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Prejudice And Discrimination In Shakespeare's Othello

1771 Words8 Pages

“Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.” (Oxford Dictionary) is one of the best and most accurate ways to define racism. In much of Shakespeare’s writings there is racist messages and tones all throughout. Does that mean Shakespeare is a racist bigot though or he is just a product of the times who didn’t know any better? Could it even be that Shakespeare was ahead of his times and trying to expose racism? Othello, the play centers around a black general, Othello, and his relationship to Desdemona, a white woman. All of the characters expect Desdemona portray racist tendencies through both language and actions. That does not necessarily mean that …show more content…

But then at the same time, some of it happened in 2001. Clearly, as social and cultural reform have occurred throughout modern times, it has made people reexamine past writings. For the past couple of years there’s been a push for justice and equality between all genders and races. So when reading a play like Othello it can be hard to digest the racist characters. However, it’s not like people back then knew better or were even ready to fight for equality; and isn’t reading a play like that a great way to see how we once were? We can’t ever know how racism was until we read the writings of those times and watch the movies/shows of those times. Shakespeare in Othello made his characters true and authentic to that time period and whether we agree with them or not, does not mean we should not read it or ban others from doing so. In Othello, it is abundantly clear that Iago is the villain/antagonist and that Othello is the protagonist. When reading this article mainly about the anti semitism in Merchant Of Venice, Iago and his villainous actions/words were discussed. For example, Iago said: “Zounds, sir, you’re robbed! For shame, put on your gown. Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul. Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe.”

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Brabantio, Desdemona's father, exemplifies overt racism as he openly refers to Othello as a "moor" and employs derogatory terms such as "sooty bosom" to demean him (Shakespeare 1.2.88-89). These racially charged comments shed light on the deeply ingrained prejudice within society, where skin color dictates social hierarchy and denies equal opportunities. In Geoffrey Sax's cinematic adaptation, the film techniques of lighting and costume design can further accentuate the racial prejudice depicted in the play, similar to how Shakespeare's text emphasizes the racial discrimination experienced by

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Othello Cultural Criticism Essay

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Othello, Racism, And Despair, By Patrick C. Hogan

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Examples Of Stereotypes In Othello

567 Words | 3 Pages

Today you see Hispanic culture everywhere; from the taco trucks to the blabbing of Donald Trump’s offensive comments to Hispanics, we are everywhere. Every ethnicity has its stereotypes, Hispanics are no exception. If you think really hard about it, Othello relates to stereotypical generalisations just like any other race. In Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, the title character is a 16th century Moorish general of the Venetian army who, because of the cultural and historical background of the play’s setting, the playwright, and the original intended audience, is portrayed as both well-respected for his military prowess and disparaged for his race.

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1541 Words | 7 Pages

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Shakespeare Should Not Be Taught In Shakespeare's Othello

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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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Well-Respected Characters In Othello

1324 Words | 6 Pages

In Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, the title character is a 16th century Moorish general of the Venetian army who, because of the cultural and historical background of the play’s setting, the playwright, and the original intended audience, is portrayed as both well-respected for his military prowess and disparaged for his race. Similarly, because of non U.S. citizens coming to the U.S. illegally, hispanics in today’s American society are both known for their hard work that they have done for the American people and they are also being labeled as people who are rapists and murderers for the crimes they have caused in America. Shakespeare portrays the main protagonist, Othello, as well-respected and confident, but naive. Othello’s lineage is just

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Prejudice And Racism In William Shakespeare's Othello

242 Words | 1 Pages

The play, Othello, by William Shakespeare is a story of a might general in the Venetian army. Othello is stabbed in the back by Iago, an immoral, lying and a jealous soldier. He ruined Othello’s life and marriage. It can be said that Othello is the most famous literary study of the distorted powers of jealousy and distrust and one of the earliest works that deals with race and racism. Othello endured constant racism especially when he marries Desdemona, an affluent white woman whose father is against their marriage.

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Racism In Othello

1684 Words | 7 Pages

The correlation between relationships and experiences are co-existing functions that assist in operating societies. Since ancient times, social classes have existed within all communities and cultures; a sense of belonging is often determined by one’s position in the social hierarchy. Shakespeare’s Othello highlights determinants including race and gender that affect one’s standing in the hierarchy. An excerpt of Act 1, Scene 1 (Lines 110-112) explores this concept when Iago exclaims “Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, you’ll have your nephews neigh to you.” Shakespeare cleverly incorporates animalistic imagery to showcase the role that race has in a society

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1501 Words | 7 Pages

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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1640 Words | 7 Pages

A wise philosopher once stated, “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man — the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason” (Schwartsz). It is no revelation that racism often manifests hatred towards minorities. This concept has been widespread throughout the world for centuries. Racism has prevailed through several works of literature including “Othello” by William Shakespeare. In this particular play, the character, Othello, is allegedly a black man who experiences several accounts of racism from other characters, which eventually leads to his downfall.

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Effects Of Racism In Othello

2012 Words | 9 Pages

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.

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1225 Words | 5 Pages

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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