Power, Race and Women in Othello by Shakespear and Sax

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 African, Ottoman Turk or Arab. In this paper I am going to analyze some episodes involving a prejudicial, racist attitude and try to discuss whether Shakespeare was a racist or not. Even though the play is full of offensive definitions of black

The use of Royalty as a support system and The Shakespeare criticizes royalty by showing how their immoral actions go without noticeable consequence.

In many of his works, William Shakespeare explores ideas of gender differences and racial tensions. Othello, a play whose characters are judged again and again based on appearances and outward characteristics, is one such work. The protagonist's different ethnic background provides a platform for probing ideas of racial conflict. Similarly, the presence of well-developed yet opposing female characters adds a dimension of gender conflict and feminist views. These seemingly separate themes of Othello-sexual difference and racial conflict-are closely connected because of similar ties of prejudgment and stereotype. The play's treatment of sexual difference and gender roles strengthens Othello's racist tones

The infectious discrimination of Elizabethan racists is derived from fear unnatural a racist’s hate plagues a vulnerable community of black slaves, with religion and war corrupting diverse cultures in the attempts to purify the existence of sin. This enlightening argument of what inspires William Shakespeare’s to compose the play Othello contaminates romantic relationships,

Throughout time, writing has evolved such that gender, race and creed have taken on a more pivotal role in fiction. Some people argue that race in William Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Othello,” is hardly an issue. However, to many people, race is everything in “Othello. The challenges that Othello, the lead character, faces are directly attributed to his “Moor” complexion and if he were of a different nationality, the outcome of his situation would have been drastically different. These claims are supported by the articles of “Othello’s Alienation” by Edward Berry and “Race Mattered: Othello in Late Eighteenth-Century England” by Virginia Mason Vaughan that argue that race is a major element in “Othello.”

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.

In many of his works, William Shakespeare explores ideas of gender differences and racial tensions. Othello, a play whose characters are judged again and again based on appearances and outward characteristics, is one such work. The protagonist's different ethnic background provides a platform for probing ideas of racial conflict. Similarly, the presence of well-developed yet opposing female characters adds a dimension of gender conflict and feminist views. These seemingly separate themes of Othello-sexual difference and racial conflict-are closely connected because of similar ties of prejudgment and stereotype. The play's treatment of sexual difference and gender roles strengthens Othello's racist tones and

Othello, from the onset, is shown to us a play of love and jealousy. There is however more to this play than just love and jealousy; there is underlying racism, hate, deception, pride, and even sexism between these pages. Othello is a transcendent play, one that will survive the perils of time simply because it is still relevant. Even today, over 400 years later, there are still issues of racism and sexism. Hate is as natural as love in humans and Othello gets right to the root of that. We witness this from the very first scene, “…you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse/ you’ll have your nephews neigh to you” (I.i.112-14); to the very last, “Moor she was chaste. She loved thee, cruel Moor” (V.ii.258). Moor however is

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.

These latter traits match Africanus’s description of the Negroes which receive one of the least complimentary reviews out of all of the African groups that Africanus has observed. “The Negroes likewise lead a beastly kind of life, being utterly destitute of the use of reason, of dexterity of wit, and of all arts” (Leo). All of Othello’s negative qualities seem to match the

When discussing themes within William Shakespeare’s Othello, issues of racial prejudice becomes a topic that invariably demands discussion. Although it was highly unusual in the Renaissance period to see a Moor protagonist in a work of drama, much of the language, setting and character motivations utilized within the play reflect the attitudes of the English towards the blackamoors during the time; It could be argued that by making Othello a tragic hero, thereby forcing the audience from an artistic standpoint to view him as sympathetic, Shakespeare may have been using his work as a platform from which to deliver commentary on the relationship between race, politics, and the rampant poverty that was impacting Renaissance England.

Shakespeare educates us an acquaintance about human nature at best and worst. His language is mature and complex, so studying it is an excellent exercise in analysis. His works are integrated into every area of our culture, depicting the challenges such as true love, betrayal and grief. Shakespeare helps us to understand what it is to be human and to be aware of major problems occurring at different time and places of the world. Shakespeare wrote “Othello” featuring a black Muslim man to chronicle the political and racial tensions between Europeans and non-Europeans during the Elizabethan era towards Moors. Furthermore, it was widely believed that the play was written particularly to suit the interests of King James I, who had an interest in Turkish history and customs. Histories of racism and cultural approaches appears to stretch back to into the sixteenth century, where the English had domination. Under those circumstances, it suited the dominant group to judge people as being inferior.

In the opening scene of the play, Iago and Roderigo are discussing their common enemy, Othello. Surprisingly, there is no mention of Othello’s name, as a result, the audience can only interpret him by the remarks the characters used to describe him. The two characters often mention Othello as “the Moor” or “thick-lips” (I.i.68), but also indicate that by his race he is not human or undeserving of a name. Before the audience is given information about the true identity of Othello, there are only the descriptions of animals. This illustrates a similarity between the blacks and animals - that they are not entirely human beings, therefore unworthy of the use of a name instead of such representation. Consequently, the reader is manipulated into the same racist attitude of the characters in the play solely because of the descriptions Shakespeare provided.

Shakespeare reveals how racism gets submerged in culture. We see this through an academic journal article that analyzed Othello’s handkerchief that he gave to Desdemona. This will also be proven by an academic journal article in which Africans were described in many terms that were used in the play Othello. In Othello, Othello was constantly referred to in a racist manner.

John Steinbeck’s quote, “Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts. . . perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” It was the continuous losses faced by Hamlet in his life filled with extreme tragedies that forced him to avenge his father’s death from Claudius. In the play, Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, by William Shakespeare; the protagonist, Hamlet throughout the play is perceived to be a crazy, mad teenager. However, Hamlet’s insanity was more than just an act to some. The life of Hamlet involves countless tragedies including the death of his father, his mother’s incestuous marriage, his own madness, and his own death at the end. An analysis of the roles of power in Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, reveals many challenges- one being power.