In some cases, it can be argued that Othello is very much a racist play. Shakespeare starts off the story in the beginning by jumping right into the dialogue between Iago and Roderigo. Not long into the conversation does the reader encounter racist slurs such as, “moor”, and, “an old black ram”. Shakespeare neglects to even mention Othello’s name in the dialogue between Iago and Roderigo before saying these offensive remarks about Othello. This provides an important clue to those who believe Othello is a racist story. The beginning scene of a play/book usually sets the tone for the reader/audience and gives them a basic idea of what is going on and whom the protagonist/antagonist may be. It is peculiar then that Shakespeare would start off the beginning of the book with a conversation between the two main antagonist characters (Iago and Roderigo) degrading the protagonist (Othello) with remarks concerning his ethnicity. Not once does Iago or Roderigo…
How does Shakespeare explore Elizabethan attitudes to women, race and transgression in the first three scenes of Othello?…
You may be asking, how is a play set in a world of exploration and conquest still significant to a world of flaccid morals and technological advancements? The works of Shakespeare prove ongoing relevance over time through the utilisation of key ideas, characters and language. Through characterisation and the exploration of the notions of jealousy and racism in “Othello”, the guests at the national Shakespeare convention can gain insight on how the works of Shakespeare are as significant now as they ever have been.…
Since back in Shakespeare days, Moors were Arab Muslim or Spaniards that were looked down upon in society. They were treated like how the African American community was 70 years ago. Iago was a white man while Othello was a Moor. But Shakespeare never clearly stated what ethnicity Othello truly was. So the director of the movie had a chance to interpret Othello's ethnicity to where the audience can truly understand the emotions and symbolic meaning between Othello and Iago. So Othello is betrayed as an African American. The audience can really understand Iago's hatred since we know that the African Americans were treated really poorly back in our country. There use to be laws known as Jim Crow laws where blacks and whites were separated. When the African American community was allowed equal rights, many white Americans were upset with the outcome. Many white Americans went on lynching, hunting, and destroying many black communities. This information was than symbolized through Iago's character where we can see he's upset with Othello being able to be the same status or even better than his. We can even see how extremely jealous Iago is when we figure out Othello's military status is two ranks higher than…
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.…
Iago uses the Elizabethan views and stereotypes to manipulate Othello to do his bidding. Iago assumes that Othello is insecure due to his ethnic heritage, and uses this to his advantage. Iago himself is influenced by the context--the Elizabethan society. While Iago is correct of Othello’s insecurity, it is because of the attitudes towards Blackamoors during the Elizabethan era that Othello was insecure itself. There is evidence that there were a considerable number of black people in England in the late 16th Century. But in 1601, Elizabeth I gave orders to deport them, citing concerns about their irregular behaviour and a fear that allowing them to stay in England would lead to overpopulation.…
Before the play even starts we already have a sense of how race and place have a paramount importance in the play simple from the title ‘Othello: The Moor of Venice’. This illustrates the fact that Othello is defined by race by being ‘the Moor’ and being in the place ‘Venice’, and how this will affect the outcome of the play. This impression from Iago and Roderigo’s whom we meet at the very beginning of the play by their racist descriptions of him. Iago’s vulgar imagery of Othello the ‘black ram’ ‘tupping’ Desdemona the ‘white ewe’ is an example of this, and it plays on the well-established connotations of good and evil through colour. This is a dramatised example how ‘white society’ (in the case Roderigo and Iago) uses Othello’s skin colour to pervert a situation, and so making him feel like an outsider.…
William Shakespeare (26th April 1564 – 23rd April 1616) was an English poet, playwright and an actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the Bard of Avon. His extant works, including some collaboration, consist of 37 plays, 154 sonnets and two long narrative poems and few other verses. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.…
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,…
Ethnic minorities in high positions of leadership are becoming the highest growing and highest earning individuals in business. Their growth is attributed to their success in running and operating their businesses with solid leadership. These ethnic minorities often rank higher in many leadership measures over non-minorities. In the play Othello, Othello succeeds as a general thanks to his contacts and performance in his position. He makes himself a great example when he leads his crew through a rough storm and persevering against the Turkish fleet. However, racism is prominent in the workplace and in the play. In the workplace, blatant discrimination and racial remarks are well known by those minorities especially in a majority-driven business. In Othello, Iago’s psychopathy and stigma against Othello are more reactive than spoken attempting to get his reputation ruined and his job lost. Although Shakespeare misrepresents minorities in high positions in that those minorities are successful and well-liked by subordinates, he accurately depicts minorities in high positions today in the play Othello because racism continues to exist in the workplace and Othello is found to be an overall effective leader.…
Insecurities are amplified when small factors begin to accumulate. In Shakespeare’s “Othello,” race is an insecurity that leads to Othello’s downfall. As a Moor living in a white community, Othello never feels like he truly belongs. Despite Othello’s accomplishments, there still remains an underlying prejudice towards him. During the beginning of the movie, Othello is deemed a “pagan” when he wins the hand of Desdemona.…
Race is one of the main topics in Othello that Shakespeare goes ahead and plays with. Othello being the only black man in the story he is different from the main characters. He is seen as a man of dignity, respect, and pride. Othello is different from the perceived view of darker colored folks at the time. Shakespeare uses racial otherness to toy around with the reader’s view of the characters. Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, my very noble and approved good masters,…. Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace,.. (Othello 79-85) Othello has what people of his skin color were perceived not to have which is somewhat of an education. Shakespeare instilled the exact opposite of the readers perception into Othello. Othello lets the Duke and all others know that he knows his place and tells them that he is not a good speaker, actually quite the awkward one but he switches the subject to the task at hand with having to go to Cyprus. Othello is seen using his quick whit at the beginning of the play to defer the Duke and men to the more important issue. Readers at this time would have been shocked to see a man of darker color with somewhat of a quick…