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.…
Throughout Shakespeare’s Othello, the concepts of race, gender and transgression are continually explored and employed to reflect the characteristics of Elizabethan values and attitudes expressed in Elizabethan society, through rejection and acceptance of gender and racial stereotypes in the first three scenes of Act One - the pinnacle of this being the marriage between Othello and Desdemona. Shakespeare forces the audience to challenge these stereotypes by portraying the African Moor, Othello, with a high level of status, authority and power within the military, and challenging the social conventions of the Elizabethan era by creating a marital union between two people of different races. By doing this, Shakespeare confronts the norms and values of society through use of Elizabethan attitudes, scrutinizing what it considered to be normal and acceptable within society and the reasons for this.…
Society’s treatment of the outsider and those with different traits and characteristics from the majority, plants the seeds which can cultivate into a mass of insecurities. Although portrayed as the hero of the play, the racism and class/wealth based discrimination towards Othello is present from the beginning, with the constant reminder of his differences through the racial slurs and references as “moor” “thick lips” and “beast”. This racial prejudice affects Othello’s view of himself as “unworthy of love,” and his confidence throughout the play deteriorates, as his minimal acceptance in the society takes a toll. This thematic concern is one which is repeated in many other contemporary literary texts as the idea of being an outsider is relatable to almost everyone. In the opening of the play, Brabantio’s loyalty as Othello’s friend is quickly altered, when finding out about his relationship with his daughter Desdemona. The use of…
The works of Shakespeare are so significant as the effect of racism, a key concept, which is relevant to both Shakespearean and contemporary audiences, is portrayed through a racial epithet spoken by Roderigo in Act 1 Scene 1 “Your fair daughter, transported, to the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor”. The derogatory language describes Othello as impure, allowing the audience to understand the typical…
Because Othello has defied his position in society as a black man by proving himself through his talents and his honourable actions, he is still discriminated by Iago, who voices out his disdain for him openly. He uses the symbolism of a “Barbary horse” to represent Othello. This is extremely demeaning to Othello, a man of royal lineage who has carried himself off with only the utmost integrity and honour. This shows that although he has many merits and is regal in his actions and demeanour, he is still associated with the stereotype that all blacks are barbarians. Furthermore, the sibilance within “the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor” highlights the sinister and libidinous traits that Blacks are stereotypically known to possess. This forms a disgusting…
As such Shakespeare’s construction of Othello as an authoritative general can be viewed as controversial to his context, even at such a commanding level in a patriarchal society he is continuously referred to as ‘The Moor’, ‘thick lips’ or ‘His Moorship’. The use of derogatory language and pun had no noticeable effect on his character this is because of the social values of his context, as racism was generally accepted. “Your daughter and the Moor are now backing the best with two backs”, also uses derogatory and demonic language to convey discrimination. Gender inequality was another belief that was held firmly by the male dominated society. “O beware, my lord, of jealousy”, Iago uses the cultural and stereotypic references of all Venetian women being dishonest to provoke the anger that lies within Othello and promote gender inequality. Due to the social values of the time women weren’t permitted to having high class jobs which further prompted the disparity between males and…
Finally, near the end of the play, Emilia realizes “we must think men are not gods” (3.4.144). Although she knows her correct role in society in order to be accepted, she has come to see the lack of equality between men and women. She understands that in order to be presented to society, they must put on an act for their husbands. They do not need to think of them as gods, but must treat them as they are. She now believes that a woman being referred to as “whore” (4.3.74) is not tolerable. When something goes wrong, the men should not have the power to put the blame on the women. Emilia comes to this realization when she speaks her mind to Desdemona and says “But I do think it is their husbands’ faults / If wives do fall” (4.3.87-88). This is foreshadowing the fate of both woman’s lives in the play. They both die by “faults” of their husbands. “The ultimate irony in the play’s representation of male-female relations is the fact that two women accused by their husbands of “falling” morally, actually fall not morally but physically, before [their] eyes” (Vanita 352). In a…
Shakespeare’s masterpiece Othello has remained relevant beyond its original context not merely because of its universal themes of love and betrayal, but rather, due to its textual integrity, and the enduring value which is enhanced through the exploration of such issues, as marginalisation and the psychology of villainy. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Othello as being an outsider, and being “othered” by the Venetian society due to his different race, reflects traditional Elizabethan values and ethics regarding racial prejudice and inequality. These recurring issues, of social intolerance and racial bias are prevalent concerns in our modern society. Shakespeare’s expresses the nature of villainy through his antagonist, Iago, as he explores issues of betrayal and deceit. These issues, revolving around Othello’s passion, struggle and vulnerability, as an outsider, are representative of the human condition, hence making it pivotal, of why “Othello” has remained relevant in a different context.…
Iago uses the Elizabethan views and stereotypes to manipulate Othello to do his bidding. Iago assumes that Othello is insecure due to his ethnic heritage, and uses this to his advantage. Iago himself is influenced by the context--the Elizabethan society. While Iago is correct of Othello’s insecurity, it is because of the attitudes towards Blackamoors during the Elizabethan era that Othello was insecure itself. There is evidence that there were a considerable number of black people in England in the late 16th Century. But in 1601, Elizabeth I gave orders to deport them, citing concerns about their irregular behaviour and a fear that allowing them to stay in England would lead to overpopulation.…
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…
Othello is a black protagonist in the play, Othello. He differs from all of the other characters, because he is not a native European. Other characters notice and use his race and ethnicity as a means to belittle him. He is identified by other characters as being a ..Moor.' The Moors were the medieval Muslim inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula. The way that other characters respond and speak and about Othello…
While the role of women in society is a very controversial topic, we can all agree that the theme of “a perfect wife” is one that goes back centuries, but over time it has changed a great deal. During William Shakespeare's time, also known as the 16th century, women did not have the same freedoms they do today. The “perfect wife” was one who was soft-spoken, obedient, and knew that their main purpose in life was to serve men. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, Shakespeare criticizes the unjust standards that were set for women, and their devotion and perceived inferiority to men.…
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.…
In the play Othello written by Shakespeare, the issue of racism is addressed. Othello, the protagonist of the play, is African American or black. “According to Lois Whitney, many of Othello’s specific attributes probably derive from Shakespeare’s reading of Leo Africanus, whose Geographical Historie of Africa which was translated and published in London in 1600”(Berry, 1990). Many critics have different views on this. “If Shakespeare depended upon Leo Africanus for such details, he must have been much more interested in racial psychology than critics such as Bradley or Heilman suggest”(Berry, 1990). One of the most prominent features of this Shakespeare play is the numerous references to Othello's skin color made by multiple characters however some critics tend to ignore or underplay the issue of Othello’s race.…
Othello is as made as much a victim of his skin colour, as he is of Iagos plottings. The effect that Othellos skin colour has on his sense of self and confidence, greatly depletes his personal power. Othello’s skin colour is not a weakness in his own mind, but rather those around him who treat him differently make it his weakness. Othello is dehumanized when he is spoken about, being referred to as “old black ram” and “the devil”. These metaphors not only highlight the role that Othello’s skin colour has on how he is perceived by others, but also show that Othello’s dark skin is associated with wickedness. The role that race plays on the way that characters interact with Othello can be seen to have an affect on his sense of self. In the first Act of the play, Othello is seen to know his own worth, and when an important white man threatens to punish Othello, he responds with “Let him do his spite: My services which I have done the signory, Shall out-tongue his complaints,” Othellos tremendous control, and confidence in himself, leaves no trace of evidence that his race has had any effect on him. By the third act Othello responds to Desdemonas supposed infidelity, and we can see that Othello can recognize the negative connotations of his race. “My name, that was as fresh As Dian's visage, is now begrimed and…