern terms, define as internalized racism.

Internalized racism is […] defined by sociologist Karen D. Pyke as the “internalization of racial
oppression by the racially subordinated”. In her study The Psychology of Racism, Robin Nicole
Johnson emphasizes that internalized racism involves both “conscious and unconscious
acceptance of a racial hierarchy in which whites are consistently ranked above people of color”.
These definitions encompass a wide range of instances, including, but not limited to, belief in
negative racial stereotypes, adaptations to white cultural standards, and thinking that supports the
status quo (i.e. denying that racism exists).19

The instances in which Othello refers to himself in derogatory terms are numerous during the
play, but not always immediately noticeable. The dialogue between him and Iago in Act III,
Scene III constitutes an example of this both in text and in its representations. During this scene,
Iago is starting to carve doubts in Othello’s mind, but the Moor refuses to believe Desdemona’s
betrayal “for she had eyes and chose me”.20 This impression finds further reinforcement in the
way different actors impersonating Othello react to the following words of Iago21: “Ay, there's
the point: as, to be bold with you, / Not to affect many proposed matches / Of her own clime,
complexion, and degree, / Whereto we see in all things nature tends- / Foh! one may smell in
such a will most rank, / Foul disproportion thoughts unnatural”.22 These words, insinuating that
the union between Othello and Desdemona is unnatural, mark a change in the Moor’s disposition
in all the three productions I have analyzed. While Marshall (1981) does not seem perturbed at
first, he proceeds to recite his following lines almost abruptly and showing concitation in his
mannerism. Conversely, both Gassmann (1951) and Walker (2007) immediately react to this
offence. It is not a reaction of anger, however: it is one of agreement, of acknowledgement and
of heartbreak. In this moment Othello starts to doubt of Desdemona, and the reason why he falls
under Iago’s insinuations is that he doubts of his very own worth. Othello’s status as a human
being in Venetian society – an equal or even superior in military ranks to his Venetian fellows –
is his pride and honour, but also his prime vulnerability. This complex web of pride, societal
power and emotion is a slippery terrain that Iago knows very well how to navigate, and through
which he ultimately manages to worm his way into Othello’s inner world. He exploits Othello’s
trust in order to deconstruct the very foundations of his human identity, corrupting his inherent
nobleness, bringing his flaws to the surface and causing his downfall.

19
Wikipedia, “Internalized racism”, 1 Aug. 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internalized_racism.
20
Act III, scene III, line 192.
21
In particular, I analyzed three productions with three different actors filmed in different decades: the first one in
Italian, from 1956, starring Vittorio Gassman as Othello and Salvo Randone as Iago; the other two in English, a
1981 one starring William Marshall as Othello and Ron Moody as Iago, and a 2007 one starring Eamonn Walker as
Othello and Tim McInnerny as Iago.
22
Act III, scene III, lines 232-237.
4
 Iago is a character centered in individuality, his power to mold himself to his own will is all
he believes in.23 He is an expert connoisseur of human nature, and thus he is able to manipulate
other people so well – his “good name” as a honorable man, the trust other characters place in
him, being his most powerful weapon. Reynolds and Fitzpatrick point out that Iago is a character
that moves “transversally” beyond any structure of power and emotion that regulate every human
life, thanks to his understanding of those very same structures. He is the master of himself, and
that is why he is able to control others. Like an in-play playwright, he is able to bend, twist and
mold those structures to his will and destroy Othello. Other characters like Roderigo, Cassio,
Bianca and Desdemona herself are nothing but mere tools in his hands. 24 His motives may thus
appear inconsistent: at first he mentions Cassio’s unfair promotion, while later he points his
finger at his wife’s alleged betrayal with Othello (wich would stain his “good name” in such a
patriarchal world). However, upon further examination of his language, it can be affirmed that

the sentence is not constructed on the logical mode of <A then B>, but rather on the model of
[…] <A and B>: “I hate the Moor, / And it is thought abroad that ‘twixd my sheets / He’s done
my office”. […] He is merely listing two separate facts.25

Iago’s hatred towards Othello is ultimately simply that: a fact, a fact that is preexisting over any
other potential cause and does not need any further reason to be in existence.
Throughout the play, we see how Othello is brought to betray his identitarian structures of
power and emotion, which fall, eroded by Iago’s work. On one hand, he falls prey to anger and
denies Desdemona the same, fair Venetian trial that had saved him from Brabantio’s accusations
at the beginning of the play, sentencing her without giving her the right to speak for herself or to
bring other testimony in her favour. On the other hand, he dismisses her feelings for him, falling
prey to jealousy. Iago undermines Othello’s identity and self-worth, which crumble, bringing his
worst vices to the surface. Calvani observes how, under this landslide, factual reality does not
matter anymore: it has been switched with an alternate fictitious reality, so much so that words,
albeit from a so-called honest man, and one single piece of fabricated evidence (the
handkerchief) is sufficient proof of a sin. Othello hopes to restore the order that once was there
by murdering Desdemona: to him, it is a sacrificial rite. However, Desdemona is innocent, and

23
Act I, scene III, 320-327: “'Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our
wills are gardeners. So that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with
one gender of herbs or distract it with many—either to have it sterile with idleness, or manured with industry—
why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills”.
24
B. Reynolds and J. Fitzpatrick, op.cit, pp. 203-220.
25
B. Reynolds and J. Fitzpatrick, op.cit, p. 214.
5
hers is not a sacrifice, but a foul murder. Thus, Othello has no other choice but to acknowledge
what he has become, and to take his own life to try and cleanse the evil he has done. 26
In conclusion, while it addresses important topics such as race, identity, trust, jealousy,
misogyny, power, good and evil, Othello is ultimately a play about the downfall of a man at the
hands of another man. It is a play neither of seeming or being (good or bad, virtuous or savage),
but of becoming. 27 It is something every person can fear, and thus empathize with, as the
audience is offered no answer, no resolution, no guidance, only the contemplation of a tragedy.28

26
A. Calvani, “Rito e sacrificio nelle traduzioni di OTELLO”, inTRAlinea: ONLINE TRANSLATION JOURNAL, 2008,
http://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/Rito_e_sacrificio_nelle_traduzioni_di_Otello.
27
B. Reynolds and J. Fitzpatrick, op.cit, pp. 203-220.
28
The role of the audience will be further discussed in the translation commentary.
6
 Translation
[ V. I. ]
Enter Iago and Roderigo.
IAGO
Here, stand behind this bulk, straight will he
come.
Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home;
Quick, quick; fear nothing; I'll be at thy
elbow:
It makes us, or it mars us; think on that,
And fix most firm thy resolution.
RODERIGO
Be near at hand; I may miscarry in't.
IAGO
Here, at thy hand: be bold, and take thy
stand.
[Retires].
RODERIGO
I have no great devotion to the deed;
And yet he hath given me satisfying
reasons:
'Tis but a man gone. Forth, my sword: he
dies.
IAGO
I have rubb'd this young quat almost to the
sense,
And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill
Cassio,
Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
Every way makes my gain: live Roderigo,
He calls me to a restitution large
Of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him,
As gifts to Desdemona;
It must not be: if Cassio do remain,
He hath a daily beauty in his life
That makes me ugly; and, besides, the Moor
May unfold me to him; there stand I in
much peril:
7
[Atto quinto, scena prima]
Entrano Iago e Roderigo.
IAGO
Qui, mettiti qua dietro, che ormai arriva.
Sguaina la spada e colpisci per uccidere;
Zac, zac; e non aver paura, ti copro le
spalle.
È la nostra unica possibilità; pensa a questo
E mi raccomando: nessuna esitazione.
RODERIGO
Sì, ma resta vicino, che se lo manco...
IAGO
Sono qui con te: coraggio, fidati di me.
[Si mette in disparte].
RODERIGO
L’impresa non mi entusiasma granché;
ma in fondo Iago ha ragione:
Che vuoi che sia un assassinio? Avanti,
spada mia: è un uomo morto.
IAGO
Ho punto tanto sul vivo questo foruncoletto,
che ormai è scoppiato. Ma che lui ammazzi
Cassio,
o Cassio lui, o che si ammazzino l’uno con
l’altro,
io sempre ci guadagno. Se Roderigo vive,
mi chiederà indietro tutto
l’oro e i gioielli che gli ho portato via
come doni per Desdemona;
Non deve succedere. Quanto a Cassio,
lui brilla di una luce
che mi mette in ombra. Oltretutto, se parla
col Moro
potrebbe scoprirmi; e allora guai…
 No, he must die. But so: I hear him coming. No, deve morire e morirà. Eccolo che
arriva.

Enter Cassio. Entra Cassio.

RODERIGO RODERIGO
I know his gait, 'tis he. Villain, thou diest! Riconosco i suoi passi, è lui. Muori, vile!
[Makes a thrust at Cassio]. [Affonda un colpo verso Cassio].

CASSIO
That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,
But that my coat is better than thou know'st:
I will make proof of thine.
[Draws, and wounds Roderigo].
CASSIO
Sì, mi avresti colpito a morte
Se la mia casacca fosse stata meno
resistente.
Ora vedremo se anche la tua è così buona!
[Sfodera la spade e ferisce Roderigo].

RODERIGO RODERIGO
O, I am slain! Oh, mi hai ucciso!

[Iago from behind wounds Cassio in the leg, [Da dietro, Iago colpisce Cassio ferendolo a
and exit]. una gamba, poi esce].

CASSIO CASSIO
I am maimed for ever. Help, ho! murder! La mia gamba! Persa per sempre! Aiuto!
murder! Assassini! Assassini!

Enter Othello. Entra Otello.

OTHELLO OTELLO
The voice of Cassio: Iago keeps his word. È la voce di Cassio: Iago mantiene la sua
parola.

RODERIGO RODERIGO
O, villain that I am! Ah, che sciocco sono stato!

OTHELLO OTELLO
It is even so. Lo sei, sciocco.

CASSIO CASSIO
O, help, ho! light! a surgeon! Aiuto! Aiuto! Fate luce! Un dottore!

OTHELLO OTELLO
'Tis he: O brave Iago, honest and just, Eccolo, è lui. Oh Iago coraggioso, onesto e
That hast such noble sense of thy friend's giusto,
wrong! Che non esiti di fronte al torto del tuo

8
 amico!
Thou teachest me. Minion, your dear lies Tu mi ispiri. Donna, il tuo amato è a terra,
dead, morto,
And your unblest fate hies: strumpet, I E il tuo destino maledetto ti attende: arrivo,
come. puttana, arrivo…
Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, Mi sono strappato dal cuore l’incanto dei
are blotted; tuoi occhi.
Thy bed, lust-stain'd, shall with lust's blood Tu, che quel letto di lussuria hai macchiato
be spotted. Pagherai col tuo sangue di lussuria dannato.
[Exit]. [Esce].

Enter Lodovico and Gratiano. Etrano Lodovico e Graziano.

CASSIO CASSIO
What, ho! no watch? no passage? murder! Non è possibile! Non c’è nessuno per
murder! strada? Nessuno è di guardia? Assassini!
Assassini!

GRATIANO GRAZIANO
'Tis some mischance; the cry is very direful. Dev’essere successo qualcosa di grave; che
grida disperate!

CASSIO CASSIO
O, help! Aiuto!

LODOVICO LODOVICO
Hark! Ascoltate!

RODERIGO RODERIGO
O wretched villain! Oh, povero me!

LODOVICO
Two or three groan: it is a heavy night:
These may be counterfeits: let's think't
unsafe
To come in to the cry without more help.
LODOVICO
Sono in due o tre a lamentarsi. È notte
fonda:
Potrebbe essere un agguato, non è sicuro
Avvicinarci noi due da soli.

RODERIGO RODERIGO
Nobody come? then shall I bleed to death. Non viene nessuno? Morirò dissanguato,
allora…

LODOVICO LODOVICO
Hark! Ascoltate!

Enter Iago, with a light. Entra Iago con una lanterna.

9
GRATIANO GRAZIANO
Here's one comes in his shirt, with light and Arriva qualcuno in camicia, ha una lanterna,
weapons. è armato.

IAGO IAGO
Who's there? whose noise is this that ones Chi c’è? Chi è che urla di assassini?
on murder?

LODOVICO LODOVICO
We do not know. Non lo sappiamo.

IAGO IAGO
Did not you hear a cry? Non avete sentito gridare?

CASSIO CASSIO
Here, here! for heaven's sake, help me! Qui, sono qui! Santo Dio, aiutatemi!

IAGO IAGO
What's the matter? Cos’è successo?

GRATIANO GRAZIANO
This is Othello's ancient, as I take it. Se non sbaglio è l’alfiere di Otello.

LODOVICO LODOVICO
The same indeed; a very valiant fellow. Sì, è lui; è un soldato esemplare.

IAGO IAGO
What are you here that cry so grievously? Chi è che grida così disperato?

CASSIO CASSIO
Iago? O, I am spoil'd, undone by villains! Iago? Oh, sono rovinato, distrutto da dei
Give me some help. maledetti! Aiutami.

IAGO IAGO
O me, lieutenant! what villains have done Che mi venga un--, luogotenente! Chi è
this? stato? Chi ha osato?

CASSIO CASSIO
I think that one of them is hereabout, Credo che uno sia ancora qui, da qualche
And cannot make away. parte, non può scappare.

IAGO IAGO
O treacherous villains! Maledetti traditori!
What are you there? come in, and give Ehi voi, chi siete? Venite ad aiutarlo.
some help.

10
RODERIGO RODERIGO
O, help me here! Aiutatemi, sono qui!

CASSIO CASSIO
That's one of them. Ecco, è uno di loro.

IAGO IAGO
O murderous slave! O villain! Schiavo assassino! Maledetto!
[Stabs Roderigo]. [Pugnala Roderigo].

RODERIGO RODERIGO
O damn'd Iago! O inhuman dog! Iago, maledetto! Cane disumano!

IAGO IAGO
Kill men i' th’ dark! Where be these bloody Uccidere nascosti nel buio! Dove sono gli
thieves? assassini maledetti?
How silent is this town! Ho! murder! E dalle case nessuno dice niente! Ehi!
murder! Assassini! Assassini!
What may you be? are you of good or evil? E voi chi siete? Amici o nemici?

LODOVICO LODOVICO
As you shall prove us, praise us. Guardate chi siamo e lo direte da voi.

IAGO IAGO
Signior Lodovico? Il Signor Lodovico?

LODOVICO LODOVICO
He, sir. Sì.

IAGO IAGO
I cry you mercy. Here's Cassio hurt by Vi chiedo scusa... Qui c’è Cassio, ferito da
villains. dei maledetti.

GRATIANO GRAZIANO
Cassio! Cassio!

IAGO IAGO
How is't, brother! Cosa ti hanno fatto, fratello?

CASSIO CASSIO
My leg is cut in two. Mi hanno aperto in due la gamba.

IAGO IAGO
Marry, heaven forbid! Santa Madonna!
Light, gentlemen; I'll bind it with my shirt. Fatemi luce, signori, che gliela fascio con la

11
 camicia.

Enter Bianca. Entra Bianca.

BIANCA BIANCA
What is the matter, ho? who is't that cried? Ma cos’è successo? Chi è che urla?

IAGO IAGO
Who is't that cried! Chi è che urla!

BIANCA BIANCA
O my dear Cassio! my sweet Cassio! O Oh, Cassio, amore mio! Cassio! Tesoro! Oh
Cassio, Cassio, Cassio! Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

IAGO IAGO
O notable strumpet! Cassio, may you Ed ecco la puttana! Cassio, avete dei
suspect sospetti
Who they should be that have thus mangled Su chi sia stato a ridurvi così?
you?

CASSIO CASSIO
No. No.

GRATIANO GRAZIANO
I am to find you thus: I have been to seek Mi dispiace vedervi così: in realtà vi stavo
you. cercando.

IAGO IAGO
Lend me a garter. So. O, for a chair, Prestatemi una fascia. Ecco. Qualcuno
To bear him easily hence! prenda una sedia,
Così lo portiamo via!

BIANCA BIANCA
Alas, he faints! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio! Oddio, è svenuto! Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

IAGO
Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash
To be a party in this injury.
Patience awhile, good Cassio. Come, come;
Lend me a light. Know we this face or no?
Alas my friend and my dear countryman
Roderigo! no: yes, sure: O heaven!
Roderigo.
IAGO
Signori, ho il sospetto che questa
Sia complice degli aggressori.
Coraggio, Cassio, forza e coraggio. Voi,
qua,
Datemi una lanterna. Vediamo chi è.
Mio Dio, ma è il mio amico di Venezia!
Roderigo! no: sì, sì è lui: Santo Dio!
Roderigo.

12
 Translation commentary

When approaching a theatrical text, a translator must always take the strong links between
the text, the stage performance and the interpretation of the actors into consideration. The
playwright does not, in fact, compose a playtext solely for the page: they envision a series of
actions to accompany the lines that is bound to influence them just as much as the lines influence
the actions. In the words of Serpieri:

The language of a play embodies a specific program according to which words […] must be said
and acted in the specific space and time of the scene, thus acquiring a semantic and pragmatic
meaning that their mere literary rendition on the page cannot convey.29

This appears to be specifically true in the case of Shakespeare’s works, where the reader can
immediately observe how rare the stage directions are. The responsibility, as well as the creative
space, to mold the action to the word is left to the performers.30 This is a position Henderson
agrees with: the theatrical text develops in its full capability only when acted on stage, and each
director and actor play a central role in bringing an ever renewing performance to life.31
Therefore, the language of the play must be fluent in its translation just as much as it was in
its source language. As Morini summarizes: when creating a script aimed at the stage, each line
must sound natural and plausible.32 Moreover, according to Sabatini’s textual categorization, a
theatrical text, being a type of art, is non-binding in nature:33 The audience is required to partake
in the interpretation of the text, enriching it of their own personal experience and linking it to
their personal semantic needs. The translator is no exception to such audience: they hold the
delicate task to filter the playtext through their personal understanding of it, and to rewrite it in
order to convey as much as possible of the original message into another language, another
culture, and another time.34 The final target-language product will necessarily be a version that is
fluent, natural to its target-language public, and can work independently from its source.
The bare text, however, is not the only source I decided to use in preparing for my
translation. Reminding myself of Henderson and Serpieri’s lesson, I watched some different

29
A. Serpieri, op. cit., p. 64: “Il linguaggio del dramma contiene un programma specifico per cui le parole […]
devono essere dette e agite nel qui e ora della scena, acquistando una pregnanza, sia semantica che pragmatica,
che la pagina, se vista solo come scrittura letteraria, non contiene”.
30
A. Serpieri, op. cit., p. 64-65.
31
R.A. Henderson, “Versions, Perversions, Animadversions: Dilemmas of Theatrical Translation”, in V. Fissore, R.A.
Henderson, E. Armellino, “The Drama of Discourse”, Torino, Trauben, 2010.
32
M. Morini, “Tradurre l’inglese: Mauale pratico e teorico”, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016, p. 51.
33
F. Sabatini, a cura di G. Skytte & F. Sabatini, “<Rigidità-esplicitezza> vs <elasticità-implicitezza>: possibili
parametri massimi per una tipologia dei testi, in Linguistica testuale comparativa. In memoriam Maria-Elisabeth
Conte. Atti del Congresso interannuale della Società di Linguistica Italiana (Copenhagen, 5-7 febbraio 1998)”,
København, Museum Tusculanum Press, 1999, pp. 141-172.
34
A. Serpieri, op. cit., p. 65.
13
performances of the play, choosing to focus on three from different decades and different
countries in the world. The first one, in Italian, was a theatrical production for the television
directed by Vittorio Gassman in 1956 (translation by S. Quasimodo). The second one was,
similarly, a 1981 American production directed by F. Melton. The third one, from 2007, was a
recording of a live performance at the Globe Theatre in London, directed by W. Milam.
The first choice I was presented with was deciding wether to modernize the text or not.
Serpieri notes that

when we translate a classic, we inevitably find ourselves pushed towards two opposite directions:
a) towards the past, with its own style, lexicon, grammar and syntax; b) towards the present and a
radical actualization of the original masterpiece’s semantic system. The risk in following the first
one is to create a scholarly text, but a false one, as it would prove to be obsolete and hardly
understandable by a modern audience. The risk in following the second one is to trivialize, to
homologate the text […].35

In making this decision, I was particularly influenced by the 2007 Globe performance, as it
proved to be, paradoxically, less “theatrical” than its cinematographic counterparts. Even though
the performers were as a matter of fact all wearing period costumes and they did use
Shakespeare’s Elizabethan language, their acting somehow made up for it in terms of naturalness.
The themes and emotions of the play reached the audience directly, and the audience reacted
accordingly by laughing and commenting the action; even their complete silence during the most
gruesome scenes proved to be extremely meaningful in terms of power of the performance.
Eliciting an emotional response from the audience is one of the main goals of theatre itself. This
is particularly important in such a play as Othello: Ford points out how “Othello has a history of
provoking powerful and contradictory audience response […]. Its stage history is replete with
audience members so moved that they have forgotten all the conventions of theatrical fiction
making, and in some cases have even intervened into the theatrical world”. 36 Additionally
Macrae Richmond points out how the audience is brought to identify with Iago more than with
any other character, as it develops a direct relationship with him through his soliloquies.37 The
three performances I watched offer further confirmation. In the 2007 live production Iago turns
to face the public, engaging different areas of the audience with his gaze directly, as if he were
talking to them and not to himself; while in the two cinematographic productions the actors look
directly into the camera. Thanks to these expedients, dramatic irony (the emotional effect of the
35
A. Serpieri, op. cit., p. 69: “Traducendo un classico, inevitabilmente ci si trova di fronte a due spinte opposte: a)
verso il passato, con il suo stile, il suo lessico, la sua grammatica e la sua sintassi; b) verso il presente, verso una
radicale attualizzazione del complesso sistema significante dell’opera antica. Se si segue la prima spinta, si rischia
di creare un testo erudito, ma falso, perché fuori tempo e non fruibile dal lettore o spettatore attuale. Se si segue
la seconda, si rischia di banalizzare, omologare […]”.
36
J.R. Ford, “Roderigo and the Mixed Dramaturgy of Race and Gender in Othello”, in P.C. Kolin, op.cit., p. 151.
37
H. Macrae Richmond, “The Audience’s Role in Othello”, in P.C. Kolin, op.cit., pp. 89-101.
14
tragedy through the audience’s awareness of, but helplessness towards, Iago’s plans) is amplified.
Besides, Shakespearean language wouldn’t have sounded old-fashioned at all to its
contemporary audience.
In order to achieve the same effect of directness and audience involvement, as well as
drawing from my personal experience and preference as a theatergoer, I decided for a balanced,
but modernized, less literal translation. My choice to keep the third person singular pronoun “voi”
instead of the more contemporary “lei” was dictated by preexistent translations (Pagetti,
Quasimodo) as well as, again, my personal preference as a theatergoer when attending
Shakespearean classics.
In comparison, Pagetti’s translation38 is more literary in nature, as it was conceived to be
published and read in a book. This allows the translator more space to imitate the style of the
original, as the reader can linger on the page to analyze each and every possible level of meaning
behind the text. In the context of a live performance, this is not possible. Even Quasimodo’s
translation, despite being over 50 years old, proved to have modernized some aspects of the
language in accordance to the Italian that was spoken in those years, as it was intended to be
enacted in front of cameras. The scene I translated, however, suffered many cuts in its
cinematographic version, so it proved of little use for comparison in my work. I imagined my
translation for the stage, drawing inspiration mainly from the 2007 Globe Theatre’s actors.
In this perspective, I decided to freely adapt the blasphemies to a contemporary language.
For example, in line 73, Iago answers to Cassio: “Marry, heaven forbid!”, whose literal
translation “Maria, non lo voglia il cielo!” sounds old-fashioned and is hardly ever used in
contemporary Italian. In my translation “Santa Madonna!” I tried to compensate for the loss of
the reference to heaven by adding the adjective “santa”, which was not present in English. On a
similar note, I decided to avoid the use of “ahimè” in translating “alas”, opting for the more
natural “oddio” and “mio Dio”, even at the risk of adding more religious references.
Othello is written in blank verse and prose. I decided to disregard the metric structure, as the
equivalent option in Italian (the hendecasyllabic verse) would not be long enough in terms of
syllables to contain all the meaning of a iambic pentameter. I tried to pay attention to the rhythm
of the phrase when possible, but I favored an attention to the frequent enjambments, which
enhance the structural continuity of the dialogue, and to syntax, which, according to Serpieri,
better reflects each character’s speech pattern.39 The scene has a very fast pace, it is developed
mostly through single lines that appear like somewhat disembodied voices in the dark of the
night, as the characters cannot see each other but when they are very close. There are, however,

38
C. Pagetti, op. cit.
39
A. Serpieri, op. cit, p. 67.
15
some instances of longer dialogues for the characters of Roderigo, Iago and Othello. Their
language play a key role in their characterization.
Roderigo is a young nobleman of Venice who quickly falls prey of Iago’s schemes. His
speeches and lexical choices reflect his noble origins. However, Roderigo also holds a comical
40
role in the play, as he embodies “an implacable, almost honorable stupidity”. This
interpretation seems reinforced by the theatrical performances I examined, especially by the
2007 one, so much so that he and Cassio have the audience laugh during their duel. For this
reason, I decided to use a more refined language, keeping words like “impresa” (line 8, “deed”),
“vile” (line 23, “villain“) and expressions like “Muori” instead of a probably more contemporary
“ti ammazzo” (line 23), “avanti, spada mia” (line 10, the structure of which I borrowed from
Quasimodo’s translation, as it sounds more plausible than its potential counterpart “Avanti, mia
spada”) and “cane disumano” (line 63)41. Lines 8-10 (L’impresa non mi entusiasma granché; /
ma in fondo Iago ha ragione: / Che vuoi che sia un assassinio? Avanti, spada mia: è un uomo
morto.) were particularly problematic because of some potential alliteration, rhyme and
repetition I could have incurred into. In order to avoid cacophony with the words “molto” and
“morto”, I opted for “granché” in line 8 (which risks of rhyming with “me” in line 7, but the
pause of Iago exiting the scene helps avoiding this effect), while I decided to rewrite and
recategorize the verbs in line 10 (“’Tis but a man gone: he dies”) to nouns and adjectives
(“assassinio” and, finally, “morto”). Line 9 is heavily rewritten in order to add fluency to the
discourse, taking the enjambments with the following line, marked by the colon, into
consideration. In the same line, I decided to add the name “Iago”: an explicitation that is not
present in the source text, but helps with the rhythmical smoothness of the verse.
The word “villain” proved to be a challenge for its polysemous value that no Italian word
can fully cover. I thus decided to adapt it freely according to the context, using words like “vile”
(Roderigo, line 23), “maledetti” (Iago, line 58), or an expression such as “Chi ha osato?” (Iago,
line 56), in order to convey the disdain Iago feigns while he pronounces that line. Another
possible translation would have been “bastardo”, which is more widespread, however I refrained
from adding profanities when they did not have a specific counterpart in the text. Besides, I
decided not to use this swear word specifically for Roderigo, since his speech style is refined and
theatrical even in his last moments (“O, I am slain”, line 27, “Nobody come? then shall I bleed to
death”, line 45), thus producing a somewhat comical effect.
Iago’s language reflects his mimetic nature. He is just as skilled as Othello in his eloquence,
but he does not use it as a vehicle to express beauty nor nobleness: to him, language is simply
40
J.R. Ford, “Roderigo and the Mixed Dramaturgy of Race and Gender in Othello”, in P.C. Kolin, op.cit., p. 151.
41
Keeping the referene to something “inhuman” in nature is also important as Iago often refers to his plans as
beastly, infernal.
16
another tool to manipulate the world to his own advantage. We see how, when he is on stage
with Othello, he tends to mimic the other man’s rhetoric in order to strengthen their pretended
bond.42 During public dialogues, however, he is more direct and his register is lower; he freely
uses oaths in order to solicit camaraderie, or to better manipulate Roderigo, Cassio and Othello.
In line 3, I translated “quick, quick” with the two onomatopoeias “zac, zac” because, while
preserving the sense of urge to a fast action with his sword, they add to the colloquial, fast paced
nature of the conversation between Iago and Roderigo. Conversely, I translated “O me,
lieutenant!” (line 56) by reinforcing Iago’s feigned shock with an ellipsis: “Che mi venga un--,
luogotenente!”. In addition, the expression “che mi venga un colpo” is far more widespread in
contemporary Italian than “povero me”. 43 In line 85, Iago calls Bianca “trash”. The Italian
language does not have an equivalent word, and Pagettis’s “donnaccia” would sound old-
fashioned and not plausible in my translation, as it is very rarely used.44 I decided to omit it in
Italian, thus charging the demonstrative “questa” with a deictic, derogatory value, a practice
which is very common in Italian. My translation of line 62 (“Schiavo assassino!”) could be
considered an exception to this usually low register, however, I decided not to avoid the
reference to slavery, as it is an important semantic field which is referenced many times
throughout the play.
Another passage must be taken into consideration: in lines 65-69, Lodovico and Gratiano
make themselves known to Iago. It is interesting to note how his speech immediately tones down
when he finds out that he is speaking to a figure of authority, even begging for mercy (line 69).
In line 66, Iago uses the Italian word “Signior”, as a sign of respect towards Lodovico. This
would have caused a repetition with Lodovico’s “sir” towards Iago in the following line. With
their respective epithets, they stress the difference which exists between them in terms of status. I
decided to reflect this marked distinction with the following translation: <I: “Signor Lodovico?”
– L: “Sì”>. By not using any title, Lodovico manages to highlight that the man he is talking to is not his
equal.
In his soliloquies, Iago is more articulate. He speaks in blank verse that he enriches with
rhetorical figures of speech, thus proving his mastery of language. I tried to reflect these
differences by respecting the syntactic and linguistic structure of his soliloquy as much as
possible, in order to mark a sensitive divergence with his following lines in prose. As far as the
metaphor in lines 11-12 is concerned, I took inspiration from Perosa’s translation by using the

42
An example can be found at the end of Act III, scene III, when Iago kneels to pledge his help to Othello.
43
A Google search for “che mi venga un colpo” will show about 120.000.000 results against the 84.500.000 of its
counterpart (10 August 2019).
44
With only 61.400 results on Google (10 August 2019).
17
word “foruncoletto”.45 However, I decided to reference the aspect of anger expressed in English
by using the locution “pungere sul vivo”, which here evokes two images: one, metaphorical, of
teasing, the other, physical, of piercing. Instead of Perosa’s “infiammarsi” and Pagetti’s
“irritarsi”, I then decided to have it followed by the verb “scoppiare”, as it is a consequence of
the act of piercing, and it evokes the quickness, the severity of the action Roderigo is about to
commit. Conversely, lines 19-20 proved to be extremely challenging. I decided to rewrite the
verses opting to use the semantic field of light instead of beauty (“Quanto a Cassio, / lui brilla di
una luce / che mi mette in ombra”). This was mostly dictated by the choice to use the idiomatic
expression “mi mette in ombra”, which carries a similar metaphorical connotation of the English
“makes me ugly”. In italian, however, the lines have a much faster pace than in English.
Other rhetorical figures worth mentioning in Iago’s lines are the rhyme “hand-stand” (line 7),
which I decided to keep at the cost of a semantic discrepancy (“take thy stand” – “fidati di me”),
as it marks a pause before the following action,46 as well as the alliteration in line 14: “Every
way makes my gain”, which I tried to reflect by using the sounds “o” “a” “u”: “Ma che lui
ammazzi Cassio, / o Cassio lui, o che si ammazzino l’uno con l’altro, / io sempre ci guadagno”.
Othello is known for the poeticism of his speaking, conveyed in blank verse and rich in
oratory devices. This marks him as a nobleman and a soldier who holds a high position in
Venetian society, defining his identity. Furthermore, his language is ultimately what granted him
Desdemona’s love. When Othello begins to see himself and Desdemona through Iago’s
constructed perspective, and reason gives way to passion and self-doubt, his dignified style
begins to break down. In his most concitated moments (in his last lines before falling prey to the
epilepsy attack47) his style is fragmentized, almost erratic, his sentences are short and freely
juxtaposed. Othello has also begun to use oaths and profanities, which are associated with Iago’s
speech (suggesting Iago’s ability to influence and control the identity of others through
language). In this extract, his lines are surprisingly well constructed through the use of blank
verse end enjambments, but they do contain oaths and profanities – thus marking that even
though he is firm in his resolution (just like the noble soldier he once was), his purpose is foul.
I decided not to water the profanity he uses down (“strumpet” – “puttana”, line 34), in order
to accentuate the contrast with his otherwise high register. The word “minion” (line 33) was
challenging in the sense that in English it is not vulgar per se (“the earliest uses
of minion referred to someone who was a particular favorite, or darling, of a sovereign or other
important personage. Over time, however, the word evolved a more derogatory sense referring to

45
As reported in Pagetti, op. cit., p.292.
46
As a further confirmation, a stage direction marking the exit of Iago is present.
47
Act IV, scene I, lines 35-80.
18
a person who is servile and unimportant” 48 ), but Pagetti’s “bella mia” seemed to me almost
ironic. I decided to use a simple vocative “donna” which the Italian public is used to hear as a
derogatory epithet. I also decided to repeat the word “arrivo” two times, as in this context of
stressing Desdemona’s impellent doom, the repetition sounds more natural in Italian than the
simple statement.
I also decided to keep the rhyme at the end of Othello’s speech, as it marks a pause, a cut, a
firmness of resolution. I however was bound to transfer it to the meaning of the last verse only,
due to metrical reasons, as the Italian meaning tends to develop in many more syllables (and thus
lines) than the English one. I also used the word “dannato” as a rhyming device in this lines,
while it was not present in English, as a loan from “unblest” (line 34), as I felt that my translation
“maledetto” did not convey every meaning of it (not being blessed, and thus being sentenced to
eternal damnation due to her sin).
One last note about names must be made: most of the names in Othello are Italian and did
not require adaptation; I however decided to change “Othello” and “Gratiano” into “Otello” and
“Graziano” in accordance with the tradition of preexisting translations, as those are the names a
potential public would be familiar with.

48
Merriam Webster Dictionary online, 2 Aug. 2019, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minion#note-1.
19
 Bibliography

 W. Shakespeare (a cura di C. Pagetti), “Othello”, Torino, Einaudi, 2013 e 2017.

 W. Shakespeare, “Othello”, directed by V. Gassman and S. Randone, translated by S.
Quasimodo, 1956, produced by Teatro Quirino di Roma, Ente Teatrale Italiano.
 W. Shakespeare, “Othello”, directed by F. Melton, starring William Marshall, 1981,
produced by TMW Media Group (Venice, California).
 W. Shakespeare, “Othello”, directed by W. Milam, starring Eamonn Walker, 2007-2008,
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London.

 A. Calvani, “Rito e sacrificio nelle traduzioni di OTELLO”, inTRAlinea: ONLINE

TRANSLATION JOURNAL, 2008, http://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/
Rito_e_sacrificio_nelle_traduzioni_di_Otello.
 J.R. Ford, “Roderigo and the Mixed Dramaturgy of Race and Gender in Othello”, in P.C.
Kolin, op.cit., pp. 147-168.
 G.B. Giraldi Cinthio, “Un Capitano Moro”, in “Ecatommiti”, Deca III, Novella VII,
Progetto Manuzio – Liber Liber, 2 Agosto 2019, http://www.dicoseunpo.it/
Fiabe_e_racconti_files/ NOVELLA%20VII.pdf.
 R.A. Henderson, “Versions, Perversions, Animadversions: Dilemmas of Theatrical
Translation”, in V. Fissore, R.A. Henderson, E. Armellino, “The Drama of Discourse”,
Torino, Trauben, 2010, pp. 81-130.
 E.D. Jones, “Othello's countrymen: the African in English Renaissance drama”, Fourah Bay
College & the University College of Sierra Leone, Oxford University Press, 1965.
 P.C. Kolin, “Othello: New Critical Essays”, New York and London, Routledge, 2002.
 A. Mabillard, “The History of Othello”, in Shakespeare Online, 2 Agosto 2019,
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/othello/othellohistory.html.
 H. Macrae Richmond, “The Audience’s Role in Othello”, in P.C. Kolin, op.cit., pp. 89-101.
 S. McMillin, “The Mistery of the Early Othello Texts”, in P.C. Kolin, op.cit., pp. 401-424.
 Merriam Webster Dictionary online, 2 Agosto 2019, https://www.merriam-webster.com/.
 M. Morini, “Tradurre l’inglese: Mauale pratico e teorico”, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016.
 B. Reynolds and J. Fitzpatrick, “Venetian Ideology or Transversal Power? Iago’s Motives
and the Means by which Othello Falls”, in P.C. Kolin, op.cit., pp. 203-220.
 F. Sabatini, a cura di G. Skytte & F. Sabatini, “<Rigidità-esplicitezza> vs <elasticità-
implicitezza>: possibili parametri massimi per una tipologia dei testi, in Linguistica testuale
 comparativa. In memoriam Maria-Elisabeth Conte. Atti del Congresso interannuale della
Società di Linguistica Italiana (Copenhagen, 5-7 febbraio 1998)”, København, Museum
Tusculanum Press, 1999, pp. 141-172.
 A. Serpieri, “Tradurre per il teatro”, in Zacchi et al., “Manuale di traduzioni dall’inglese”,
Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2002.
 J. Spens, “Elizabethan Drama”. London: Metheun & Co. 1922, in Shakespeare Online, 19
Agosto 2009, http://www.shakespeare-online.com/playanalysis/tradegyvscomedy.html.
 Wikipedia, “Internalized racism”, 1 Agosto 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Internalized_racism