Othello: Reading Multiplicity

Bechir Saoudi, PhD.

English Literature
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In his essay The Death of the Author, Roland Barthes describes the tradition of classic
reading of literature as being tyrannically centered on the author, arguing for the case that
there is no such thing as the Author of a text, but simply a scriptor whose ideas are not
entirely original. Once the author is eliminated, Barthes maintains, any meaning in the text
becomes the prerogative of the reader. In the light of Barthes argument the present paper sets
out to explore various readings of Shakespeares Othello. Although the play seems to have an
air of simplicity about it in comparison with the complexities of such plays as Hamlet, King
Lear or A Winters Tale for instance, in reality Othello turns out to be a very intricate play to
read given the great variety of its conflicting interpretations.

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A Short Bio:

Bechir Saoudi got an MA on Shakespeare and a Ph.D. in English Literature and Cultural
Studies from the University of Manouba, Tunisia.
He taught English at Tunisian public schools from 1992 to 1998 before being appointed to
teach at the English department, Faculty of Arts, University of Manouba. He then worked as
lecturer in Saudi Arabian universities from 2002 to 2010. In 2011 he was recruited as
Teaching Assistant at the English Department of ISEAH, Kef, Tunisia.
His research interests are in the literary and cultural studies domain. His current research
projects focus on English literature and the analysis of literary discourses from a cultural
studies perspective.
Dr. Saoudi was Head of the English Department at ISEAH, Kef, Jendouba University, from
2011 to 2015. He is currently teaching at the same institute.
He actively participated in various local and international conferences in Tunisia and abroad
as both speaker and member of organizing committees.