Gifted Mr Ripley And Othello

• A fear of foreigners during Elizabethan times fostered misogynistic and racist values, which is evident in the way Othello’s blackness becomes a symbol of alienation to which all characters in the play must respond.

Ryan, Kiernan. “Racism, Misogyny and 'Motiveless Malignity' in Othello.” The British Library, The British Library, 15 Mar. 2011, https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/racism-misogyny-and-motiveless-malignity-in-othello

Othello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is “Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?”

Shakespeare’s play ‘Othello’ and the contemporary appropriation of a film ‘O’ by Tim Blake Nelson are based on the societal values and morals of their time. Issues such as racism, the use of language and deception are timeless making them evident throughout both contexts, hence the engagements in both textual forms.

Dalai Lama once said, “We human beings are social beings. Are lives are influenced by jealousy and malicious behavior for the better or for worse”. The darkness of human nature is directly evident in William Shakespeare’s Othello as opposed to J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Within the play Othello, the darkness of human nature is visible through the theme of jealously and how characters react. The emphasis of inequality in the play Othello presents a darker view of human nature as opposed to J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye through the treatment of the protagonists. The dynamic personality of Othello presents a darker view of human nature as opposed to Holden Caulfield as Othello’s personality changes for the worst.

The idea of belonging in a society is also explored in William Shakespeare’s, “Othello”. The play is about a Venetian army general, Othello, who has just arrived home from duty. Othello is dark skinned which affects his ability to belong in a predominantly white society. The attitudes of others when Othello is in the Venetian society changes

Othello by William Shakespeare raises the issue of how rampant beliefs and attitudes in a society can cause a person to question their sense of self. In a society where racial equality is near non-existent, Othello, a black skinned foreigner in the Venetian society, is constantly reminded of his status as an outsider. Othello, however, is not depicted in a stereotypical manner and despite occupying a highly respected position he is often confronted with blatant racism throughout the play. The prevailing attitudes and beliefs of Venetian society towards Othello are exploited by Iago in order to manipulate Othello’s self confidence and emotional state.

Desdemona from Othello by William Shakespeare (1969) and Eliza Doolittle from Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (2003) are characters who struggle with the repercussions of prejudice created by society and who defy social norms. Prejudice is an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. Although both theater pieces are based on different eras, both characters have similar characteristics and ideologies on how to behave within society. In this essay, I will argue social prejudice is the antecedent of the negative outcomes which impact Desdemona and Eliza’s rebellious actions and through the use of meter, diction, and punctuation; the authors reveal the extremism of the claim. Though I agree that their rebellious attitudes played roles in their misfortunes, I still support that their misfortunes

“Othello” is a tragic play of jealousy, racism and struggle for power. Right from the beginning, Shakespeare has created vigorous dialogue and conflicting situations. There is a direct contrast between black and white in this play, with black meaning something negative and evil and white meaning pure and fairness. The clash between these two colours leads to severe hatred and enmity between a few people.

Racism is a theme that is prominently evident throughout Shakespeare's Othello. Through this theme, there are several perceptions of an individual's race which are exhibited to establish the

   Throughout the length of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello there is a steady undercurrent of sexism. It is originating from not one, but rather various male characters in the play, who manifest prejudicial, discriminatory attitudes toward women.

“When you begin a journey of revenge, start by digging two graves: one for your enemy, and one for yourself.” – Jodi Picoult. Othello is a very well-known Shakespearian text and is still relevant to today’s audiences. The themes in “Othello” are still applicable to today’s many audiences; Betrayal is a key theme presented in Othello, and is also still relevant to today’s audiences. Racism is a significant addition presented in the play, and unfortunately still pervades contemporary society. Madness and jealousy drive the action as it thrives in the play; these destructive emotions are still

The Play Othello first performed in 1604 written by Shakespeare was a play that portrayed the problems faced in society regarding blame and justice. He showed this by using the setting of Venice where almost everyone was rich, living in houses based in the most powerful part of Italy. Shakespeare used race which tied into the setting as the main character, a black man living in a white society. He used gender to portray labels and to show how different sexes were treated. Shakespeare is showing us that blame and justice are given randomly and are of anyone’s control, whether or not they are guilty.

Only by considering a range of perspectives can we truly appreciate the world of Shakespeare’s Othello. It is through my exploration of these perspectives and their relationship with changing morals and values that has enriched my understanding of the play. One such reading of the play challenges the marginalisation and objectification of woman in a patriarchal Venetian society, while taking into account the changing role of women in modern society. Another interpretation of Othello examines its post colonial elements through the protagonist Othello, and his insecurities of being a black man in a white society. My interpretation of the play as a portrayal of the values existing in Shakespeare’s time is filtered through these

Othello teaches us much about our current postmodern culture. The play connects to our ideas of sexism, male-bonding, racism and capitalism. Shakespeare uses these universal and timeless flaws in humanity along with our use of language and truth to tell his tale. Iago, over a period of about three days, uses these facets of humanity to turn Othello against his wife Desdemona and his friend Cassio. Othello reveals both the struggle of the British people of the early 1600's and Americans in the late 1900's with sexism, capitalism and racism.