Society’s treatment of the outsider and those with different traits and characteristics from the majority, plants the seeds which can cultivate into a mass of insecurities. Although portrayed as the hero of the play, the racism and class/wealth based discrimination towards Othello is present from the beginning, with the constant reminder of his differences through the racial slurs and references as “moor” “thick lips” and “beast”. This racial prejudice affects Othello’s view of himself as “unworthy of love,” and his confidence throughout the play deteriorates, as his minimal acceptance in the society takes a toll. This thematic concern is one which is repeated in many other contemporary literary texts as the idea of being an outsider is relatable to almost everyone. In the opening of the play, Brabantio’s loyalty as Othello’s friend is quickly altered, when finding out about his relationship with his daughter Desdemona. The use of…
Race is very important in the play. Othello was a moor. In simplest terms he was a man of color. His race is what set him apart from the other characters. Also Othello is the only character of color which automatically set him inside. Being that he is a military general (a position not offered to black men) a lot of the characters don’t like him, and a lot of characters described him negatively because to them he was just a moor. But others respect and admire him because of his accomplishments. Iago was not his biggest fan so of coarse he said things that were not meant to be nice. “Iago: Even now, now very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise; Awake the snorting citizens with the bell. Or else the devil will make a grandsire if you arise I say!” (Act 1, Scene 1) Here Iago is upset that a moor is with a white woman. So he tells Desdemona’s father about the relationship. But all throughout what he is saying he is making racial slurs. In response to this Desdemona’s father says “BRABANTIO: She, in spite of nature, Of years, of country, credit, every thing, To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on! It is a judgment maim'd and most imperfect That will confess perfection so could err Against all rules of nature.” (Act 1, Scene 3) which means he feels that Desdemona’s feelings for Othello is wrong. It is unnatural since he is black and she is white. Even Othello himself describes his color as being something bad at one point. “Othello: All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven. 'Tis gone. Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell! (Act 3, Scene 3) Throughout the play there are many comments as to Othello’s race. I personally think the whole play is based around two things his race in comparison to everyone else’s, and his race with Desdemona’s race because he is a “moor” and every one else is not. Well race and jealousy anyway but race is what stands out more.…
Ideas of discrimination and racism have also been reflected within the play through the characterisation of Othello. Described as having “thick lips” and a darker skin tone, the protagonist experiences a sense of isolation from society due to his evident difference in physical appearance.. By demonstrating ideas of separation in the play, the reader is poised to read it as a text that incorporates strong ideas of discrimination, both evident during Shakespeare’s time and our current society. This discriminating prejudice leads to the deterioration of Othello’s confidence, where he states ‘for I am black’and ‘unworthy of love’. Ideas of discrimination and racism becomes particularly apparent when Iago constantly addresses Othello as ‘The Moor’…
Othello in Shakespeare's play is a black moor from North Africa surrounded by the white society of Venice. Many critics argue against racism in Othello although they believe it has got a racist theme. I think there are quite lots of proofs in the play which show that theme of racism is dominant and the problem of race should not be ignored. First, I will have a brief look at the meaning of black in the English society and the existence of racism in the 16th century and also where the character of Othello emerges from. Then I will refer to the attitudes of other characters towards Othello to conclude racism has been emphasized in the play.…
Throughout the centuries, people have been marginalised on account of their ethnicity. It is a timeless issue. The process begins with one dominant group, who exclude the minor group, on basis of inferiority. The feeling of superiority from the dominant group or culture may not be intentional, but is often a prevailing attitude at the time, which subtly influences people. Human kind through all of time is known for rejecting the unfamiliar, which is surely demonstrated in Othello, by William Shakespeare. In Othello, one man is excluded or set apart on the grounds of his being an outsider. His name is Othello. There are many methods, subtle and obvious, that Shakespeare uses to show Othello's exclusion and how he is devalued.…
In many of Shakespeare’s plays he explores the ideas of racial tensions, Othello is an example of one of these plays. Othello’s racial background, although not entirely clear provides a platform for exploring ideas of racial conflict. He’s clearly an outsider to the Venetian society and of African descent, thus he’s is often subjected to racial stereotypes. When Iago first explains to Barbantio that his daughter is married to a Moor he says “…you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse…” (I.I.125), referring to Othello as an animal, “Barbary” is a region of Africa therefore implying Othello’s homeland. He also tells Brabantio “I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.” (I.I.129-131), Othello is once again compared to an animal, indicating that since he is of African descent he is not considered to be on the same level of respect as someone who born into the Venetian culture. He’s viewed as uncivilized because he cannot control his passions, these associations serve to perpetuate stereotypes of Africans and others of different ethnic identity. This also portrays Iago’s clever chose of words to alter Barbantio’s emotions, particularly knowing that Barbantio holds a racist viewpoint. A predominant fear during that time period was colored men sexually corrupting the white women of the Venetian society, which would explain why Othello’s relationship with Desdemona is described in…
My interest in Othello is drawn to the way that race and colour is presented. Shakespeare was revolutionary in his casting of a black man to be the tragic hero and a white man to be the villain. In Jacobean society and even in many societies tody, the audience would of expected to see a black man as the felon. The setting in Cyprus is dramatically significant as it is isolated in the wild frontiers of war. Away from the structured society of Venice social norms and hierarchy are not relevant allowing Shakespeare to place a Moor in a position of authority. This daring theme of a black man in power has remained controversial ever since and it wasn’t until 1833 that a black man actually played the part. The issue of mixed race relationships was especially an issue in segregated America up until the twentieth century with Othello being played with blackface till 1940. The unnatural war setting also enables Iago’s passion to be unmasked,…
Racism is a theme that is prominently evident throughout Shakespeare's Othello. Through this theme, there are several perceptions of an individual's race which are exhibited to establish the text's context. During the Elizabethan era, those who were coloured were viewed as being inferior in comparison to those of an Anglo-Saxon background. Iago portrays this view upon race in as he, as well as other characters, judges Othello based on his appearance. In the opening scene, Iago warns Brabantio, “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”. Through the use of animal imagery, Iago parallels Othello to a racial subtext of black versus white and thus degrades Othello’s status, placing himself on a higher social platform. The use of racial slur highlights the continuation of Elizabethan concepts that black men are assumed to have an animal-like sexual behaviour. Also in the play, Brabantio states “…in spite of nature…to fall in love with what she fear’d to look on! It is a judgment main’d and most imperfect… against all rules of nature” (1.3.6). This quote refers to how Brabantio considers his daughter’s love with the Moor to be unnatural as Desdemona would apparently never fall in love with a black man. Brabantio uses repetition to insist that Othello must have “enchanted” his daughter with black magic rather than their relationship consisting of true love.…
Quotes such as “old black ram”, “sooty bosom”, and “thick lips” are said many times throughout this Shakespearian play and are much like the racist comments that are evident in our everyday conversations. Othello played a very special role in this text, as more often than not the black characters were often portrayed as the villain, in doing this, Shakespeare already defied most stereotypes in that time. In saying this, the other characters comments in the text are no different from some of the racial comments are no different from some of the racial comments we here in the 21st Century. For all those who read the text, it brings forth stereotypes that entail black men to “practice witchcraft, to subdue terrified maidens”, and a majority of the time refers to Othello’s as an animal rather than a human. This is portrayed in the text when it states “Your daughter, and the moor and making the beast with two backs”. Like then, in the 21st century, these racial comments are still seen and are often as a result of our misunderstanding of culture. For example, when we hear the word, “Muslim”, we stereotype them into being bad due to their association with ISIS, and or some form of terrorist. We often jump to conclusions, and generalise these people around the actions of only a small minority of the group and then treat their entire religion and culture with the same form of disapproval that we should only have towards a few individuals. These stereotypes and generalisations are evident across the globe with people seeing colour as a way to define the good and the bad. It is evident, that through this, it is making it clear that racial profiling and stereotyping is evident in both Othello and the 21st century in which makes Shakespeare and his texts increasingly relevant to the 21st…
The story of Othello is a Shakespearean play in which a person of color more specifically a black person (Moor) is first displayed in a positive light rather than a negative one . Othello’s race is constantly pinned against him and cause for much trouble throughout the story. Many of the characters face challenges alongside the Moor Othello , these characters of either grow alongside him or stay the same . The mindsets and grittiness of the characters play a large part in the Moor’s story in particular Iago’s and Brabantio’s stiffness which equates to much the drama found within the story. His wife Desdemona is in contribution to some of the fluidity…
People discriminate for several different reasons: fear, envy, the desire for power, or a need to disassociate themselves from one another. The common form of discrimination to express one's hatred, is using someones skin color which is a natural trait that cannot be altered. Othello, in Shakespeare's play Othello is a Christian, African American that has been sold into slavery, escaped, and ended up as the military commander of the Venetian military. Othello experiences harsh racism and hatred after marrying the Venetian Senator’s daughter, simply because of his skin color. Throughout the play Othello, Shakespeare did not fairly represent race during that time period and Othello was not doomed to fail due to his race and background.…
In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, race was an issue and skin color deciphered the being of an individual. The play takes place in a time where black people weren’t respected and were viewed negatively. Othello was an admired Moor who had great military skills but was also bashed due to his skin color. For example, the antagonistic characters, Iago and Roderigo made sure to use racial comments about Othello to get to Brabantio’s head. Desdemona had gotten married to Othello and when Iago and Roderigo got to Brabantio’s home to explain the situation they made sure to include Othello’s race. In the play, Iago states, “ Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white awe. Arise, arise, awake the snorting citizens with…
• A fear of foreigners during Elizabethan times fostered misogynistic and racist values, which is evident in the way Othello’s blackness becomes a symbol of alienation to which all characters in the play must respond.…
One way or another part of their identities will be erased. They will be shunned when others say they are not “white enough” or “black enough” or are “too white” or “too black.” For example, as Iago attempts to convince Desdemona’s father that she is marrying a black man, he tells the older man, “You’ll have your daughter/ covered with a Barbary horse; you’ll have your nephews/ neigh to you” (I. i, 110-2). Iago implies that Othello is like a horse and will be mating with Desdemona while their children will be as black as their father. As he knows about their heritage, to Iago half black is still black and he fits these hypothetical children in categories that he chooses. If someone is a part of a racial minority group but does not look it, they would be forced to endure derogative comments such as these or to laugh along I order to maintain any small amount of privilege they can obtain. Therefore, racial discrimination harms multiracial minorities as people will categorize them by one part of their culture, choose to erase the other, and erase a part of their identities. In conclusion, the main message from Othello is that the covert racial discrimination towards visible minorities is detrimental to diverse…
Insecurities have a powerful effect on the human mind, and thats just what happened to Othello, he succumbed to his insecurities. Being a different race…