Essay Race and Racism in Othello - 1793 Words

In 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 an increasingly cosmopolitan society would undoubtedly be more tolerant and would reject or even be offended by racial discrimination to any person or sections of the community. Openly racist people today are seen as outcasts. Taking this into†¦show more content†¦On the face of it, Othello seems to be the tragic hero of the play. However, it can be argued that Othello is shown to be a proud man who eventually becomes a beast, a murderer and hence in a way fulfils the prejudices with which his enemies brand him. They also argue that Othello is portrayed as devious because he steals D esdemona from Barbantio and then announces he has a clear conscience, ...I must be found, My parts, my title and my perfect soul. On the subject of whether Othello becomes a beast and a murderer, some critics suggest that Shakespeare is promoting racial stereotypes because it is shown in Othello how, The stuff of which he (Othello) is made begins to deteriorate and show itself unfit. Some would also argue that a person cannot be manipulated so quickly and be so naà ¯ve as to fall for Iagos plot so quickly as Othello does in Act4, Scene 1. Before this scene Othello lets it known that, I do not think but Desdemonas honest. But after only being presented with a handkerchief as evidence and a few words of opinion from Iago he is requesting from Iago, Get me some poison... But most brutal of all is the way he kills his supposed beloved. The scene is intensely emotional as Desdemona asks, (in fear and tears as performed in the most recent R.S.C production directed by EdwardShow MoreRelatedWhat Way Would A Modern Audience React To The Way Race And Racism Is Portrayed In Othello?1725 Words   |  7 PagesIn 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 an increasingly cosmopolitan society would undoubtedly be more tolerant and would reject or even be offendedRead 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 Pagesabout how 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 (Bar tels 433). By the way the Elizabethan era viewed black people was similar to how racism is today with all of theRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1140 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Othello† is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1603. In this play, Shakespeare features three major characters: Othello, Iago, and Desdemona. Othello, a black man, and Desdemona, a white venetian secretly eloped in the play. Iago shows racism and prejudice towards their relationship because of their skin colors. In the play, Iago says: â€Å"Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, or else the devil will make aRead MoreRacism By William Shakespeare s Othello1277 Words   |  6 PagesRacism in Othello William Shakespeare wrote Othello during the wars between Venice and Turkey dating back to the sixteenth century. On November 1, 1604, Othello was performed for the first time by King’s men at the court of King James I. Race is one aspect that affects people’s lives. â€Å"Racism rejects mankind and a means of legalizing diversity† (Mutlu 135). With traces of racism, Shakespeare portrays the story of a general and his wife. From the beginning of Othello, there is a coordination ofRead MoreDifferences Between Film And Othello1503 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the years the play Othello by William Shakespeare has been adapted both on the screen and on stage many times. The questions or race and racism that have quite often been a point of discussion with William Shakespeare’s play Othello can be seen through the bard, however some may argue that Othello’s skin colour was purely a plot device. This paper will look at two film that have been re-made since the 1960’s, which provides an analysis of the concept of race and how political ideas and eventsRead MoreRacism By William Shakespeare s Othello1197 Words   |  5 Pagescentury, many scientists supported the belief that the human race could be categorized into different ethnic groups. Racism is generally defined as discrimination, prejudice, or antagonism directed against an individual(s) of a different race or ethnicity based on a certain belief. Every society that once lived on this Earth has essentially been affected by this global issue. Racism has been one of the most malicious aspects of the human race since the very beginning of history, and is still a topicRead MoreRacism In Othello Analysis829 Words   |  4 Pagesof Racism in Othello.† Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 3, Oct. 1993, p. 304. In this article, the author relates the idea of primal scene to racism in â€Å"Othello†. Primal scene is a psychoanalysis theory by Sigmund Freud. This theory claims once a child imagines or sees their parents having sexual relations they will be unable to repress this image from reappearing in their mind. The author relates this theory to the play â€Å"Othello† byRead MoreEssay about Racism and Cultural Differences Exposed in Othello1322 Words   |  6 Pages 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. WeRead MoreOthello Reflects the Context and Values of its Time Essay1342 Words   |  6 Pagesvalues of their times. Within Shakespeare’s Othello and Geoffrey Sax’s appropriation of Othello, the evolution of the attitudes held by Elizabethan audiences and those held by contemporary audiences can be seen through the context of the female coupled with the context of racism. The role of the female has developed from being submissive and â€Å"obedient† in the Elizabethan era to being independent and liberated within the contemporary setting. T he racism of the first text is overtly xenophobic and