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Examples Of Discrimination In Othello

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The “Tragedy of Othello” is an exceptional piece by William Shakespeare that explores the conflict of discrimination. Within the dramatic piece the struggles of love, friendship and trust are embedded to create a strong plot and evoke interest from the audience. Discrimination has existed millenniums ago, as reflected within interactions and behaviours of characters. The story explores the conflict of the protagonist versus society as they are different and do not fit within the social norms, often been led to them feeling as they are outsiders. Essentially the protagonist is faced with discrimination by society which negatively impacts their life and their relationships.While shakespeare didn't blunty express the idea that discrimination is indeed present, he provided enough evidence to suggest it to be true.
William Shakespeare expertly utilizes characterization in his work to aid the reader's understanding as he shares their thoughts, feelings and actions to express what the type of character they are. Critic Edward Berry states that “shakespeare’s protagonist is not only richly complicated, but individualized and set apart from Venetian society in almost every respect — in his blackness, his past and his bearing” (Berry 315). This means …show more content…

These factors contribute to the envious and malicious actions that motivate Iago's evil plan. Iago narrow mindedness cannot accept the fact that Othello deserved the job promotion due to the fact that he worked for it and think he himself should have deserved it based solely on the fact that he himself is white, so Iago becomes jealous and seeks to ruin every good thing in Othello's life. Iago plays the role of a fake friend with malicious intent and is the leading cause of Othello and Desdemona's marital issues that ultimately leads to their

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In William Shakespeare's play "Othello," racism and ignorance emerge as prevailing themes, delving into the complexities of societal prejudice and the devastating consequences they impose on individuals. This essay examines the role of race in the play, contextualizes racial prejudice in the Elizabethan Era, and analyzes how specific characters and their interactions highlight racial belittlement. Through the effective use of textual evidence, vivid description techniques, and the exploration of Geoffrey Sax's cinematic adaptation, the essay explores institutionalized racism, film techniques intensifying racial injustice, and the presence of racist ideologies through the character of Iago. By comparing and contrasting the film adaptation with

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Since Othello utters that since he is with Desdemona, her reputation “is now begrimed and black,” it presents how a black man can tarnish the “fresh” identity of a white women. Since Othello is accepted and praised as a war hero, but not accepted as lover, love becomes a barrier that leads to a tragedy. Societal expectations push people to the point where they try to surpass society’s norms. Though, when they reach this tipping point, tragedy will

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This Shakespearean play is a playground for discrimination. It is carelessly used as entertainment pieces of the story, alongside some more serious issues characters have. Discrimination is unfair treatment of people, and includes many subcategories such as sexism, homophobism, racism, and ageism. Though modern-day discrimination is different from the kind used in Romeo and Juliet, it can be similar because of obliviousness and a need for respect or power. Power is a tricky thing to possess.

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Othello’s confidence for a loyal man to maintain honesty and morals are contradicted through Iago’s actions: “in a man that’s just / They are close dilations, working from the heart, / That passion cannot rule” (3.3.123). Iago, due to the understatement to his name, is not perceivable as hateful. Othello’s willingness to sense Iago’s distress, and to believe his accusations, is because of the lack of awareness Othello has for his vengeance. Iago is of such little power and relevance within societal ranking that if he were to have intentions to sabotage anyone, which he does, are not considered, thus making him easily trustworthy to those of greater dominance. Society’s view of an individual determines how others consider and surmise their persona, though these conclusions may be false.

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Melissa Tejada Professor Phil Mirabelli English 226 April 21, 2017 Context of Race in Othello Individuals express themselves through racism for many different reasons. Whether they’re afraid of them, envious, or see a power that may resound from that person they simply can’t stand. Therefore, when no flaw is seen to be used against them, they result in using their skin color to express these emotions. Our character, Othello, from Shakespeare’s “Othello” has such a power, and an envious life that caused certain individuals to act out against him.

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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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Unfortunately, he trusted the wrong person due to his growing lack of self-esteem. Iago, a hypocrite who hid his evil thoughts by appearing as a man of extreme honesty, saw that he could erode Othello’s self-esteem because of who he was, a moor living in European society. He realized he could manipulate Othello for his own evil ends. He slyly used pathos to gain his trust, saying, “My Lord, you know I love you” (III.iii.118) to convince him of his honesty and reliability. Then he suggested the unpredictable nature of Desdemona by saying, “Ay, there’s the point: as, to be bold with you, not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion, and degree, whereto we see in all things nature tends - Foh!”

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Endorsement of Racism in Othello In Shakespeare’s Othello, the remarks made by pivotal characters throughout the play suggests that Othello is of inferior color and culture. Through Othello’s own words and his counterparts’ descriptions, the play endorses racism and gives a clear perspective on how a highly regarded individual is still looked down upon in society.

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He is manipulative and tells Othello to “observe her [Desdemona] well with Cassio” (Shakespeare, 3.3:197). Iago feeds Othello with countless lies and makes him miserable with something that is not factual. He is determined to get revenge and he does not realize Iago stands insincere. Furthermore, Iago is selfish when he tells Othello, “I am yours for ever” (3.3:479). He betrays Othello yet still let’s him depend on him for his own

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Perhaps Aristotle’s prioritizing of plot over visual performance in theater does not apply to Shakespeare’s Othello (especially given the complicated history of this play’s performance) since Othello’s race is of such an importance to this play in a way Othello’s plot cannot capture alone. More specifically, Othello’s status as a racial “other” alone among racially homogenous society must be translated to the play’s performance or else a major theme of this play (i.e. Othello’s self-doubt and understanding of the arbitrary prejudice the other characters harbor against him) would be lost or, worse, misconstrued. This could be exemplified by Othello’s audiences’ reaction to Edmund Kean’s “tawny Othello” as opposed to its reaction to Ira Aldridge’s

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Throughout history, societies have succumbed to the toxic concepts of racism, causing an unthinkable amount of chaos and devastation. While racism on its own can lead to many societal evils, racism coupled with jealousy can create a truly catastrophic force that can only lead to pure destruction. When someone of a different race and culture is placed in this kind of society, this destruction will only naturally follow. In the play Othello, William Shakespeare focuses on the tragic outcomes of Othello, a Venetian general and black Turkish Moor, and Desdemona, his white Venetian wife. Throughout the play, both covert and overt racism, assimilation, and jealous dispositions all foreshadow the untimely death of Desdemona and Othello.

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A Modern View of Feminist Criticism William Shakespeare 's "Othello” can be analyzed from a feminist perspective. This criticism focuses on relationships between genders, like the patterns of thoughts, behavior, values, enfranchisement, and power in relations between and within sexes. A feminist examination of the play enables us to judge the distinctive social esteems and status of women and proposes that the male-female power connections that become an integral factor in scenes of Othello impact its comprehension. I believe that the critical lens that provides modern society with the most compelling view of literature is Feminist Criticism because it analyzes distrust and disloyalty among relationships, women being treated as possessions

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These two villains slander Othello to the point of eradicating any pity the audience could have developed towards Othello. The Venetians also have a hidden fascination for Othello and his foreign qualities but, they mask feelings with negative slurs. The audience also affected by the portrayal of Othello, and are persuaded to feel pity for him because of his circumstances; being betrayed by his ensign and being looked down upon because of his Moorish descent. Shakespeare also uses racism as a creative apparatus to generate a metaphor between Desdemona and Othello.

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In Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the storyline demonstrates male-dominance over the female characters, therefore marginalizing the role of feminism in the play. There are three female characters who play an important role in the Othello, each of whom showed true love and affection towards their men and yet were rejected and became a symbol of suspicion in the tragedy. The story line of Othello contains many problematic complications, all leading towards the ending tragedy, but one of the main conceptions supported throughout the play revolves around the female characters who become victims in the men dominant society. Othello's tragedy in the play happens as a result of men's misunderstandings of women and women's inability to protect themselves

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