Roderigo: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Character in Othello}} |
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'''Roderigo''' is a fictional character in [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s 1604 play ''[[Othello]]''. Roderigo, a wealthy [[Venice|Venetian]], is manipulated into funding the antagonist [[Iago]]'s machinations in the belief that Iago will aid him in suiting [[Othello (character)|Othello]]'s wife [[Desdemona (Othello)|Desdemona]]. In the later stages of the play, Iago recruits Roderigo in hopes of assassinating Othello's former lieutenant [[Michael Cassio]], though when he fails in this attempt, he is murdered by Iago in retaliation |
'''Roderigo''' is a fictional character in [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s 1604 play ''[[Othello]]''. Roderigo, a wealthy [[Venice|Venetian]], is manipulated into funding the antagonist [[Iago]]'s machinations in the belief that Iago will aid him in suiting [[Othello (character)|Othello]]'s wife [[Desdemona (Othello)|Desdemona]]. In the later stages of the play, Iago recruits Roderigo in hopes of assassinating Othello's former lieutenant [[Michael Cassio]], though when he fails and is injured in this attempt, he is murdered by Iago in retaliation. |
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Despite Shakespeare heavily basing ''Othello'' on [[Cinthio]]'s Italian language tale ''Un Capitano Moro'', Roderigo has no counterpart the original text, unlike other characters, suggesting that Shakespeare created the character himself. |
Despite Shakespeare heavily basing ''Othello'' on [[Cinthio]]'s Italian language tale ''Un Capitano Moro'', Roderigo has no counterpart the original text, unlike other characters, suggesting that Shakespeare created the character himself. |
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==Sources== |
==Sources== |
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''Othello'' |
Whilst Shakespeare based ''Othello'' on a number of sources, the play was primarily based on the 1965 tale ''The Story of a Moorish Captain'' in Italian by [[Cinthio]].<ref name="4trag">Shakespeare, William. ''Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth''. Bantam Books, 1988.</ref> |
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==Role in ''Othello''== |
==Role in ''Othello''== |
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Roderigo is introduced in the play's opening in Act One, Scene One, where, alongside [[Iago]], he alerts [[Desdemona (Othello)|Desdemona]]'s father [[Brabantio]] that his daughter is eloping with [[Othello (character)|Othello]], a fact that Iago knows will cause him great annoyance. After breaking of from Iago, whom hid in the earlier scene from Brabantio's sight, he joins Brabantio and his men in their journey to Sagittary in Act One, Scene Two, in hopes of finding Othello and Desdemona. |
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Roderigo makes his first appearance in Act One, Scene One when, as Iago's confederate, he rouses [[Brabantio]] with the news that Desdemona has eloped with Othello. In the following scene, he accompanies Brabantio to the Sagittary where the newlyweds are found. He is present in Act One Scene Three when the couple defend their union before the Duke. In Act Two Scene One, Roderigo disembarks to [[Cyprus]], and, two scenes later, provokes the brawl that results in Cassio's disgrace. Roderigo next appears in Act Four Scene Two where Iago lures him into a plot to murder Cassio. In Act Five Scene One, Roderigo fails to kill Cassio, and is himself wounded in the attempt. Iago discovers Roderigo and renders the [[coup de grâce]]. Finally realising how he has been deceived, Roderigo curses Iago before being stabbed and left for dead. But it is later revealed that he had written letters before his death to tell the truth about Iago's plot. His main role within the plot, therefore, is to show the audience how manipulative and deceiving Iago can be. |
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In Act Two, Roderigo joins Iago in his journey to [[Cyprus]], where the Venetians are expecting a Turk invasion, in hopes of being able to woo Desdemona. When the Turks drown in the ocean, Iago convinces Roderigo to invoke a brawl with Cassio, whom Iago has convinced to get drunk, leading to Cassio wounding the Cypriot governor Montano. |
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Based on the fact that ''Othello'' was composed in near proximity chronologically to the composition of ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', modern interpreters of Roderigo sometimes play the role as a dimwit in the manner of [[Andrew Aguecheek]] or [[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern]], with the rationale being all four roles would have been played by an actor in Shakespeare's company specializing in foppish characters.<ref name="Honingmann">Honingmann, E. A. J.. ''Othello.'' The Arden Shakespeare, 2002.</ref> |
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He does not appear again until Act Four, Scene Two where he is enrolled in Iago's plot to murder Cassio, a desire he has had since the start of the play. In Act Five, Scene One, Roderigo fails to kill Cassio, and is himself wounded in the attempt. Roderigo becomes the first to realise Iago's true plans before he is fatally stabbed by Iago, cursing him before his departure.<ref name="4trag" /> |
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[[Robert Coote]] played Roderigo in [[Orson Welles]]' [[Othello (1952 film)|1952 film]]. The production was filmed over a three-year period and was hampered by its [[Italian people|Italian]] backer declaring [[bankruptcy]] early on in the shoot. As a result, a lack of costumes forced Roderigo's murder to be staged in a [[Turkish bath]] with the performers garbed in large, ragged towels. |
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Modern renditions of the play generally portray Roderigo as a naive fool lusting for love, whom falls victims to Iago's cunning eloquence<ref name="Honingmann">Honingmann, E. A. J.. ''Othello.'' The Arden Shakespeare, 2002.</ref> |
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[[Robert Coote]] played Roderigo in [[Orson Welles]]' [[Othello (1952 film)|1952 film]]. Other actors playing his role include [[Ferdinand von Alten]] in the 1922 silent version starring [[Emil Jannings]], [[Robert Lang (actor)|Robert Lang]] in the [[Othello (1965 British film)|1965 version]] starring [[Laurence Olivier]], and [[Michael Maloney]] in the [[Othello (1995 film)|film version]] with [[Laurence Fishburne]]. |
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In 2006, ''[[Omkara (2006 film)|Omkara]]'', the [[Bollywood]] version of ''Othello'', Roderigo née Rajan ’Rajju’ Tiwari was played by [[Deepak Dobriyal]]. |
In 2006, ''[[Omkara (2006 film)|Omkara]]'', the [[Bollywood]] version of ''Othello'', Roderigo née Rajan ’Rajju’ Tiwari was played by [[Deepak Dobriyal]]. |
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Revision as of 18:34, 29 August 2023
| Roderigo | |
|---|---|
| Othello character | |
| File:Roderigo03.JPG Robert Coote as Roderigo in the Turkish bath scene from Orson Welles' 1952 film, Othello | |
| Created by | William Shakespeare |
| Portrayed by | Ferdinand von Alten (1922) Robert Coote, (1952) Robert Lang (1965) Michael Maloney (1995) Deepak Dobriyal (2006) |
Roderigo is a fictional character in Shakespeare's 1604 play Othello. Roderigo, a wealthy Venetian, is manipulated into funding the antagonist Iago's machinations in the belief that Iago will aid him in suiting Othello's wife Desdemona. In the later stages of the play, Iago recruits Roderigo in hopes of assassinating Othello's former lieutenant Michael Cassio, though when he fails and is injured in this attempt, he is murdered by Iago in retaliation.
Despite Shakespeare heavily basing Othello on Cinthio's Italian language tale Un Capitano Moro, Roderigo has no counterpart the original text, unlike other characters, suggesting that Shakespeare created the character himself.
Sources
Whilst Shakespeare based Othello on a number of sources, the play was primarily based on the 1965 tale The Story of a Moorish Captain in Italian by Cinthio.[1]
Role in Othello
Roderigo is introduced in the play's opening in Act One, Scene One, where, alongside Iago, he alerts Desdemona's father Brabantio that his daughter is eloping with Othello, a fact that Iago knows will cause him great annoyance. After breaking of from Iago, whom hid in the earlier scene from Brabantio's sight, he joins Brabantio and his men in their journey to Sagittary in Act One, Scene Two, in hopes of finding Othello and Desdemona.
In Act Two, Roderigo joins Iago in his journey to Cyprus, where the Venetians are expecting a Turk invasion, in hopes of being able to woo Desdemona. When the Turks drown in the ocean, Iago convinces Roderigo to invoke a brawl with Cassio, whom Iago has convinced to get drunk, leading to Cassio wounding the Cypriot governor Montano.
He does not appear again until Act Four, Scene Two where he is enrolled in Iago's plot to murder Cassio, a desire he has had since the start of the play. In Act Five, Scene One, Roderigo fails to kill Cassio, and is himself wounded in the attempt. Roderigo becomes the first to realise Iago's true plans before he is fatally stabbed by Iago, cursing him before his departure.[1]
Performances
Modern renditions of the play generally portray Roderigo as a naive fool lusting for love, whom falls victims to Iago's cunning eloquence[2]
Robert Coote played Roderigo in Orson Welles' 1952 film. Other actors playing his role include Ferdinand von Alten in the 1922 silent version starring Emil Jannings, Robert Lang in the 1965 version starring Laurence Olivier, and Michael Maloney in the film version with Laurence Fishburne.
In 2006, Omkara, the Bollywood version of Othello, Roderigo née Rajan ’Rajju’ Tiwari was played by Deepak Dobriyal.
References
Further reading
- MacLiammóir, Micheál. Put Money in Thy Purse: the Diary of the Film of Othello. Methuen & Co., Ltd., London (1952); Virgin Books (1994), ISBN 0-86369-729-1. MacLiammóir's 1952 memoir about the filming of Orson Welles' Othello.