Othello - Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s play “Othello” both challenges and reflects the values and beliefs of his Elizabethan context. To please his audience Shakespeare’s presentation of Venetian society replicates English society and therefore the audience is positioned to see the Venetians as upholding English Christian beliefs. Yet Shakespeare also challenges Elizabethan audience’s perception of ethnicity and race through the characterisation of Othello as being foreign in appearance but having status in the armed forces.
Elizabethan audiences were strongly shaped by their socially determined roles and birth right. Shakespeare utilises his audience’s belief in “The Great Chain of Being” in his construction of Venetian society and therefore upholds their belief in the racial superiority of the English or other white European societies. The play opens with Iago stating “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place”. Shakespeare’s repeated use of the first person “I know”, “I am” foregrounds Iago’s belief in not challenging his place within society, however he also assumes that he will be rewarded with his rightful place. The strict social structure of this society reflects the Elizabethan’s view of their superiority and how they believed their race to be more civilised than others. Elizabethan society is also reflected in Shakespeare’s characterisation of Iago, yet the order of society which Elizabethan believed in is then challenged through the introduction of the character Othello who threatens the social order of Venetian society. The audience is positioned to reject a character that does not adhere to social practices and foreshadows the Elizabethan belief that disorder in the “Great Chain of Being is unacceptable.
Difference in race in Elizabethan times was confronting and d challenged their understanding of everyday life. Shakespeare’s engaged his audience by portraying the ‘Black’ Othello as being intelligent and powerful through his actions and words. Othello is characterised by his highly respected status as an army General and this challenges the Elizabethan’s perception of race in that a black man should not rise in status above his white counterparts. Shakespeare also challenges the Elizabethan’s perception of race when it comes to him falling in love with the high status Desdemona, that is deemed as wrong and challenges the Elizabethan’s understanding of order with the racially inferior Othello as overstepping his place. Shakespeare restores the Elizabethan English audience’s sense of racial superiority in his representation of Othello as a stereotypical animal and this is shown in Iago’s harsh words “black ram”. This derogatory language portrays Othello as being animalistic and almost less than human.. The audience is placed in a position to reject the out of place character and to view him as having no place in their Elizabethan society, thus supporting their sense of racial superiority.

Elizabethan audiences had strong beliefs in their society’ structure and if everyone did not conform to these beliefs then the ‘Great Chain of Being’ was interrupted. Shakespeare’s play Othello reflects on all of these Elizabethan issues and his context reflects on their beliefs to do with ethnicity and race.