Examples Of Racism In Othello

Eamon Shannon
Capt Hellmann
English 211 – Othello Essay
22 September 2016
Othello: An Air of Racism William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, introduces race early on in the play indicating it will be an important motif throughout the rest of the play. During the course of Act 1, multiple discriminatory references to Othello’s skin color as well as his Turkish heritage sets the stage for how other characters as well as Othello himself will treat the “black moor” in the play. He is not seen as a counterpart or country man, but an outsider to the predominantly Christian Venice social hierarchy. The despairing remarks about Othello also affect how the reader initially depicts Othello. Instead of being portrayed as the legendary war general, he
One example of this is Iago discussing the alleged love between Othello and Desdemona to Brabantio. “…you think we are ruffians, you’ll have / have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse” 124-125. Iago brings Othello’s race into the conversation to stir up Brabantio’s rage and anxiety pushing him to automatically assume Othello bewitched Desdemona. Iago’s dialogue sets the tone of an underlying mistrust and superiority complex towards Othello by the other characters. Not once in the opening scene is Othello’s name spoken but rather the use of animalistic terms instead. “Your heart is burst. You have lost half your soul. / Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe” (96-97) Iago does this in order to dehumanize Othello and portray him as a beast that must be contained. Brabantio, who represents the general population of Venice, is swayed by Iago’s words and disillusion that his family pedigree will be destroyed by the beast Othello, immediately sends a search party for his eloped daughter. Iago’s racist speech is the catalyst that sets the rest of the play in
He begins to also believe that he is nothing but a beast that lacks most basic skills that would separate him from animals. “Rude am I in my speech” (425 Act 1 Sc 3). In this lengthy and eloquent speech, Othello ironically states that he does not believe he has the same ability as his Venice counterparts to participate in conversation due to his perceived crude speech. Othello seems to be unaware of his abilities that he possesses and acts on throughout the play. He is calm and well-spoken when Brabantio accuses him of outrageous allegations of bewitching his daughter. Being a general in the military, it is indicated that Othello is very intelligent and outstanding leader. There would be nothing in the play that would suggest that Othello is anything but a well-to-do man with some impressive