Race: A Critical Factor in Othello

Sinclaire Mitchell Race is a critical factor in Othello, the story of the ‘dark Moor’ who gives in to sexual jealousy in a white society. Many people have numerous questions about this play. Why does Iago lie to Othello so cruel? Why does Othello believe Iago’s lies, and end up committing the terrible act of killing his dear wife? Shakespeare doesn’t make Iago’s intentions clear and he doesn’t really show us Othello’s personal fears and insecurities. The play starts with soldiers, Iago and Roderigo, taling bad about their leader, Othello, who just married the girl Roderigo loves, Desdemona. They refer to him as “thick lips” and “the devil” . Iago later defines Othello as “an old black ram … tupping your white ewe. “ There is no doubt that that the society around Othello is racist. In the play, Othello has passed Iago up for a promotion and later Iago notifies “ I hate the Moor, and it is thought abroad that ‘twist my sheets he’s done my office. I know not if’s be true but I for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as it for surety.” In the modern version, he says, You know I’m eaten up with sodding envy. You know that, don’t you?” Is Iago racist? Does he lust Desdemona or want Othello for himself? Shakespeare doesn’t say. Othello even asks Iago about his reason, Iago answers mysteriously “ Demand me nothing; what you know, you know, from this time forth I never will speak a word.” Racism was a big part of the public life in the 17th century. People of color were thought of as a “vicious people”. Shakespeare would have bear no nice pressure against these ideas yet he doesn’t actually define Othello as less than anyone else. Although Iago and Roderigo does make him sound awful in their rude first-act conversation. Shakespeare then shows Othello as a well-spoken and highly observed military leader who won the hard of a beautiful women. Iago dishonestly is what tears him apart. There is also a romantic union between black and white which gets destroyed because most people think the relationship is wrong. Most racist comments in the play are said by people that are angry or upset. For example, when Emilia found out that Othello had killed Desdemona she was extremely mad and she called Othello a "Blacker devil", this was the only time in the play that she had said anything racist about Othello. The main characters that have racist attitudes are Iago, Brabantio, Roderigo and Emilia. Iago does not say anything racist to Othello's face but he has a lot to say against him behind his back. He plans to destroy Othello and anything in his way including Cassio and Desdemona. Iago uses racist comments all the way through the play, as he tries to turn people against Othello, for example calling him a "Barbary Horse". He never says anything racist to Othello's face because in his plan he had to be his best friend, so that he wouldn’t make it suspicious that he was causing all the problems for Othello. Iago is jealous of Othello for many reasons, one being that Othello has higher ranking in the army than him, and also he has a good marriage with Desdemona which Iago does not have with Emilia. These are the main causes of his hatred for Othello and the reason he has a racist attitude. Roderigo is another one of the racist characters in the play. He is Iago's partner and will do anything that Iago wants him to. I think he does this because of the way Iago can twist a situation to make it sound as if Roderigo would get something good from it but in the end he doesn't. Brabantio is also a racist character, and is enraged when he finds out that his daughter, Desdemona, has been seeing "the moor" behind his back. Brabantio is so mad he sends out his guards to catch Othello and put him in prison. Brabantio views Othello as a foul and dirty no good black, I think this racist view of his is because he's angry when he finds out that his daughter has been seeing this "moor". Unlike Iago and Roderigo, Brabantio will openly make racist comments about Othello to his face such as, "lascivious moor", "Wheeling stranger". Brabantio can do this because he is the Senator of Venice and is higher in rank than Othello.