European vs. African Gendered Genealogies: Revisiting Othello in Caryl Phillipsâs The Nature of Blood and Toni Morrisonâs Desdemona

Pilar CuderâDomÃ­nguez

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Chapter 7 European vs. African Gendered Genealogies

Revisiting Othello in Caryl Phillipsâs The Nature of Blood and Toni Morrisonâs Desdemona

In: Caryl Phillipsâs Genealogies

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Pilar CuderâDomÃnguez

Pilar CuderâDomÃnguez
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 149â166

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004545557_009

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Abstract

Over the centuries, Othello has become an emblematic portrait of the black presence in the West. Historically, many black writers and theorists have felt interpellated by Shakespeareâs playâs compelling picture of black isolation and double consciousness. Given the far-reaching influence of this representation of diasporic blackness, it is not surprising that Caryl Phillips has repeatedly turned to muse on the character in his non-fiction and fiction alike. In this chapter, I examine his rewriting of Othelloâs voice in The Nature of Blood (1997) and compare it to Desdemona (2012), a play written collaboratively by Nobel-Prize awardee Toni Morrison and Mali musician Rokia TraorÃ©, in order to trace their parallel genealogies. I argue that both Phillips and Morrison examine in rich detail the race, class, and gender tensions that underlie their source text, mapping complex affective geographies of belonging and deeply entangled relationalities.

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Caryl Phillipsâs Genealogies

Series:Â Cross/Cultures, Volume: 220

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004545557

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 06 May 2023

Subjects
- American Studies
  - General
- Literature and Cultural Studies

Front Matter

Part 1 Parallel Genealogies

Part 2 Intellectual Genealogies

Part 3 Gender

Part 4 Cinema and Radio Plays

Part 5 Short Texts

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African Studies	Education	Media Studies
American Studies	History	Middle East and Islamic Studies
Ancient Near East and Egypt	Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Musicology
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Biblical Studies	Jewish Studies	Slavic and Eurasian Studies
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Book History and Cartography	Life Sciences	Theology and World Christianity
Classical Studies	Literature and Cultural Studies

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Chapter 7 European vs. African Gendered Genealogies

Revisiting Othello in Caryl Phillipsâs The Nature of Blood and Toni Morrisonâs Desdemona

Abstract

Citation Info

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Caryl Phillipsâs Genealogies

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Revisiting Othello in Caryl Phillipsâs The Nature of Blood and Toni Morrisonâs Desdemona

Caryl Phillipsâs Genealogies