By JORDAN MCLEMORE
News Editor
Dr. Adams, assistant professor of English at Northwestern Oklahoma State University is publishing an article in “Film International: Thinking Film since 1973” in the February issue of the journal.
The article is called, “Cannibalized Chaos: Iago, The Joker and the ‘Good Sport’ of Post Modernism.” This article searches the similarities between “Othello” the play by Shakespeare, and The Joker, portrayed by Heath Ledger, in the Christopher Nolan directed film, “The Dark Knight.”
Dr. Adams says that while they are villains, they don’t have the important motive for the upheaval they bring.
“Such lack of motive, especially regarding Ledger’s Joker as opposed to that of the clearly driven Joker played by Jack Nicholson in ‘Batman’ (1989), in turn suggests criticism of recent cultural movements centered around what came to be called ‘postmodernism,’ ” Adams said.
“While its criticisms of unjust social and cultural relationships have much to commend it, postmodernism’s logic of subverting without replacing opens civilization to the destructive chaos, as both Iago and The Joker—via Alfred Pennyworth, Batman’s confidant and adviser—suggest. More ominously and even beyond their bringing about a descent into chaos, both Iago and The Joker make clear their motiveless actions are done simply for the sake of ‘sport,’” Adams said.
“Given the ongoing discussions concerning Nolan’s second film in his Batman trilogy and Ledger’s Academy Award-winning performance, coupled with the lack of scholarly discussion over links between Iago and The Joker and their possible implications for our ongoing post 9/11 world, such connections are ideas worth exploring,” Adams said.
This will be Dr. Adams fourth published article since he started teaching at Northwestern, and he is already planning for future works of his to be published coming up.
For more information on Adams’ publication please call (580) 327-8428 or email him at rbadams@nwosu.edu.