Effects Of Racism In Othello

The concept of Racism has proven to be a difficult topic to discuss amongst friendly peers and knowledgeable counter-parts. Its negative influence has rooted itself deep within the cultures of the world and has since become an ever-growing malignant growth that has catalyzed the decay of society. From around the world, we explore the effects of racism on the human mind and set out to prove that racism is a psychological primer for various negative effects and entails a crash course for failure in the future of its victims as seen in plays such as Othello, by Shakespeare, and in many real-world instances. The play Othello, by Shakespeare, offers a great starting point for the basis of racism and its effects. The play follows the Moorish general

Many people believe that people only fall into the grasps of PTSD through their war-time experiences. “Current DSM IV criteria for PTSD do not fully correspond to the trauma of racism as typically experienced by ethnic minorities” (Sanchez 5). Many researchers find that the current conceptions of PTSD are not adequate when viewing non-Caucasian people because the trauma endured is chronic and repetitive. The results of the trauma can lead to situations that are degrading to entire multicultural communities and their politics. Research regarding the effects of emotional abuse and maltreatment has led to the conceptualization of “mental injury” (Sanchez 6) and makes the argument that the psychological consequences of an act are indeed the definition of its emotional abuse (Sanchez 6). Following along with this, continued research has found that young children of color who are consistently exposed to differential treatment through various forms of media and school show signs of impairment physically, intellectually, and socially (Sanchez 7). This leads to the development of a negative sense of identity, competence, belonging, and security (Sanchez 7-8). As a result, young children of minority classes who are primed into believing that they are inferior are set up for failure later down the road in their life. They are made to believe that

The Venetian society was by far predominantly white and for Othello, he was exposed to the pressures of being an extreme minority in a time where current civil issues were not much of a discussion. Othello would have inherently faced opposition in an overwhelming fashion and in turn would have the negative self-perception and depressive symptoms that Sanchez and Lambert discovered. In the beginning of the play Othello seemed very confident in himself as all men should be. However, as the play manifested itself, Iago was able to produce holes in the veil of confidence that Othello produced and in turn reveal his instability and insecurities as seen with Desdemona, his early wife. “For nought I did in hate, but all in honor” (5.2.295) said Othello in response to killing his wife Desdemona. Iago was able to make Othello question his own honor, the confidence of being a man and expose the instability he had within. Before the killing of his wife, Othello exhibited many characteristics that Lambert discussed. Othello’s social interaction with the one’s around him began to deteriorate. He was quick to assume and was not calm in the manor he was originally. A sense of depression also emerged as Othello began to think he lost control of what he once had due in part by Iago’s manipulation.