Othello already raised questions about the nature of race, its social implications and about the correlation of outer appearances and inner qualities. The matter of skin colour and racist stereotyping is evident in Othello and it is vital for the interpretation of the play. As an “extravagant and wheeling stranger/ Of here, and every where” (1.1.135-136). Othello is not just like any other man, but largely defined by his origin and colour. In this paper I want to examine the role of Othello's skin colour in the play and if we can consider the play as racist. Although these questions are today probably more relevant than ever, my main focus will be to analyse the importance of race in the context of Shakespeare's times.
In order to answer the question, whether or not Othello is a racist drama, I first have to define the term 'race'. As the concept of race has changed over time and is still changing, I will also look at Elizabethan attitudes towards race and foreigners and how strangers were portrayed on the Elizabethan stage. The play is not set in England, but in Venice, a place that serves a certain function in the play, which I will also examine. In the second part of this paper I will look at the play itself and its characters. I will analyse the different roles and their attitudes towards Othello's colour and how they influence Othello's self-perception and his personal fate. In Othello skin colour and blackness stand for more than just physical appearance or cultural background, but it is also linked to the character's inner lives and it largely determines the outcome of the play. The importance of racial concepts in Othello will be examined in the last part of this paper.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. DEFINITION OF RACE
3. RACE IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND
3.1 ELIZABETHAN IMAGES OF FOREIGNERS
3.2 STAGE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE OTHER
3.3 ELIZABETHAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS VENICE
4. CHARACTER'S ATTITUDES TOWARDS OTHELLO'S RACE
4.1 DESDEMONA
4.2 IAGO
4.3 BRABANTIO
4.4 CASSIO
4.5 OTHELLO
4.6 THE AUDIENCE
5. IMPORTANCE OF OTHELLO'S RACE FOR THE PLAY
6. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
The paper examines the role of Othello's skin colour and his racial identity within the context of Elizabethan attitudes to determine whether Shakespeare's play can be classified as a racist drama, while analyzing how characters' perceptions of race influence Othello's fate.
- Evolution of the social concept of 'race'
- Elizabethan perspectives on foreigners and Venetian society
- Racial bias in character interactions with Othello
- The intersection of blackness, jealousy, and social exclusion
- Shakespeare's subversion of racial stereotypes
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Desdemona
Desdemona falls in love with Othello despite his black skin and origin. She had many suitors, but chose Othello because he impressed her with the stories about his military adventures he told when he was visiting her father Brabantio. Desdemona was the one who took the initiative to win Othello, who had probably never even dreamed of marrying her. Othello gives account of this in front of the senate: “She thanked me/ And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her I should but teach him how to tell my story, And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake” (I.3.163-166). It is likely that Desdemona broke the custom that the man courts the woman, because she knew, Othello was unable to court her because of his skin colour. She also knew that her father would not have consented to their marriage and so she eloped with Othello.
She regards Othello's blackness as a positive sign, e.g. when replies to Emilia's question whether Othello is jealous or not “I think the sun were he was born/ Drew all such humours from him” (3.4.26-27). Very likely it was even Othello's otherness that made her so attracted to him. She fell in love with him because of the stories of his exotic adventures, which emphasised his cultural difference.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the research focus on the significance of Othello's race and whether the play functions as a racist work.
2. DEFINITION OF RACE: Explores the historical and social construction of race and its role in justifying colonial power structures.
3. RACE IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND: Examines how Elizabethan society perceived foreigners, the theater, and Venice through the lens of emerging nationalist and racial discourses.
4. CHARACTER'S ATTITUDES TOWARDS OTHELLO'S RACE: Analyzes how various characters, from Iago and Desdemona to the audience, project their internal biases onto Othello's racial identity.
5. IMPORTANCE OF OTHELLO'S RACE FOR THE PLAY: Synthesizes how Othello's blackness functions as an isolation factor and a catalyst for the play's tragic trajectory.
6. CONCLUSION: Argues that while the play is set in a racist society, it ultimately challenges these notions by presenting a hero who transcends simple stereotypical classification.
Keywords
Othello, Shakespeare, Race, Elizabethan England, Moor, Otherness, Desdemona, Iago, Colonialism, Racial Stereotypes, Social Construction, Jealousy, Identity, Venetian Society, Postcolonialism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this analysis?
This work analyzes the role of race in Shakespeare's Othello, specifically investigating how the protagonist's blackness shapes the play's conflict and whether the drama itself promotes or challenges the racist ideologies of the Elizabethan era.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the social construction of race, the Elizabethan perception of the "Other," the influence of racial stereotypes on character behavior, and the destabilization of identity through colonial and social prejudices.
What is the research question addressed?
The paper seeks to determine if Othello is a racist play by analyzing the historical context, the attitudes of surrounding characters, and the psychological impact of perceived racial inferiority on the protagonist.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study employs a literary analysis based on historical context, utilizing secondary sources from postcolonial theory and traditional Shakespearean scholarship to interpret the text.
What does the main body cover?
The main body examines the definition of race, the Elizabethan context, detailed character-based responses to Othello's race, and the specific structural importance of racial markers within the narrative.
How is the term 'race' characterized?
The paper defines race primarily as a social construct developed during colonial expansion to justify hierarchy, noting that its meaning has historically changed to fit specific political and social agendas.
How does Desdemona's perspective on Othello differ from that of other characters?
Unlike Iago or Brabantio, who view Othello's blackness as a sign of perversion or an unnatural threat, Desdemona perceives it as a positive trait and is attracted to his "otherness" and exotic history.
What role does Iago play in defining Othello's racial identity?
Iago acts as a catalyst who projects his own internal corruption onto Othello, using racist rhetoric as a tactical tool to manipulate the hero into believing he is fundamentally flawed and unworthy.
How does the author evaluate Othello's suicide?
The author views the suicide not only as an act of justice for the murder of Desdemona but as a symbolic destruction of the protagonist's identity, where his Christian half finally suppresses his perceived "Muslim half."
- Quote paper
- Anouk Anderson (Author), 2009, Othello - A Racist Play?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/132901
