Othello in European Culture

Othello has been one of Shakespeare’s most frequently adapted plays on the ballet stage since the birth of the dramatic story ballet in the eighteenth century. Throughout the history of dance, choreographers have found innovative ways to represent some of the play’s themes that are difficult to express in a wordless genre, such as Othello’s psychological evolution, his shifting image of Desdemona, and Iago’s manipulation of his victims. This chapter argues that four interrelated themes have been