Racism – the intolerance and discrimination of a person based purely on the colour of their skin. In a contemporary context, racism is thought of as an issue of relatively small proportion, although still present.
Western civilisation has become more accustomed to, and there for more tolerant of a multi-cultural society. But before this, before the struggles and victories of the civil rights movement, before the American civil war and the abolition if the slave trade, back in the days when Othello was written, racism wasn’t even a concept.It was accepted that the colour of your skin dictated your life and culture. The difference in colour stated more than country of origin.
Although many stereotypes existed for different cultures, the colour of your skin could almost define you as a different, inferior species entirely. As for sexism, women throughout history have fought for recognition of that they are more than possessions, more than just mothers and wives. But even so, it took a long, long time for this to be realised. It is so easy for something thought of as acceptable becoming the status quo.
Even now, sexism, like racism still exists.It may be subtle in the western world, differences in pay, attitudes toward women and their choices, etc or dictated by religion and seemingly old fashioned and extreme, but overall attitudes have changed since the days of Shakespeare. Of course, there are always instances in which these idealisms are broken. In Othello, a former slave rises to a position of power and respect.
This happens in Venice, noted as a cosmopolitan state, thriving on capitalism and employing mercenary soldiers to protect its wealth. In this case, a black military leader is credible.Maybe not likely, but a definite possibility. Moors”, People of Moroccan and North African origin, where thought of in a stereotypical way at the time.
They where portrayed as Proud, yet jealous. Loyal, but easily angered. Steadfast in friendship but also thought of as gullible. Othello, the moor of the title, makes and breaks these stereotypical images in several ways.
Venetian women. Women at the time where seen, as women. A second-class citizen, holding no real power of the time. Venetian women (cosmopolitan state etc) where also seen as glamorous, but loose.
Weak minded but untamed. The Venetian women in Othello are Emilia and Desdemona.Desdemona comes across as weak minded and devoted to Othello. Although she disobeys her father, she is loyal to her husband.
She is faithful, breaking the stereotypes of the loose Venetian female. Emilia on the other hand, does not appear to be faithful to Iago, but is a strong-minded, independent woman. Both women both adhere to and beak different stereotypes of the time. Othello himself starts off as a contradiction to the more negative points of the “Moor stereotype” He is calm and well spoken, When he addresses the council when accused of eloping with Desdemona without Brabantio’s permission or even knowledge, he proves himself eloquent;Hath this extent, no more.
Rude am I in my speech And little blessed in the soft phrase of peace” Although he admits he is woefully addicted unto wrath, he keeps his cool, and therefore defies the stereotype. He does fall victim to Iago eventually. He proves his loyalty to his friends by believing Iago over his wife, and also the stereotyped gullibility, although he takes some persuasion. His anger becomes more prominent; he looses his cool and becomes consumed by rage and jealousy.
He becomes the stereotype, rather than beginning as one.In my opinion, this is not meant as a racist statement by the play, as Iago, the Venetian, is portrayed as the evildoer, and although Othello adheres to the stereotype, it is possible any man could do the same under the circumstances, rather than just a “moor. ” The attitudes towards Othello from the other characters could be said to be “understandable” from the historical context. Even so they are racist.
It is doubtful Shakespeare did this to be malevolent; it is far more likely that it was written in character.Emilia refers to him as “the blacker devil”, which could be taken as a comment on his race, and most likely is written in that context. Iago seems have issues with the colour of Othello’s skin. As he alerts Brabantio to the fact that Desdemona is eloping with Othello he uses such phrases as “an old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe.
” The duke of the Venetian council tells Brabantio that his son-in-law is “More fair than black” – adding weight to the theory that the general populace thought as moors in a stereotypical fashion.By calling Othello fair, he is implying that he is an exception amongst black people, that he is somehow different in attitude and demeanour; that some how he is superior and therefore “fairer”. The popularity of Othello when it was originally written and performed could be attributed to the “novelty” of the subject. A mixed race relationship, the disobedience and strong will of a woman.
A mixture of curiosity and morose or odious fascination to see how it would be performed, and who would triumph overall. The prejudice of the time would certainly contributed to the popularity.In a contemporary perspective, as society has become more tolerant of different cultures and races, sexualities and sexes, the play would still hold interest, but for different reasons. The significance would be concentrated so much more on the deceit and jealousy, the basic human emotions and down fallings through love and envy.
There would be some interest as to how the leading character would cope in the time that the play that was written and how racial difference was perceived at the time, but no discrimination or intolerance.Looking at this play in its original, historical context, you could also argue that it is actually a condemnation of racism. A Black man rises to a position of power and respect, enters into a mixed race relationship, which although rejected by the surrounding public, went ahead. His fall into jealousy could be seen as much more of a basic human flaw than conformity to a stereotype.
Such a thing could rip any man apart. Racism and sexism are still present today, although much less apparent. Othello is the victim of some racial discrimination although, overall, the play is not a racial hate statement.All the prejudice is contained within the characters, and Othello himself breaks the stereotype of a moor, until he is consumed by jealousy and anger, which anymore may fall victim to under the same circumstances.
The role of women is still somewhat hazy though. Although the stereotype is broken, they are not in anyway seen as somehow different fro how they where though at the time. Second class. This play is not extremely racist or sexist, especially looking at it in the historical context, but there are some old fashioned ways of thinking.
Overall, this play is entertainment, rather than a comment on civil rights of the time.
Human Nature Plays In “Othello” By William Shakespeare
In ‘Othello,’ by William Shakespeare, the exploration of human nature plays a crucial role.
The plot occurs around a malevolent character, Iago, who plays on the weaknesses of human nature. Using this, he manipulates the other characters and subsequently leads them, and ultimately himself, to downfall. The worst and best traits of human nature also become the main themes in the play. The play largely explores human weakness, or the worst of human nature.
Such weaknesses are greed, envy, deception, racism and sexism, lust, sloth and wrath.Iago, a malicious character, and arguably the protagonist of the play, displays all of these deadly ‘sins. ‘ Iago’s actions and his sinful personality in effect ‘write’ the plot of ‘Othello. ‘ Othello, the Moor of Venice, has promoted a Florentine, by the name of Michael Cassio, to be his lieutenant.
Iago immediately boils up with jealousy, as Iago believes he should have received the job, “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place. ” This leads to his greed for revenge, to “serve [his] turn upon him. Longing for revenge is considered another bad feature of human nature. His succumbing to extreme envy, even from the beginning scene of the play, leads to him plotting the other characters’ downfall – the idea in which the whole play revolves around.
He is also jealous of Othello and Desdemona’s seemingly happy relationship, because he feels Desdemona has replaced his own influence in the eyes of Othello. Iago consequently causes this relationship to break down dramatically, which is a main focus of the play.Therefore the ideas of human weakness are definitely a main concern to the play, as Iago, filled with these weaknesses, acts on them and causes the demise of other characters and hence the storyline. Iago also displays signs of lust.
He describes Desdemona as, “Sport for Jove,” and “Full of game. ” He also illustrates Othello and Desdemona’s relationship as “…
an old black ram/ tupping your white ewe. ” The word ‘tupping’ implies that sex is something a male does to a female in lust not love.He is ‘sloth,’ or lazy, when Iago calls on his friend, Roderigo, to do his ‘dirty work,’ the act of revenge, for him. Iago is ‘sloth,’ or lazy – He uses his ‘friend,’ Roderigo, to complete his acts of revenge for him – the ‘dirty work,’ which involves starting a fight, and even aiming to kill Cassio.
Iago displays wrath through his strong, crude language, and the swear words he uses, “‘Sblood,” and “Villainous whore,” to his wife. His barbaric and animal ‘lust’ imagery help to show Iago’s true character, and allows the audience to understand that only a person such as he could cause such chaos.These ideas are therefore major concerns, as they are written to create visual pictures in the minds of the audience, and are remembered throughout the play. Iago’s feelings of lust also indicate the theme of misogyny and racism throughout the play.
These ideas are also major concerns, because they relate to the concerns of the viewers in Shakespearian times, and as a result, involved the audience directly in the play, and gave them a greater understanding. The human flaws of racism and sexism, “players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds,” are highlighted through a major character in the play, Iago.Examples of the best characteristics of human nature are also displayed in ‘Othello. ‘ Faith, kindness, justice, humility, chastity, and generosity are considered the ‘heavenly virtues’ or the best traits of human nature.
Characters, such as Desdemona, Emilia, Cassio and Othello portray these qualities; at least at the beginning of the play, before Iago exploits these characteristics. Desdemona is continually faithful, kind and fair. The themes of heaven, beauty, and love are portrayed through this character.Even when chaos erupts, and Iago takes revenge, by breaking up Othello and Desdemona’s relationship, she speaks of her undying love and her apologetic nature is remembered, especially the idea of humility.
This is shown when she speaks her last words, and puts the blame for demise upon herself, “Nobody. I myself. Commend me to my kind lord. O farewell.
” Desdemona was also generous to Cassio, who had been dismissed, after Iago had used Roderigo to start a fight. She was determined to help him, “I give thee warrant of thy place.Assure thee, if I do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it,” and persistent, “If I have any grace or power to move you, his present reconciliation take. ” These ideas are main concerns of the play, because they create a moral in the play, and develop emotions inside the audiences’ minds, such as sadness, guiltiness and pity.
Something that has a major effect on the opinions and feelings of the audience indicates a main concern in the play, because it is unforgettable, and allows the audience to not only view the characters in the play, but also themselves.Othello, at the beginning of the play, shows what seems to have the ‘best’ qualities of human nature. He appears kind, just, and faithful, not only to his wife, Desdemona, but also to his job and fellow citizens. Othello also views Desdemona as containing the ‘best’ of human nature, such as beauty, “I’ll not shed her blood, nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, and smooth as monumental alabaster,” even when he has broken down and plotted her death.
He also relates to her as a heavenly “rose-lipped cherubin. ” These ideas of heaven and beauty are shown as imagery throughout the play.It is clear that Othello, until his good qualities were exploited, was a happy and decent man. It was only after the weaknesses of his nature were played upon that he began his path of self-destruction and slide into extreme jealousy, and to believe only what one character, Iago, told him.
The characteristics that make up such an important character, such as Othello, are crucial to the way in which the play turns. I believe if Iago had not used Othello’s trusting and easily suspicious nature against him, Othello would have remained as he was at the start, portraying the ‘best’ qualities.Othello was turned into a man portraying the same nasty characteristics as Iago, such as extreme jealousy, lust and sexism, including similar barbaric imagery. In conclusion, the ‘best and worst’ of human nature is vital in this play.
It determines how characters react to each other, and the ways in which these characteristics can be easily used against them by characters having the ‘worst’ of human nature, such as Iago. These good and bad traits also develop into the main themes of the play, such as jealousy, deception, racism and misogyny, including others.These ideas are also the main concern, because they create imagery, which further highlights the importance through visual images, and relate to the opinions and emotions of the audience, involving them directly in the play. The whole plot revolves around the ideas I have mentioned, and the main characters in the story.
The plot is created by Iago, who uses the ‘best and worst’ natures of each character, against them, to fulfill the bad traits in his own nature, such as misogyny, greed, need for revenge and envy.
Act 3, Scene 3 In The Shakespearean Tragedy “Othello”
Act 3, scene 3 in the Shakespearean tragedy Othello: The Moor of Venice is the pivotal scene; Iago poisons Othello’s mind as the Moor finally surrenders to Iago’s false allegations of the lustful Desdemona and cassio having an affair, which leads to his ultimate downfall. In this scene love becomes hate and honour turns to betrayal. Othello is consumed by hate and suspicion, his love for Desdemona decays throughout the scene due to Iago’s treacherous lies.
Later on in this scene Othello is portrayed as a heinous villain due to his irrational and merciless opinion of Desdemona.Elizabethan attitudes are seen throughout the play, and it is a major theme. Basic Western iconography states that white signifies purity and black signifies evil. But this concept is repeatedly challenged throughout the tragedy.
For example the name Bianca (Cassio’s black mistress) means ‘white’ in Italian, meaning Bianca is pure though Iago states that she is but a mere ” housewife, that by selling her desires buys herself bread and clothes”, Bianca and Desdemona both deny that they are ‘strumpets’ and the audience realize that the only evidence for them being whores of course, comes from the mouth of Iago.Othello is the general of the Venetian armies who are at war with the Turks and has just eloped with the fair and beautiful Desdemona. Iago, Othello’s seemingly trustworthy companion, is in fact plotting Othello’s downfall because Cassio was given the position of lieutenant not him. It is in this scene that Iago plants the seed of doubt in Othello’s mind about Desdemona’s faithfulness and her close relationship with the Florentine, Cassio.
Shakespeare brings to us a cynicism that we should always look to people’s motives before trusting what they say. Othello trusts Iago but Iago has other intentions. He wants the position of lieutenant and drags into his plot anyone he can. He blemishes Desdemona’s character and uses his deviousness to find evidence against her and Cassio in order to succeed in his malicious plan.
Iago is a terrible, despicable person who is yet trusted by Othello.A.C Bradley described the arch Shakespearean villain’s plans and personality as “Evil has nowhere else been portrayed with such mastery,”Iago puts his plan straight into action at the very start of the scene:”Ha! I like not that” and”I cannot think he would sneak away so guilty-like”This is said to Othello as they enter the room to see Desdemona and Cassio together in innocent conversation but Iago puts a suspicious twist to their meeting. Immediately he is planting a seed of doubt in Othello’s head that something strange is going on.
Many techniques are drawn from Iago’s abhorrent mind to lure Othello into his cunning plan. Iago uses emotional blackmail, not to cause guilt, but instead to ensnare Othello and make him believe Iago is a true friend as he has pointed out the ‘false romance’ between his wife and Cassio.”My lord you know I love you.” says Iago to Othello.
As his friend Iago pretends not to want to tell Othello about the apparent affair between Desdemona and Cassio. He also uses delaying tactics as one of his techniques in order to drive Othello to the edge of insanity as he is not telling him his veiled thoughts about the secret affair.He also uses repetition of words which adds to his delaying tactics.”Is he not honest?””Honest, my lord?”This again makes it seem Iago is reluctant to break the news to Othello and only as a true friend will he do so.
“Observe her well with Cassio. Wear your eye thus not jealous nor secure.”Iago wants to act as a true friend by taking him into his confidence and wanting Othello to see the evidence for himself but once he has sewed the seed of doubt in Othello’s head, he is almost certain Othello is convinced.Iago is very sly, when making Othello conjure up more hate for Cassio and Desdemona.
We can see this as Othello believes Iago and not his own wife! This is most likely due to the role women had in Elizabethan society (they were seen as lower class than men). Iago mentions this occasionally”Our country of disposition” meaning women should behave appropriately and not commit adultery. The audience then (Elizabethans) would find it perfectly acceptable if a man did this. This is mentioned by Emilia in Act 4, scene 3.
“What is it they do,When they change us for others? Is it for sport?I think it is”.This is very humorous as her husband is deploying deceitful acts. This may mean Shakespeare had a more sympathetic side towards women (feminist) as he shows their thoughts and feelings as well as men.”And have we not affections,Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?”Shakespeare’s manipulation of language is very clever.
Iago uses metaphors in order to compare his thoughts and feelings with bad connotations”It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on”Here Iago is describing the emotion of jealousy. The monster relates to Othello and he implies that he is a beast and the meat relates to the past stories of Othello and cannibalism (this also adds to him being compared with a monster). The word ‘mock’ means to annoy, but here it means torture. This relates to how Iago is torturing Othello mentally by making false accusations about his fair wife and Cassio.
The image created by Iago’s words is very powerful and the audience can immediately identify with this.As Othello becomes more wound up in Iago’s ‘Net of lies’, he also uses metaphors which create dark images and connotations.”Diana’s visage is now begrimed and black”Diana was a goddess and she is compared with Desdemona this obviously means she is as divine as a goddess, but Othello then uses an oxymoron saying her face now “begrimed and black”, implying that she is evil and unfaithful due to her actions with Cassio, that the angel has become the devil.To finally secure Othello into his cunning and deceitful plan he uses evidence which makes Othello trust him.
“In sleep I heard him say ‘sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves’;”This is one piece of evidence used to convince Othello Desdemona is being unfaithful. Another vital piece of evidence was that of the handkerchief dropped by Desdemona and picked up by Emilia who passed it on to Iago. Iago then convinces Othello that he has seen Cassio with the handkerchief.”Why then ’tis hers, my lord,”Also Iago is often referred to as “honest Iago,” displaying his skill at deceiving other characters so that not only do they not suspect him, but they believe and count on him as the person most likely to be truthful.
Iago is a central part of the play, he “fuels the tension of the play, and his main tool is not a weapon as such, nor a powerful position, but rather his command over language, as he hints, whispers and slanders.” (Shakespeare, Aphra Behn and the Canon – Owens and Goodman).An Elizabethan audience must have been aware of certain racism, for example Iago’s description of Othello as “thick-lips” (act 1, scene 1). But Othello as a Moor, which is strictly a North African but may be used by Shakespeare to mean a black person, was a leader of an army and this idea to a person living 100 to 200 years later to imagine a black person other than as a servant/slave or wild primitive would be difficult.
As Samuel Taylor Coleridge said 100 years later, “It would be something monstrous to conceive this beautiful Venetian girl falling in love with a veritable negro” (in Othello, Cambridge School Shakespeare).Othello’s characteristics are good and just and yet easily led and misled by the cunning Venetian, Iago. It may be that despite his leadership qualities he still looks up to the upper class Venetian, or does Shakespeare give him the na�ve qualities that seem to characterise the women. Emilia who unquestionably gives her husband the handkerchief and Desdemona who innocently sees Cassio in private not realising the implications it may have on her husband.
How else can we understand the way in which Othello is taken in either due to the pureness of his thoughts or the naivety of a black person?Perhaps there are parallels to Elizabethan society in which many of the men in the highest positions were all scheming to gain influence with and perhaps over the queen. Another source of conflict in Elizabethan society was that of catholic versus protestant which ultimately led to the downfall of Charles I. Did Shakespeare envisage this possibility in Othello, in the way that the leader is given bad and malicious advice by juniors which will ultimately lead to the downfall of the leader?Women are given a subordinate role in Othello whilst strong characters, they are used in development of the relationship of Iago and Othello. This was the case in Elizabethan society, even all the parts in the play would be played by men and boys not women, and yet Shakespeare questions their subordination.
As we have seen in the words of Emilia in Act 4, Scene 3 she asks; if it is considered alright for men to have lovers is it not the right of women to do have them also. Having had a queen leading the nation so recently were values being questioned and perhaps women knew their value whatever the mainstream ideas may have been. Given that Shakespeare’s audience was entirely white and in a male dominated society we can see a slightly subversive message to the play. Othello is the tragic hero a good person deceived by the callous aristocratic white Venetian.
Whilst the women who are good and virtuous are cruelly let down by their husbands, leading Emilia to question the dominant role of the alpha male.