Literary Theory: Weekly Response 5

"Othello, like the culture that produced it, exhibits a conflation of various tropes of conversion -- transformations from Christian to Turk, from virgin to whore, from good to evil, and from gracious virtue to black damnation."
- Daniel J. Vitkus, Turning Turk in Othello: The Conversion and Damnation of the Moor, page 145

"If virtue no delighted beauty lack, / Your son-in-law is far more fair than black."
- William Shakespeare, Othello, Act 1 Scene 3

What is the most significant parallel (mentioned in Vitkus' work) exemplified in the above quote from Othello?

Vitkus, in my opinion, makes an impeccable point about Othello in that there are numerous transformations, or parallels in the play. In this part particularly, the main parallel being made is between gracious virtue and black damnation. It is explained that despite the good qualities, bad triumphs. Much like in the other transformations, everything in the story that transforms is going from a light, positive end of the spectrum to the negative side of things.