Theme of Racism in Othello

Despite being a Moor, Othello, protagonist of the Shakespeare play of the same name, is the general of the Venetian army. Though this pairing may seem strange, Marianne Novy explains in her book Shakespeare and Outsiders that Venice traditionally appointed foreign generals in order to prevent a fellow Venetian from arranging a coup d'état and taking over the city in a hostile manner. However, Novy fails to explain why Othello is black. The Venetians could have simply elected a Frenchman or another European with Italian-like physical features were they simply looking for a foreign general. However, Othello is continually described as black in the Shakespearean tragedy about him, Desdemona, his lover, and Iago, an acquaintance out to seek revenge

Iago confesses to the Moor his belief that it is “unnatural” that Desdemona did not marry a man “of her own clime, complexion, and degree” (Shakespeare, 3.3.270, 273). Iago’s vague, roundabout statements leave the concrete details to Othello’s imagination, and cause him to intensely ruminate over his racial identity and how it contributes to Desdemona’s purported infidelity. Iago’s words act like a cluster of cancer cells, quickly taking root and growing larger and larger in Othello’s mind. The thoughts metastasize, and cause Othello to not only question the stability of his marriage, but also that of his status in Venice, the result of years of hard work and dedication. These thoughts trouble him, and strip him of his acquired Venetian traits and leave him with his base Moorish ones. Othello becomes violent, and begins to grow violent towards Desdemona. He threatens to “chop her into messes” (Shakespeare, 4.1.219), and while “striking her,” calls her the “devil” (Shakespeare, 2.1.268). Othello’s physical and mental abuse of Desdemona starkly contrasts the intense love he feels for her at the beginning of the play, and only begins after Iago makes him aware of the implications of his race upon his actions. The cunning manipulator makes Othello aware of his race, and incessantly reminds the general of his blackness

When Roderigo and Iago visit his home to warn the senator of Othello’s marriage, Bribantio only reacts because Iago vividly describes Othello as a “Barbary horse” (Shakespeare, 1.1.125) covering his “white ewe” (Shakespeare, 1.1.98). Iago’s emphasis of Othello’s blackness indicates how Bribantio despises blacks, not foreigners: were the senator’s hatred of all foreigners as strong, then Iago would have made a heavier emphasis on Othello’s birthplace rather than his skin color. Bribantio proceeds to gather an angry mob and confronts Othello, expressing his dislike of blacks by referring to Othello as a “thing” with a “sooty bosom” (Shakespeare, 1.2.89-90). In doing so, Bribantio not only dehumanizes blacks, but also implies that they are as dirty and undesirable as