Shakespeare Complete Works.34, Othello

Author: [British] William Shakespeare
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: China Radio & Television Press introduced the copyright of the bilingual edition of The Complete Works of Shakespeare translated by Liang Shiqiu from Far East Book Company in Taiwan. This is the first time the Liang translation of The Complete Works of Shakespeare has been published and distributed in mainland China in a bilingual format. The main features of the Liang translation are: a colloquial prose style; a literal translation that remains faithful to the original text; a complete translation that makes no omissions from the original. In addition, the Liang translation has unique aspects: first, it includes annotations. The original texts of Shakespeare's works often present difficulties in terms of versions, being obscure and hard to understand, with many puns, idioms, slang, allusions, and even obscene language. Liang Shiqiu not only translated the text literally but also added numerous annotations to help readers understand the original. Second, each play is preceded by an introduction. The introductions discuss the version of the play, its composition date, the source of the story, the stage history, the significance of the play, and critical opinions. The tragedy tells the story of a righteous and kind-hearted person being deceived and mistakenly killed by an extremely cunning villain, leading to the death of his loyal and pure wife. The story takes place in two locations: Venice and Cyprus. The protagonist is Othello, a noble Moor (a race from the northwest of Africa) who serves in the Venetian government and commands the Venetian armed forces. He needs to select a general to assist him and chooses Cassio for the position, but does not choose his own ensign, Iago. Iago harbors resentment and, to take revenge, goes with his friend Rodrigo to the Venetian elder Brabantio at midnight to report that Brabantio's daughter Desdemona has eloped with Othello and plans to marry him. Iago describes the incident using coarse and filthy language, saying, "Your daughter will be ridden by a Barbary horse, and you will have some mares and foals neighing at you, and they will climb some mares and foals." Upon hearing this news, Brabantio is greatly enraged and orders his servants to wake up and search the entire city for his daughter and Othello.