Racism Quotes In Othello

Racism is an important feature of Shakespeare’s Othello.The play was written in a time were ethnic minorities were so unimportant that they were almost ignored. In the play “Othello”, a black man, is a well-respected and trusted general in Venice. However, when Othello marries Desdemona, the young and beautiful white daughter of Branbantio, boundaries seem to be broken. Racism is one of the most important themes in “Othello”. Race is one of the factors that Othello feels makes him an outsider, someone who comes from a foreign land and doesn’t quite belong. The doubts and insecurities he experiences along the way are,in part, due to his skin color. Iago capitalises on this insecurity, making his color affect his interactions with others,

Othello has his own view of his racial identity. He is aware of how he is different to the other Venetians and recognizes his role as an outsider. He knows people view him differently, yet he never seems struck by it. In Act One while he addresses the noblemen of Venice, he reveals his barbarian origins by saying that he is “rude ... in speech, and little bless’d with the soft phrase of peace.” Even though he is never “rude” in his speech, he uses his eloquence to persuade the noblemen to view him with pity. He is well aware of the fact that he is different, yet the thought does not struck him. On the contrary, he uses it as a weapon to persuade the people around him. By saying that he is “little bless’d” he is trying to charm the noblemen into thinking that it is not his fault if god did not bless him with the privilege of

The opening scene sets the theme for the entire play. Roderigo and Iago wake up Desdemona’s father to inform him of his daughter elopement. They never call Othello by name, he is always referred as “the Moore”, which is a reference to his African heritage . Iago tells Brabantio that “that great black ram is tupping (his) gentle white ewe”. This metaphor is used to symbolize society's opinion on interracial marriages, Othello is associated with evil because of his skin color. Iago uses racism as the spark to inflame Brabantio’s anger. Iago is referring to Othello as a “black ram”, comparing him to an animal who is depriving his pure “white” daughter of her innocence. Iago plays on the senator’s fears, making him imagine a barbarous and threatening Moor, whose bestial sexual appetite is violating his daughter. In Elizabethan times black men were considered inhuman, thus, Shakespeare uses animal imagery when describing Othello. The imagery association of animals with black skin is further solidified when Iago tries to scare Brabantio by telling him he will have his “daughter covered with a Barbary horse, (and his) nephews neigh to you.” Shakespeare uses animal imagery to describe Othello; stating that because of his “animal” blood his grandsons will be half horses. The word “neigh” creates an animalistic view of Othello in the audience mind. They view him as beast whose desire to