Connotation In Othello

Words are not always interpreted by the audience as the speaker had intended. Certain words could have multiple connotations that could change the context of the word from being a praise or a nickname to a slur or an insult. In literature, there are many examples, some controversial, of words not being taken how they are meant or just the use of such words in general. In novels such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Othello, words such as the “Nigger” and “Moor” are used in such fashion to either discriminate, praise, or a blend of the two to make certain characters of color stand out amongst the other characters. The use of words that could bring up a negative connotation such as “Moor” in Othello and “Nigger” in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, should be used in educational facilities to teach students of the past so that the nation and its citizens can move past

It certainly is not for the reason that he leads the army. It is because he is black and he is married to a white woman, Desdemona (Toker 39). If Othello had not been married to her, Iago would not have targeted him, he would not have schemed against him, and most importantly, neither Othello nor Desdemona would have died. All this is apparent from the very beginning when Iago tells Brabantio of Othello and Desdemona’s union using derogatory words, “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram/ is tupping your white ewe.” (Shakespeare 1.1.98.) Iago and the rest of the Venetian society hates Othello for the reason that he is different and is married to one of the most beautiful Venetian woman. They are jealous of him therefore they have hatred against him. The readers of the early nineteenth century have made the word “Moor” a racist word and they have changed how people view the play from a tragic play to one of racism. “Moor” as a word is not racist if you know its origins. It is just a synonym much like “negro.” They all mean the same thing,