Othello Racial Discrimination Essay

Othello
The most important lesson that can be learned from Othello by William Shakespeare is that racial discrimination, no matter how subtle, towards visible minorities hurts everyone in a multicultural society. Firstmost, the constant stream of bigotry surrounding visible minorities negatively impacts the self-worth of those minorities. For example, once Desdemona asks her husband to reinstate Cassio, Iago plants seeds of doubt in Othello about Desdemona’s unfaithfulness. Othello then contemplates how to punish his wife for her act of adultery if it is proven that she is untrue. He thinks of sending her off to fend for herself and says, “Haply for I am black/ And have not those soft parts of conversation/ That chamberers have” (Shakespeare
III. iii, 263-5). After the constant sly remarks about how fair and white is beautiful while black is undesirable that is shown throughout the play, the well-spoken Othello succumbs to this racial ideology as he thinks that perhaps she is unfaithful since he is black and does not have the social graces of a gentleman. Thus, the understated racism in multicultural societies allows for racial minorities to internalize this prejudice. Furthermore, racism in multicultural societies breeds fear towards visible minorities, even within interracial couples. To illustrate, Othello’s paranoia about his wife’s possible affair intensifies after Desdemona persists in trying to have Cassio reinstated. He demands she shows him the handkerchief he gave her when they married as his ancient, Iago, informed him that Desdemona gave the cloth to Cassio. When Desdemona does not produce the handkerchief, Othello tells her, “…That handkerchief/ Did an Egyptian to my mother give./ She was a charmer” (III. ii, 50-3). Othello tells his wife that the cloth was cursed by an Egyptian and she believes this and fears the “cursed object.” Although she does not voice those fears, due to the long-held stereotypes that black people practise witchcraft or “black magic” or worship people who do. The phrase “black magic,” meaning “evil magic,” associates black people with witchcraft and perpetuates the idea that black people use magic for evil. People allow their first impressions to dictate their future interactions and stereotypes dictate how people view others even before they meet. Therefore, racist behavior and fears are externalized subconsciously by those are not racial minorities but are in interracial relationships. In addition, racial discrimination towards visible minorities harms multiracial minorities in diverse societies.
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
societies.