How Does Iago Use Race In Othello

In Othello, many people turn to race when they are frustrated or angry thus making the play racist. Throughout the play many show great respect for Othello, but as soon as the war ends internal conflicts arise, giving the characters more time to notice race and aggravate one another. This switch from war to peace is crucial in the play because if the war had continued race would not have been an issue. The war discontinuing allowed hatred and discovery of each character sparking the time to think and plot events. Iago 's hatred comes from Othello chosing Cassio as the lieutenant when he had no experience in war through Igao’s perspective. He believed he should have been chosen instead of Cassio for the job. He schemes to destroy Othello and uses his race to feed his hatred capturing Iago 's hostility that doesn 't come from the race, but turns into it as his anger begins to control him.

Race is a component Iago cannot resist to make him feel more superior and capable of destroying Othello. The first time we hear one of his racist comments is when he 's talking to Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona, “Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (1.1.97-98). Iago deciding to utter “black ram” captures the racist aspect that comes from his hatred of Othello and the usage of “tupping your white ewe” describes how he doesn 't want a black man to ruin the perfection of a white woman. Iago uses racist comments all the way through the play, as he tries to turn people against Othello, such as calling him a “Barbary Horse”. He never says anything directly racist to Othello 's face because in his plot he had to be his best friend, but Iago 's jealousy is too big to contain and he spreads his hatred which he has mixed with racism to