When reading the play Othello, a modern day reader cannot help but wonder if the play is racist. After all, there are several places found throughout the story that reference derogatory terms towards people of African descent. Comments such as, “Blacker devil”(5.2. 131), “an old black ram” (1.1.9), and, “Moor are now making the beast with two backs” (1.1.7), may leads the reader to believe that story is racist towards black people. However, this may not be true for a number of reasons, one being that these terms are only used out of spite or anger towards Othello. These types of comments aren’t seen too often during the story and are never used because the character generally has a racist view of Othello. Only when these characters are angered is when these racial slurs come about. In addition, Othello was written with the main protagonist to be a black man, and the antagonist to be white people. Therefore, this story can be interpreted in multiple ways with regards to racism.…
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…
Shakespeare writes about an African, Othello, who is called “thick-lips” and “lascivious moor” (I.i.42,76). It is true that Othello is from Africa and could be considered a moor, but he never displays any sort of inappropriate sexual desires. Iago slings these racial epithets (and many others) toward Othello to undermine his personhood and to mock characteristics that are the heart of who Othello is. Iago does more than insult Othello’s appearance, but undermines the history and culture of Othello – his entire life and upbringing. Racial epithets are also used by characters in Heart of Darkness.…
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’…
The main focus of the visual essay is on the issue of race in Othello by William Shakespeare. The visual essay highlights the struggles Othello has to face in the play because of his race and nationality. The essay includes visuals about the use of vivid animal imagery to express the racial hatred towards Othello, for example, Iago refers to Othello as a “Barbary horse” when reporting to Brabanito about his daughter’s relationship and says “You’ll have your nephews neigh to you”. This animal imagery of the horse is included in the essay to demonstrate the hatred towards Othello in the play because of his race. Similarly, Othello is subject to racial discrimination again when Brabanito accuses that Othello used “spells and medicines” (1.3.68) to seduce Desdemona because “Sans witchcraft could not ... fall in love with what she feared to look on?” (1.3.67-101). This is included in the visual essay through the use of the…
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.…
In Act 1 Scene 1 of the play Othello by William Shakespeare, two characters by the names of Iago and Roderigo have a conversation in which the former explains to the latter how he’ll get revenge on his general Othello for giving the military position he’s always wanted to another named Cassio whom he feels to be less qualified for the job. From this conversation, I am able to deduce Iago is racist as well as manipulative. He is racist because he refers to Othello as “the Moor,” “an old black ram,” and “a Barbary horse” instead of referring to him as his name (I.i.63, 97, 125). Iago is manipulative since he convinces Brabantio who holds a lot of power in Venice due to his status as one of its senators to go after Othello with whom his daughter…
In William Shakespeare’s Othello, racism is unquestionably featured throughout the whole play. Racism was Iago’s most important motive to overthrow Othello. Iago believed that a black man in Venetian society should not have such a high social status, therefore he was jealous. He referred to Othello as a ‘black ram’ and ‘the devil’ when talking to Desdemona’s father, Brabantio. Another name Othello was usually called was the ‘Moor’, it was a name that the Arab and Berber people of North Africa who inhabited Spain were called. He was called ‘the Moor’ many more times than he was called by his first name, this shows that the Venetians think his race is more important than his real name.…
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 strong possibility for the reason Iago wanted to bring down Othello could have been because Othello was black. It is feasible to think that Iago just couldn’t stand to see a black man in power and that he was a racist. A black man in a position of power would have definitely had a few people upset especially in those days. When Iago speaks to Desdemona’s father Barbatio, Iago refers to Othello as “the black ram” and “the devil”. These words that Shakespeare used could be a hint as to why Iago wants to bring Othello down. All of this explains the physical aspect of the contrast between black and white, Othello vs. Iago.…
Although Othello didn’t initially validate any of the stereotypical qualities that certain people labeled him with, he began adapting to them as he started to doubt himself. By coming to the assumption that he is in a racially inferior position, Othello struggled in dealing with the stereotypes appropriately, thereby only increasing his own struggle with his race. If Othello didn’t have such inferior complex and instead had faith within him, the conflict would never have ascended. Rather than tagging the play Othello as anti-racist or a discriminatory play, there is a substantial lesson that can be learned. From a racial perspective, the tragedy exposes the powerful outcomes that racial differences can generate when in conjunction with one’s personal self-doubt.…
Racism is presented in a range of ways in Othello Act One, but it is mainly presented through Barbantio’s reaction to the secret marriage between Desdemona and Othello. Also racism is presented through Iago’s and Roderigo’s comments about Othello.…
During this time at night, Iago implies in waking Brabantio with the uses of racist slurs concerning Othello and news regarding how his sweet daughter, Desdemona remains with Othello. Furthermore, Desdemona is receiving a comparison to a white ewe, which represents an innocent human. Meanwhile, Othello is signified as old black ram, old black ram implies a representation of black Othello with a behavior of an animal. Although Othello holds a military general, he happens to be criticized by people, such as Iago, based on the color of Othello’s skin. Therefore, Othello's status as a general presents him numerous exposure to racism rather than decreasing his chances of having to face racism, such as Iago describing to Brabantio, Othello implies…
Racism, is being in our history for year started in 1895, and it has even influenced some of the world most famous author, in Shakespeare's play Othello, racism can be seen in the character Iago against Othello, the only black man acting in Shakespeare play. In Act one, Scene one Iago says, “…
In many parts of the world there has been discrimination that has caused authors to write about it and show the world how their city and country is discriminated. Throughout both plays “Othello” and “The merchant of Venice” they face many obstacles including racial and religious discrimination. In “The merchant of Venice”, Antonio, a wealthy man, discriminates Shylock who lends them money. To compare, In “Othello”, Iago who serves for Othello does not like him because he didn’t get the promotion he thought he deserved. During the play Othello is racially discriminated mostly by Iago. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who is discriminated by his religion. Discrimination affects the way literature is written today because it give the audience an awareness of how others are being discriminated in different parts of the world.…