Racism In Othello Essay - 1414 Words

Shakespeare’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 considerable role in the context of Othello. There were people in Europe who were not Christians, but Othello takes place during a time when Christianity was the dominant religion of Europe. Christianity itself is not a racist religion; however, it can be used to justify problematic†¦show more content†¦Put simply, the Duke is saying that even though Othello is black, he is a virtuous man, so he is basically white. The Duke must believe that black people are sinful and that Othello is an exception, one of the â€Å"good ones.† This comment is meant to reassure Brabantio, but it reveals how the Duke truly feels about black people. Brabantio needs this reassurance from the Duke because he is not fond of Othello marrying his daughter. He does not think that there is any way that an older black man could woo a young white woman without defying the laws of nature. He thinks it must be witchcraft and it takes a testimony from Desdemona to prove that it is not. Perhaps Brabantio believes that blackness represents evil and that white symbolizes purity. Black Jennings 3 absorbs any light, so it is possible that he thinks the evil and corrupt Othello will absorb all of Desdemona’s purity and righteousness, leaving her just as depraved as he is. Roderigo indicates his disdain for Othello through his derogatory comments. Roderigo is madly in love with Desdemona and distraught that she has married Othello, whom he refers to as â€Å"thick-lips† (I.I.66). Iago catches wind of Roderigo’s racism and instigates the entire situation. He and Roderigo accost Brabantio to let him know about what has happened. Roderigo calls Othello a â€Å"lascivious Moor,† playing into the stereotype ofShow MoreRelated 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. 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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 ultimat ely good versus bad. Racial ‘otherness’Read 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 anRead More Racism in William Shakespeares Othello Essay1059 Words   |  5 PagesRacism in William Shakespeares Othello The play, Othello, is certainly, in part, the tragedy of racism. Examples of racism are common throughout the dialog. This racism is directed toward Othello, a brave soldier from Africa and currently supreme commander of the Venetian army. Nearly every character uses a racial slur to insult Othello at one point in the play. Even Emilia sinks to the level of insulting Othello based on the color of his skin. The character that most commonly makes racistRead MoreRacism in Othello by William Shakespeare Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pageshow much Othello’s race and the racism around him affected his life? Othello struggled a lot during the play because of his dark skin color. He was called several racist names like â€Å"the Moor,† â€Å"old black ram,† â€Å"Barbary horse,† and â€Å"thick lips† (Shakespeare 1.1.40; 1.1.88; 1.1.111; 1.1.66).The term â€Å"racism† has been around for several years; it started in the twentieth century (Bartels 4 33). By the way the Elizabethan era viewed black people was similar to how racism is today with all of the racial