William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice (1604), although over 400 years older, can be compared to Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008).
Assignment
For the final assessment of this unit, you will write an essay using the format of compare/contrast to shape your argument and essay. Your thesis statement should reflect an essential comparison and contrast between the two subjects, and make a claim about the significance of the similarities and differences between Othello and The Dark Knight.
Choose ONE of the following prompts to guide your writing, especially the conclusion.
Villains symbolize both general and deep seated fears of human society/nature. Identify the fears each of the the villains represent. Compare and contrast fears represented by both lago and the Joker. Interpret the significance of the fears, and the shift in eras from Shakespeare to Batman. What does that shift indicate about changes in society?
Support your assertion with evidence and quotes from both the play and the film.
lago and the Joker are two of the best known villains in literature and film. They both have distinct motives, means, and goals. Compare and contrast the motives, means, and goals of the two villains, and decide which character is the most villainous. Support your assertion with evidence and quotes from both the play and the film,
How does the language used by lago and the Joker reveal their character? Was the language used by lago or the Joker more effective in getting what the characters want in their manipulation of the protagonists? Why or why not? Suppor your assertion with evidence and quotes from both the play and the film.
