Othello (BBC Radio Shakespeare)

An extraordinary play, both for its dramatic economy and power as well as its remarkable language, from Othello's bombastic "traveller's history" to Desdemona's elegiac "willow song", the play raises uncomfortable questions about ongoing questions of not only racial identity but also sexuality, as Othello and Desdemona's sexual relationship becomes the voyeuristic site of Iago's attempt to destroy them. Particularly fascinated with the question of what it means to "see", Othello also contains one of the greatest tragic death scenes in all of Shakespeare, with Othello's final identification with "a malignant and a turbaned Turk". --Jerry Brotton

What should be recognised is that in Othello, we see so many aspects of life today, racism and sexism probably standing out the most. Othello is a fascinating read because of this, how Shakespeare could have understood racism as he does in his age is beyond the imagination. Also, the crudeness of the character of Iago, and the pathetic Roderigo in some parts is enough to make the censors go wild, along with its political incorrectness, is great! And all in the name of education and culture.