Manga Classics Othello

by William Shakespeare, Julien Choy (Illustrator), Crystal S Chan (Adapted by)

Overview

A brilliant general in the service of Venice, Othello is also the new husband of the adoring - and young - Desdemona, whose innocent hero worship has blossomed into love. But can a beautiful girl, so much younger than her husband, truly be faithful? Othello's trusted ensign Iago seems to think not. Can Othello trust him? Can Othello trust anyone? Manga Classics presents Shakespeare's classic story of love, hate, vengeance, and betrayal, in its full, original glory! (This volume features the complete, unabridged text from the Shakespeare Play.)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781947808133
Publisher:	Manga Classics Inc.
Publication date:	06/08/2021
Series:	Manga Classics Series , #17
Pages:	420
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 2.00(d)
Age Range:	13 - 16 Years

About the Author

Crystal S. Chan is an award-winning author and television screen play writer.  She holds a degree in language and literature. Crystal is a huge fan of authors such as Jane Austen and she is equally passionate about Sailor Moon. Her passion for classic literature combined with her love of the comics medium allows her to strike a solid balance between preserving the depth of the original content while adapting the language for a younger generation.

Date of Death:

2018

Place of Birth:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Place of Death:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Editorial Reviews

2021-03-25
An illustrated reimagining of one of Shakespeare’s most memorable tragedies.

From the very beginning of this clever adaptation, effort is made to prioritize accessibility of both the manga form and the classic Shakespearean play: The frontmatter briefly highlights the reading direction of the panels, and characters are labeled when introduced, coming to life via a striking combination of early modern Venetian dress; quintessential manga hairdos and facial expressions; and pronounced linework. Like the rest of the series, this account of Othello remains faithful to the original. The black-and-white illustrations allow for Iago’s conniving manipulations to manifest visually as well as animating characters’ bigotry in impactful, distressing ways. However, there are shortcomings: Where the original text may use parentheticals and asides to progress the story, the occasional appearance of parentheses in speech bubbles are a distracting reminder that comics utilize storytelling tools that haven’t been fully adopted here. Likewise, panel after panel of Othello’s turn to violence and his enraged face obscured by shadow provide a poignant dramatic effect but seem to exacerbate prejudices inherent to both the play and medium. Not only is the titular character visually distinguished from other characters by his shading, hair, lips, and overall size, unfortunately neither Shakespeare nor the illustrator seem wholly prepared for a contemporary conversation regarding racial representation in one of literature’s most infamous depictions of othering.

Will appeal to manga fans but raises questions around depictions of racialized material. (adapter’s notes, character designs) (Graphic fiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews

"The visual medium helps connect the dots between what the characters are saying, and what they’re really saying. Iago is a huge fan of euphemisms to drive Othello insane. It’s fabulous for any reader, but I can see it being especially helpful for students and those unfamiliar with the language style." - My Book Joy

"The classic story of Othello retains all its integrity, and the characters are powerfully depicted. Reading this manga was like having a movie playing in my head; it all feels so real and vivid!" - Luminous Libro

From the Publisher