Essay on Othello as a Black Man in a White Society

Othello as a Black Man in a White Society Shakespeares play,Othello, explores themes of love and passion, otherness, jealousy, revenge and order vs. Chaos, which all revolve mainly around the protagonist, Othello. Surrounded by Venetians within a white society, Othello begins to realise his otherness thus his insecurities as an outside and a Moor increase. The deceptive Iago uses these dangerous blemishes in Othellos personality to manipulate the moral Othello, using his one fatal flaw, jealousy. During the 16th Century, the Elizabethan audiences attentiveness and familiarity of the thin line between order and chaos would have added to the tragic story of Othello. This was due to the†¦show more content†¦What he meant by this is that Othello is a foreigner to all, because of his blackness he can never fit in. However, this is ironic as the people of Venice accepted Othello as a righteous and valiant general in the army, due to his brave act of protecting the Venetians from the evil grasp of the Turkish people. Interestingly enough, these Venetians dont compare Othello to the supposedly iniquitous Turks because he had defeated them, so they placed him higher up in the hierarchy of racial and social class. Iago expresses his own opinion that Othello is an erring barbarian which is very ironic as Othello has the status of a shielding warrior, a generous being that is a strong part of the army. Roderigo calls him the lascivious Moor and tends to see Othellos black colour as a sign of dirtiness and obscenity. The characters in Othello may possible have felt that Othello was a threat due to his otherness in his appearance, such as his thick lips. Othellos character is overtly and crudely sexualised, which is also a disadvantage to Othello as other characters begin to believe that he is aggressive and sadistic. Black people, during the time of Shakespeare, were mysterious to the white society. Venetians were not used to seeing and living with people of other races and feared them because they were not familiar withShow MoreRelatedOthello, By William Shakespeare1709 Words   |  7 Pages A society consists of diverse cultures, looks, values, and beliefs. In a world with one predominant culture, those perceived as different from the norm are associated with negative images and treated inferior to the superior culture. The negative images associated with color, specifically blackness, has a detrimental effect on the victims who are racially stereotyped. 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Shakespeare uses this early in the play and involves characters such as Brabantio, Iago and Roderigo, this also assist in the construction of imagery. These racist remarks are directed towards Othello and the majority of the racistRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello And Racial Interactions With The Ones From New York City962 Words   |  4 PagesThe book Othello show similarities to racial interactions with the ones from New York City. However, looking closer at the play, â€Å"Othello†, seem to show us many interesting aspects of cultural differences. It seems that not only, racial and cultural differences were unconventional, but also â€Å"unnatural†. As an illustration, within first act of â€Å"Othello†, Roderigo and Iago encounter Brabanito and make many _not nice__ remarks towards the relationship between Brabanito’s daughter and Othello. Iago saysRead MoreKahron Fyffe. . World Literature . . Dr. Fiore. . 28 April1036 Words   |  5 PagesLiterature Dr. Fiore 28 April 2017 Othello: Hero or Stranger Othello is a hero due to being a hardened and vicious warrior on the battlefield but he is also a tragic hero in this play. A tragic hero by definition is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. For example Othello is the husband of Desdemona whom he murders because he has been misled by the villainous IagoRead MoreOthello - A Play That Transcends Time Essay941 Words   |  4 Pagesworld of Shakespeare’s Othello. It is through my exploration of these perspectives and their relationship with changing morals and values that has enriched my understanding of the play. One such reading of the play challenges the marginalisation and objectification of woman in a patriarchal Venetian society, while taking into account the changing role of women in modern society. Another interpretation of Othello examines its post colonial elements through the protagonist Othello, and his insecuritiesRead MoreOthello, By William Shake speare1140 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Othello† is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1603. In this play, Shakespeare features three major characters: Othello, Iago, and Desdemona. Othello, a black man, and Desdemona, a white venetian secretly eloped in the play. Iago shows racism and prejudice towards their relationship because of their skin colors. In the play, Iago says: â€Å"Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, or else the devil will make a