Shakespeare in the World of Ballet: Othello as a Case Study

Abstract

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Shakespeare is the foremost tragic writer in world literature. He excelled in capturing the anxieties and conflicts of the human soul, delving deeply into its inner labyrinths and shadowy regions, with a particular focus on moments of downfall in their various degrees and forms. This is clearly reflected in his major tragic works such as Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, and Othello, among others. These works achieved remarkable success, enabling them to be reshaped into new creative forms that transcend their original literary form and open up to the realms of image and audiovisual discourse in their modern theatrical sense, such as opera and ballet, or scenographic adaptations, as is the case with various cinematic and television interpretations that draw their material and narrative structure from these Shakespearean sources.