Othello is not just about one tragedy but several tragedies of suffering and injustice. The play ends in fatalities and heartbreak from the consequences of jealousy and racism. Othello is a well-respected military man who does not let race stand in the way of earning his reputable status and attention of beautiful Desdemona. But, when the seed of jealous is planted, Othello becomes easily manipulated into believing false accusations because of his own personal insecurities. He becomes a menace to himself through the pressures and conflicts pressed against him during his lifetime. These pressures include the stresses from Othello’s racial differences, the negative anxiety created from other characters, and his own subconscious not allowing …show more content…
He says, “you’ll / have your daughter covered with Barbary horse” (1.1.125) and “your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with / two backs” (1.1.130-131). The idea of man versus society and black men being barbaric is very influential in the tragedy by unescapably creating insecurities in Othello’s mind of jealousy and mistrust.
As racial differences poke at Othello’s insecurities, the conflict of man versus man becomes more clear. The controversies between characters are what causes destruction and casualties which add to the tragedy in Othello. In the beginning, Othello appears confident in himself and especially his marriage because he believes their love overcomes all racial differences in society. However, Iago is able to easily plant the seed of doubt by using these differences to his advantage. He reminds Othello of the racial differences within his marriage by saying, “As, to be bold with you, / Not to affect many proposed matches / Of he own clime, complexion, and degree” (3.3.267-270). He knows that, despite Othello’s confidence, he has weaknesses and insecurities because he is the minority. Othello’s man versus man is rooted from the seed planted by Iago. He makes Othello believe his wife is committing adultery thus making him turn on both Desdemona and Cassio. Iago is the supreme villain of man versus man. He is the corrupting force that eventually turns many of the
In Illustrating the downfall of the heroic character in this play, the internalize of Othello’s racism also contributes to his fatal flaw in a certain extent, which combined with his rashness later on. Shakespeare presents the Renaissance view of race and reveals how the stereotypes influenced Othello’s perception of himself. “A malignant and turbaned Turk/ beat a venetian… I took by th’ throat the circumcised dog/ and smote him thus.” The insulting and stereotypical language Othello uses shows himself internalized the racist ideas. He compares his jealousy to a cancerous disease also uses negative racial terms to compare himself metaphorically to a dog, showing his own tale. By using the animalistic imagery, his language debased along with describing himself as a ‘circumcised dog’. Later on in the play, after Othello had smother Desdemona, he regrets with using an imagery by comparing himself as an Indian. “…one whose hand, Like the base Indian threw a pearl away, ‘Richer than all his tribe’”. Othello uses derogatory terms to describe himself to a native American Indian who does not know the value of the metaphoric ‘pearl’ – his wife, Desdemona, that he discards. Othello’s blindness and internalizing of racist ideas built up the downfall of himself, and illustrates the fatal flaw to
Women in Shakespeare’s Elizabethan period lived in chains bound by the society with the leash handed first to their father and after marriage to their husbands. The higher the position in society tighter the restrictions. Women were escorted everywhere they went like Desdemona. “Good women followed the instructions of their husband and father’s.” Men did not have to explain themselves and their actions to their possessions.One of the examples of women 's role is given by Shakespeare In act 3 of Othello,when Iago’s wife Emilia says, “I know nothing but to please his fantasy”(3.3.299).
Haply, for I am black/ And have not those soft parts of conversation/ That chamberers have, or for I am declin’d/ Into the vale of years (yet that’s not much) She’s gone. I am abus’d: and my relief/ Must be to loathe her” (III.III. 304-309). As the emanation of social interaction among various races appear within English literature, the vault of new beginnings and change takes hold. William Shakespeare’s Othello, is most notably recognized for the character, Othello. Through various texts of literature, the idea of racial construct and discrimination was never an easy topic to come by. Since the play was written in Europe during the 1600s, the emergence of slave trades in this area further divided races. The play itself follows the tragedy for Othello, and the transition from a military general to a tragic hero. The limitation of power plays a huge role in Othello’s ability to withstand the manipulation of multiple characters. Although he is Moorish general in the Venetian army, he is still indeed a Moor, a socially lower class, muslim man. From this, cultural collision of ethnicity influences how Othello is treated and the disadvantages he faces because of his color. Through the mere jealousy in which Iago, Othello’s standard-bearer, has for Othello’s life, he proposes the idea to manipulate his life by using the one difference between all men, race. When Iago awakes Brabantio, the father of Desdemona, he hopes to initiate his plan to take down Othello. His description
serve god if the devil bid you” and he also says “the moor is now
Had Othello not been black, Iago’s ploy of questioning his manhood may have not been as effective. There is a sense of intersectionality between the understanding of the racial tensions and the feelings of inferiority as a man. It is because Othello is black that Iago is able to question his manhood. Race is the issue that drives Iago, that makes Othello question, and pushes Desdemona away hereby creating the tragedy that is seen in the end. Othello’s race is what drives the tension of the play and yet he still has a place in society. His blackness is not “enough” to render him a total outcast or too low to conceivably woo a virtuous white woman. Yet he is addressed throughout the play as an Other. The reader and the audience are never allowed to forget that he is black and thus lower within the racial hierarchy. Critic Arthur Little argues that by killing himself, Iago reaffirms the racial hierarchy within Venetian society. Othello’s death is used to end the racial anxieties of the play and restore the hierarchy of comfort, “Because the physical blackness of this ‘fair’ courtier is always visible to the audience, he threatens the proper codes of Venetian discourse. As a mercenary he helps return this Venetian culture to its deeply embedded racial codes by smiting himself, the Other” (Little 322). Othello’s blackness is never forgotten or ignored. His role as a racial inferior
Here stands Othello, a noble military general, a respectfully brave and rather important leader of Venice, who is ironically seen as an outsider because of the color of his skin. He is referred to as a “Moor”- or black North African native, who evolves from a robust, resilient and determined military leader to a misguided murderer, all for the reason of love, jealousy, and ignorance at the hands of someone he considers a comrade.
At first Othello had everything figured out in his life on the outside, however down deep in his heart, his insecurity regarding his race got the best of him. Iago convinced Othello with a lie that his wife is cheating on him with his second Lieutenant Cassio by saying” With her, on her, what you will’ (Shakespeare VI, I, 123) and once Othello heard that he completely went nuts and turned against the person who loved him the most, Desdemona. Iago’s seed of jealousy that he planted made Othello bring out the evil in him and made him question himself about their marriage, which latter on resulted in Othello killing his wife,
Othello is a general in the service of Venice. He is examined in the Shakespeare play as courageous, noble qualities, trustworthy. It is obvious to feel a degree of sympathy for Othello because he is considered an “other”. He is a man that is willing to accept that he is racially different, as he seems to recognize his status. I tend to sympathize with Othello because he easily influenced, insecure, and a benevolent heart for Desdemona. Othello relies heavily upon engaging with the Venetian culture and his identity as the military general. The two stories draw parallel to each other because Othello’s identity is not
Shakespeare establishes Othello as the tragic hero in Act 1 Scene 1 as the audience are introduced to Iago, his nemesis, and are made aware of Othello’s noble stature as well as being made aware that Othello “loves his own pride” (hubris). In this first scene Iago and Roderigo are conversing about Othello and Iago repeatedly uses the word “the Moor” to describe him. This was a derogative term used to describe black men which, in Elizabethan times, were believed to be evil. As Elizabethans were much more critical of black people, Shakespeare’s deliberate choice of using a black character to have an impact, would in reality only have had an affect on the audience when the play was initially performed. Audiences now would be more affected and bothered by the racial element of the play, rather than the use of a black man, this is as a result of the way societies views have transformed since
In Othello by William Shakespeare, the villainous Iago devises a plot with the hopes that Othello and his wife, Desdemona, will be separated so that he can take Othello’s position as head of the Venetian Military. Iago’s scheme consists of him convincing Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with his lieutenant, Cassio. Iago has told no one else about his ploy so while everyone else’s actions remain true, he manipulates their every move for his benefit. While their actions may not lead to results that they expected, exploring the reasoning behind everyone’s actions, can give insight to their values since the actions were based on what they believed was the best thing to do. To the characters of Othello, honor is more important than
One of the most notable features of Shakespeare’s play “Othello” is the numerous references to Othello’s race, not only by Iago, but by other characters as well. Othello is one of the first black heroes in English literature. He is a general, he advanced to a position of power and influence regardless of his race and his status as a foreigner in Venice. Despite Othello's role in the army as a distinguished soldier and leader, he is nonetheless a victim of racism from the very beginning of the play. The racism focuses on his marriage with a white woman. Othello is a play that portrays racism, but does not in itself take a racial viewpoint. The Venetians of the play world see Othello as a violent, jealous, and faithless man, but the actions of the play prove them to be wrong.
The unavoidable and destructive effects of racism change the lives of Othello and Desdemona deeply. Othello is at hard-working man and respected soldier in the army. Although he is a Moor, he dedicates himself to serve society’s goals. Iago and Roderigo succeed in angering Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, by hinting that their future children will be half-breeds who will be the ridicule of society by crying to him, “An old black ram/is tipping your white ewe” (1). Iago damages Othello with feelings of racism and poisons him against his wife, Desdemona. Othello resents his roots and feels isolated, which provides Iago with his vulnerable opportunity. Othello becomes so blind with manipulation that he prepares the death of his faithful wife and his own. Othello is easy prey to insecurities because of his self-consciousness about being a racial
"Othello is set in a world and focuses on the passions and personalities of its major figures." (Thomas). Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, Othello's wife Desdemona, his lieutenant Cassio and advisor Iago. The play appeared in seven editors between 1622 and 1705. The themes of the story are racism, love, jealousy, and betrayal. Othello is a black soldier who is accused of stealing his wife Desdemona. Although Desdemona's father dislikes his daughter's choice, Desdemona loves Othello very much and the two are married. Othello’s right hand man is angered at the fact that Othello picked a man named Cassio to be more important than him and he also feels that he is messing with his wife. Iago plans to manipulate Othello but his plan eventually causes more hurt to most of the characters. Iago tries to use the meeting between Cassio and Desdemona as a way to make Othello believe she was cheating on him. Iago goes on with his manipulative plan by planting a handkerchief in Cassio's room, and goes and tell Othello about what he has seen Cassio do. Othello becomes jealous throughout the story and begins to believe that Cassio is talking to his wife. Iago persuades Othello to come up with a master plan to kill Cassio and Desdemona. As Othello tries to kill Desdemona, Emilia, Iago's wife, comes in to tell Othello the truth about Iago. Unfortunately it is too late. Othello had already suffocated her. When Othello
Racism was one of the most important themes in Othello; it enabled the play to evolve and was used as a set up to lead in confliction. In the start of the play, it elaborates on how Othello was a Moor and how other characters saw him differently. Even though Othello was literate and was a very important part of the military, he still saw himself as an outsider. Earlier in the play when Roderigo and Iago go to Desdemona’s father to tell that his daughter is trying to run away to get married with a black man, Othello was accused of using witchcraft to win over Desdemona (due to the mindset on how she could ever fall in love with a Moor). Later on in the play, after the idea that Desdemona was cheating on Othello, Iago uses Othello’s race to manipulate
In the critical essay “Othello” by Drama for Students it recognizes the struggles characters face with society’s standards. It explains the importance culture plays on each character’s decision. It is believed that characters who experience conflict are a perhaps a result from not, “understanding the values and assumptions that shape the reality of [cultural values]” (“Othello”). I agree that delusion sometimes gets the best of characters. Throughout the Novel Othello provides a prime example of delusion. In addition, a factor of his downfall is a result of the insecurity he feels from society. He ends up being blinded by what society thinks and the stress gets to him. The reflection of the culture is seen throughout some things Iago says. Iago decides to anger Desdemona’s father by telling him that she, “[is] covered with a Barbary horse” (Shakespeare). We learn that this behavior is normal among most of the characters. The comparison to Othello as an “African horse” reveals the levels of respect the people of Venice show towards him. Moreover, the insecurity revealed in Othello reveals a reflection of delusion due to accepting assumptions made by society. In regard to, the themes of prejudice against another race, and the importance of social, cultural influences Othello may be considered, “Shakespeare’s most innovative tragedy regarding [these themes]” (“Othello’). For the time the play was published Othello was possibly the most innovative strategy. Othello followed the formula of Shakespeare’s other tragedies, but the overall theme of race was expressed. This made Othello