Examples Of Racism In Literature

A society is a group of people that have similar beliefs and expectations of one another. When members violate rules of the group, they may be excluded or ostracized by other members. Sameness is appreciated in a society. Unfortunately differences can have very serious consequences for those who choose to break social norms or don’t “fit” into the society. These reactions by a society helps to bind members together making the society strong. It forces many individuals to follow the rules out of fear of losing acceptance and respect from their peers. It can even create problems within societies. Racial prejudice has long been a way of many cultures through history. Interracial marriages were not accepted. One race was considered superior to another and people were expected to stay with “their kind.” The color of one’s skin says, “ I belong” or “I’m an outsider.” Although today many countries have tried to

The theme of racism is repeated throughout history in literature around the world. The following examples depict racism of some societies in American culture, that has gone from very racially prejudiced to not so prejudiced (even though it claims not to be a racially unprejudiced society.) For example, Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, was set in 1880’s following the civil war of the United States that abolished slavery. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was published in 1960 and was an American novel set in 1936. It was based on the author’s observations growing up. Blacks were shown as criminal dirty people with few rights and less than whites. The Help by Kathryn Stockett was a 2009 novel, made into a popular movie which explores African-American maids and their struggle with racism. But in Shakespeare’s time racism was almost universal in all societies and that play was set somewhere between 1601 and 1604. In this paper I will look at racism in Shakespeare’s play