Essay about Racism in Othello - 862 Words

Racism is inextricably linked to the story of Othello and presents several universal themes, still prominent in modern society. It is this that questions what sort of message Shakespeare intended to convey to his audience; was Othello the black ‘moor’, portrayed as a tragic hero? Or did his character eventually come to resemble the prejudices of which he was a victim? A text rich with ethical debate, Othello is a story of black and white, culture, fate, and ultimately good versus bad. Racial ‘otherness’ is a crucial part of the text; it is with this that Shakespeare crafts a journey in which Othello is initially presented proud, with dignity and respect, then painfully contorted into the mould that Iago has created, eventually turning†¦show more content†¦However these positive factors are outweighed by the deep rooted hatred of ‘the Moor’s’ race on Iago’s behalf; the initiation of Iago’s dark scheming which eventually results in Othello’s downfall. Closely associated with the racism in the play at the beginning is a more generalized fear of the unknown—in this case race is the otherness that separates Othello. Characters such as Brabanzio, after being startled by the news of his daughter’s affair with â€Å"the Moor† is convinced that this foreigner is using trickery and dark magic to engage Desdemona. Even though at this point he does not even know that Roderigo and Iago are refe rring to Othello, he knows that since it is a colour man they are speaking of that some dark â€Å"savage† arts must be at work. He accuses Othello (here the unknown man of colour) of witchcraft and wonders how, â€Å"against all rules of nature† his lovely daughter could have fallen â€Å"in love with that what she feared to look on†. Othello is also conveyed as a proud man who cripples under the pressure of manipulation and eventually becomes a beast, a murderer and hence, fulfils the prejudices with which his enemies brand him. It is evident in the final scene that Othello has truly transformed into a ‘killer’, and subsequently fits theShow MoreRelatedRacism In Othello1694 Words   |  7 PagesWhy Would You Think That? Without a doubt, Othello is one of Shakespeares most confrontational pieces of literature. The play has had a tremendous impact on literature for many years. It was written in a time where there was racial segregation, which many people cant believe that there was a successful black leader. Othello, is a very high ranking official in the Army (a powerful general) and is married to a young, white girl named Desdemona. Knowing when this play was written itsRead MoreRacism In Othello Analysis829 Words   |  4 Pagesof Racism in Othello.† Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 3, Oct. 1993, p. 304. In this article, the author relates the idea of primal scene to racism in â€Å"Othello†. Primal scene is a psychoanalysis theory by Sigmund Freud. This theory claims once a child imagines or sees their parents having sexual relations they will be unable to repress this image from reappearing in their mind. The author relates this theory to the play â€Å"Othello† byRead MoreRacism In Othello Essay941 Words   |  4 Pagesputs forward the argument that Elizabethan Englishmen saw the African Natives as being barbarous and treacherous. These views are present in Shakespeare’s Othello through the characters of Iago, Rodrigo and Brabantio. However, these opinions were not shared by most of the characters until tragedy strike s and darkness of jealousy consumes Othello. Shakespeare expresses the racial prejudice that is evident in his period through the characters of Iago, Roderigo and Brabantio. The play starts with IagoRead MoreRacism in Shakespeares Othello2768 Words   |  12 PagesRacism in Othello Racism seems to be a big concern in Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello. Because the hero of the play is an outsider, a Moor, we have an idea how blacks were regarded in England, in Elizabethan times. There are many references that bring about the issue of racism from the very beginning to the end. In the tragedy, where Othello is coming from is not mentioned, yet through the descriptions the reader is informed that he belongs to one of the Eastern nationalities such as AfricanRead MoreOthello : Racism And The Moor1013 Words   |  5 Pages Othello: Racism and the Moor William Shakespeare’s Othello uses the racial tensions of the period to enhance the execution of the play subtly. At the time of his writing, ethnic minorities were so disregarded, almost to the point of being ignored, yet Shakespeare chooses to make the protagonist a black male who rises to power. Repeatedly throughout the play, the contrast of black and white as opposites permeates almost every plotline. When referring to Othello, the otherRead MoreRacism In Othello Essay1414 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s Othello depicts the downfall of a highly respected war general and explores themes such as jealousy, gender, and deception. The exploration of these themes evinces the racial, cultural, and social climate of Venice. The primary philosophies of the seventeenth century about race are a substantial part of Othello’s doubt and insecurity, which ultimately lead to his tragic demise. The encounter between worlds with differing values and ideas plays a consider able role in the context of Othello. ThereRead MoreTheme Of Racism In Othello1811 Words   |  8 PagesThe one subject that seems to be of most interest is the subject of racism in the story and poem of Shakespeare`s Othello. Whether or not it is believable, racism can be connected to almost any subject for the story`s theme. It can be the reason for a motive such as jealousy and can be the reason for our main character’s insecurities. Readers need to keep in mind that Othello is the only Black character in the story, maybe even the only black person in the whole island, and ask theme selves why aRead More Othello: Racism Essay1909 Words   |  8 PagesOthello: Racism  Ã‚        Ã‚   Just how serious is the problem of racial prejudice in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello? Is it pervasive or incidental? This essay intends to answer questions on this subject. Blanche Coles in Shakespeare’s Four Giants maintains that the racial discrimination in the play may be overstated by critics: In the first scene, Roderigo has referred to Othello as â€Å"thick lips.† No other character in the play attributes any such negroid features to Othello, and itRead MoreEssay on Racism in Shakespeares Othello2541 Words   |  11 PagesRacism in Othello      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Samuel Taylor Coleridges Literary Remains is just one of the essays that presents an attack on Shakespeare for his lack of realism in the monstrous depiction of a marriage between a beautiful Venetian girl, and a veritable negro, in Othello. He sees Shakespeares transformation of a barbarous negro into a respected soldier and nobleman of stature as ignorant, since at the time, negroes were not known except as slaves. (Appendix) The extract seems to raiseRead MoreEssay Race and Racism in Othello1793 Words   |  8 PagesIn What Way Would A Modern Audience React To The Way Race And Racism Is Portrayed In Othello? In the Sixteenth century, as we see clearly from Othello and other works of both Shakespeare and Cinthios original version of Othello, race was a topic of great debate and discussion. Today, in the twenty-first century the debate retains its controversy and passion. However, attitudes towards race have taken a dramatic turn during the last century. In the developed world people are now living in an