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University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses
Fall 12-20-2019
Scorched Earth: Unlocking the Mysteries of Shakespeare's Greatest Villain, Iago in Othello
Christopher P. Hunter Jr University of New Orleans, [email protected]
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Recommended Citation Hunter, Christopher P. Jr, "Scorched Earth: Unlocking the Mysteries of Shakespeare's Greatest Villain, Iago in Othello" (2019). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2696. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2696
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This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Scorched Earth: Unlocking the Mysteries of Shakespeare’s Greatest Villain, Iago in Othello
A Thesis
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of
Master of Fine Arts in Film and Theatre Theatre Performance
by
Patrick Hunter
B.F.A. Ithaca College, 2010
December, 2019 Copyright 2019, Patrick Hunter
ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
To Professor David Hoover, for the guidance and great conversations. To the faculty of the University of New Orleans department of Film and Theatre: Diane Baas, Anthony French,
Kevin Griffith, and L. Kalo Gow, for the knowledge, hard work, and resourcefulness. To the adjunct instructors and guest directors with whom I crossed paths: Mike Harkins, John Neisler,
Aimée Hayes, A.J. Allegra, and Amy Boyce Holtcamp, for enriching my experience. To Kristin
Shoffner for countless cups of coffee and heated debates. To my mother, Kelley Hunter Ellis, for unwavering confidence in me. Lastly, to my wife, Melissa Cotton Hunter, and my children
Christopher Patrick Hunter III and Cotton Kelley Hunter for the limitless support, encouragement, and love.
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS:
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………………… v INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………..….1 MY PROCESS…………………………………………………………………………………….2 MY IAGO…………………………………………………………………………………………6 APPROACHING VERSE TEXT………………………………………………………………..12 SCORED SCRIPT……………………………………………………………………………….15 ACT I SCENE I………………………………………………………………………….15 ACT I SCENE II..……………………………………………………………………….23 ACT I SCENE III………………………………………………………………………..29 ACT II SCENE I…………………………………………………………………………41 ACT II SCENE II+III……………………………………………………………………52 ACT III SCENE II+III……………………………………………………………..……68 ACT III SCENE IV………………………………………………………………………96 ACT IV SCENE I………………………………………………………………………105 ACT IV SCENE II………………………………………………………………….…..121 ACT IV SCENE III……………………………………………………………………..132 ACT V SCENE I………………………………………………………………………..137 ACT V SCENE II………………………………………………………………………143 SELF-CRITIQUE………………………………………………………………………………158 WORKS CITED/CONSULTED………………………………………………………………..162 VITA……………………………………………………………………………………………163
iv ABSTRACT:
The following thesis is an in-depth actor analysis chronicling my approach to the role of
Iago in TheatreUNO’s 2019 production of Othello by William Shakespeare. This thesis will include analysis of the text, character objectives, techniques used, observations about the application of contemporary realistic acting technique to classical verse text, self-evaluation and personal reflection. This thesis will be supported by production materials including a fully scored script.
This play was directed by David W. Hoover, and performed April 25- May 4, 2019,as part of the TheatreUNO 2018-2019 academic season, presented by the Department of Film and
Theatre in the School of the Arts, at the University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Scenic Design was by Kevin Griffith, Lighting design was by Diane Baas, Costume design was by Anthony French, Vocal coaching was by L. Kalo Gow, and Alexandra Marie Rainey served as the Stage Manager.
Performing Arts, Acting, Shakespeare
v INTRODUCTION:
For my graduate thesis production, I was assigned the role of Iago in William
Shakespeare’s Othello. Widely regarded as one of the great villains in the history of Western theatre, the list of actors to have attempted the role reads as a pantheon of excellence, beginning with Robert Armin, Shakespeare’s resident tragic fool, and passing through the likes of Ian
Mckellen, Simon Russel Beale, Kenneth Branagh, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, among countless others.
“He is the ideal forerunner of so many contemporary dissemblers — the deceitful politician, clergyman, athlete or entertainer; the conniving money manager; the prevaricating realtor; the online sexual predator. Iago takes deception to the highest possible level. He becomes the ultimate creature of secrets, the man whose petty grievance doesn’t match his outsize fury.
He is driven by ‘motiveless malignity’ in the phrase coined for him by the 19th-century poet and critic Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Iago’s love of secrecy is all the more disturbing because it contrasts so starkly with the openness and candor personified by Othello, who not only believes all men ‘shouldst be honest’ but seems to think many really are”(Lee Siegel). Iago is objectively evil, acting purely out of malice, intentionally bringing chaos and misfortune to the other characters in the play. This presents the actor with a great challenge: to get on his side in order to champion his cause. We actors should always be looking to find sympathy for our characters, approaching them without judgement so that we can use our minds and bodies to bring them to life. Only then can we take the printed word from the page and render their truth as a three- dimensional, living, breathing human being.