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Annotated Bibliography: Othello's Racial Identity

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Annotated Bibliography
Butcher, Philip. "Othello's Racial Identity." Shakespeare Quarterly 3.3 (1952): 243-247. file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Article%204.pdf
The article discusses the race of Shakespeare's Othello that has been debated since the publication of Joseph Hunter's New Illustrations of Shakespeare in 1845. Scholars and critics have taken Shakespeare's references to Othello as "black" and "thick-lipped" literally. While some interpret him as a swarthy or light-brown Moor from northern Africa, others believe he is an oriental or from Mauritania. Shakespeare's use of the term "Moor" does not provide a simple solution to the problem, as it sometimes refers to people from different regions. Brabantio's attitude towards Othello's marriage …show more content…

Iago's diabolical character creates a universe where he sees the darkness in Othello's blackness, and he wants Othello to do the same. Adleman use Kleinian theory to demonstrate how racism is the mental trait of the racist, not only the victim, and to assess the application of psychoanalytic theory to racial issues. He talks on the differences between Iago's and Othello's personas. Adleman portrays Othello as an idealist, not the deranged "old black ram" that Iago depicts him as. Othello's experience of race is made worse by the play's racist society since it dominates his perception of himself as filthy and unworthy of Desdemona. Despite the play's racist society, Brabantio's prejudice is validated and reinforced by Iago's early sexualizing and racializing characterization of Othello. Iago's relationship to the world he conjures up is discussed in the article's conclusion since the play itself appears to come from Iago's wounded "I." He is an expert at dividing people in two and luring them into his realm of self-alienation. Lago's character shows how Racism is a psychological problem that affects not only its victims but also its …show more content…

The article's primary audience is likely scholars of Shakespeare, literary criticism, and race studies. However, the article's ideas are also relevant to college students studying these topics or anyone interested in examining the cultural attitudes that shaped Shakespeare's work and continue to shape their understanding of race today. Racism that shaped the characters' actions and attitudes. The article challenges readers' thinking about the portrayal of race in literature and questions how it can promote and fight against discrimination. The article could be improved by providing more context and analysis of contemporary South Africa, referenced but not examined in great detail as it overlooks some important aspects of contemporary South Africa's attitudes towards race. The writer's ideas are relevant as they continue to shape our understanding of how race and Racism are portrayed in literature and how societal mythologies perpetuate

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He skillfully exploits society's racial biases, planting seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othello's mind, leading to his ultimate downfall. Iago's manipulative actions and the use of editing techniques and pacing in Sax's adaptation can intensify the portrayal of racial injustice and the destructive consequences of ignorance. This amplification of Iago's manipulations through film techniques enhances the themes of racism and the dangers of prejudice, similar to how Shakespeare's text emphasizes the impact of Iago's racist manipulations on

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white have created conflict between the members of the play. Since the 16th century dictates that black people, or Moors, are inferior to white people, Othello is stuck in the darkness as an outsider; thus suggesting that interlopers are alone, not part of a community. Within these contrasting worlds, outsiders, like Othello, try to integrate into society, but can’t. For instance, this ingrained mindset portraying the inferiority of black people is further shown when Othello exclaims, “Her name, that was as fresh as Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black / As mine own face.”

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Othello is the General of the Cyprus army with honest Iago by his side. During this time racism was happening and Othello was a part of it. Othello tried his best for everybody to like him; people would talk behind his back, call him names, and would eventually ruin his life. Iago was an ensign in the army, and his “good” friend, who would put lies into Othello's head, which eventually, he took control of Othello. In this essay Othello will display cultural criticism and how it displays him as a person in the story.

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Othello's race and culture create conflict and stereotype in his life as illustrated by the actions and words of Iago, Brabantio, and Emilia. Especially, Iago uses animal imagery all throughout the play to describe Othello. Iago cannot bear Othello because he is black. He thinks that a black person cannot be such a successful soldier and cannot marry a white woman. An instance where Othello's race creates conflict is when Iago declares "you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary / horse, you'll have your nephews neigh to you" when he is talking to Brabantio about his daughter

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Iago uses very clever methods of persuasion and manipulation aimed to use Othello’s hamartia against him, pointing out that “ “She (Desdemona) did deceive her father, marrying you,” so much so that Brabantio “thought ’twas witchcraft”. Through this, Iago is subtly raising the issues of Othello’s cultural differences with Desdemona; a root cause behind Othello’s insecurities with his wife – along with inadequacy due to race, degree of sophistication and age. As Iago prompts Othello to think the worst, his utterances are short and uneasy, revealing the beginning to his downfall, whilst Iago’s dialogue is at length highlighting his growing power of

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When people of one race believe themselves to be superior to those of another, only catastrophe can result. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, racism was extremely prevalent, and white supremacy was much more pronounced. In William Shakespeare’s play Othello, both covert and overt racism, assimilation, and jealous dispositions all foreshadow the untimely death of Desdemona and Othello. Most characters in Othello display both covert racism and overt racism towards Othello.

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Being a Moor is a strong contribution of Iago’s scheme to ruin Othello. One way Iago tries to get Othello in trouble is by snitching on his marriage with Brabantio’s daughter. Iago comments “... An old black ram is tupping your white ewe,” and “... the devil will make a grandsire of you,” when informing Brabantio of the marriage situation between Othello and Desdemona. The negative stereotype of Othello being sexually permissive comes from the society in Venice which sees Black males to have a strong need to be sexually

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In the opening act of the play, Iago and Roderigo wake Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, from his sleep, informing him of his daughter’s marriage to the Moor, Othello. Knowing of Brabantio’s prejudice towards Othello because of his race, Iago says, “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.” (1.1.94-95). Iago feeds anger into Brabantio’s mind using

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This extent of hostility and aggression coming from several other sources in the play was enough to ruin Othello. Thus, Othello’s downfall was more of a result of his race being that the main underlying motive behind the characters’ efforts to destroy him was racism.   It is inadequate to bypass the sociology behind racism, the concept of race, prior to defining what racism actually is. The common understanding of race suggests the division of groups based upon the color of one’s skin, hair, eyes, etc. “Although biologically meaningless when applied to humans – physical differences such as skin color have no natural association with group differences in ability or behavior – race nevertheless has tremendous significance in structuring social reality” (Clair).

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Iago’s conception of a black man being an army general was not accepted the Vinezians hence it was very difficult for Iago and Rodrigo to see thyself of working under the authority of Othello as a general. In fact they were not use to that phenomenon since it was not something accepted precisely by the people of Venice. I t was very difficult for them to adjust because all they knew is white man suppose to be in control but this was rather the opposite. From the play Iago felt one of them in the army apart from Othello was supposed to be in charge and command the army instead of a black man who is Othello. There was this mentality that black people according to the play cannot be the leader of supervisor hence out of racism they felt they had to get rid of Othello and that could break down his marriage and his

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Racism deflects the interpersonal relationships because every race exalts their own and looks down on other races. Othello is one of the fascinating literature work by Shakespeare that describes the evident of racism in societies, its destructive effects on society and people’s attitudes. The tragedy in Othello may seem to be as a result of jealousy but deep inside, it is a tragedy rooted deeply in racial conflict. This play was written in a time when the minorities were less important and could easily be ignored by the majority race: it was almost impossible for a black man to hold a higher rank in the society and earning respect from the white people. This paper will discuss the theme of racism in Othello, show its effects on society and specific characters like Othello who felt the impact of prejudice.

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