Othello and Race Essay

Othello by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy piece that discusses nobility, purity and jealousy. The story follows a jealous general, Iago, that attempts to ruin the reputation of the main character, Othello, by tainting his relationship with his wife. Iago uses Othello’s race against him as he attempts to gain higher favor. Race is defined as a term used to distinguish people by the inherited, cultural and physical characteristics. This includes things like skin colour, diet, dress and religion

One of the most prominent features of the play Othello is the numerous references to Othello’s race, not only by Iago, but by other characters as well. At the beginning of the play, Othello’s name is never mentioned yet we know he is dark-skinned and different by the way he is described. Instead of being referred to by Othello, he was only mentioned as the Moor or other racist names. Othello, however, is anything but the barbarian he is described as and is actually more elegant than many other characters

common theme in both printed and visual media is the dynamics of race. A large majority of the time, one will find that the main characters are portrayed or interpreted as white. People of color can have impacts of various sizes when inserted into media from creating diversity to highlighting important facets about racial dynamics. Shakespeare’s Othello, for example, features a powerful person of color as a main character. Othello must overcome the racial bias against him, despite his status as a

SUMMARY: William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, describes the destruction of the marriage between Othello and Desdemona due to jealousy and mistrust implanted by Iago. Iago is angry with Othello because he gave an inexperienced soldier, Cassio, the lieutenant position in the army over him, while Roderigo is angry because Othello recently married Desdemona, who Roderigo loves. Iago and Roderigo seek revenge by trying to destroy the marriage between Othello and Desdemona. Eventually, Iago goes to extreme

The Issue of Race in Othello   In his production of Othello for BBC television (1981), Jonathan Miller asserted that Othello's race does not greatly impact his downfall in the play.  He maintains that while Shakespeare touches upon the issue of race, the cause of Othello's demise lies elsewhere.1  However, the implications of race in the play directly lead to its tragic ending; it is this issue that impels the characters to set the tragedy in motion.  Brabantio would never revolt against the

William Shakespeare’s Othello gives us a glimpse inside the racial tensions and prejudices of a different time. Othello’s race is one of the main points of contention that helps the story with moving forward. This is highlighted best by the character Brabantio. Shakespeare's portrayal of Brabantio shows not only his disapproval of Othello's marriage to Desdemona due to Othello’s race, but also personified the fear or hatred of foreigners and foreign culture that a dominant culture often displays

In modern societies race is a topic of a sensitive nature; however, 17th century racism was an everyday way of classification. In Shakespeare’s portrayal of Othello, race plays a prominent role in how other characters react to Othello and how he thinks of himself. Just as any normal human being can tell day from night, likewise could Othello’s peers distinguish him from among Venetian society. Some, namely Iago, Roderigo, and Barbantio, chose to use his skin color as an excuse to be blatantly rude

Othello is a play that is about the treatment of the main character, Othello, for other characters throughout the play. There are three concepts, based on race, that can be applied to the Shakespearean play. Racial categorization is the grouping of humans based on qualities and appearances. Then, there is racial identity is a group of people identified by other groups based on traits within that group. And finally, the usage of the words black and white throughout the play is the last concepts of

“O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil” (5.2.159-16)! Within this single cry of anguish, many of the themes hidden within Shakespeare’s tragic masterpiece Othello come to light, especially those involving racism, both external and internal. Critical race theory, often abbreviated as CRT, is a form of literary criticism that focuses on analysing the impact of racism on character interactions, plot development, and personality in the victims of racism (Purdue). CRT also investigates the

Othello's treatment of race and sexuality makes it one of Shakespeare's most relevant and controversial plays. For some, the play's portrayal of a black man who marries and then brutally murders a white woman in a fit of rage and jealousy makes Othello a racist play. Othello is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. The play tells the story of a powerful general of the Venetian army, Othello, whose life and marriage are ruined by a conniving, deceitful, and envious soldier, Iago. By