Jealousy and Race in Othello - 1430 Words

Othello is one of Shakespeare’s tragedies; originally written as a play and performed to an Elizabethan audience. Othello and many of Shakespeare’s other plays have been performed to various audiences since, and have been adapted into Opera, Ballet, Film and television productions. Othello has survived the centuries to this day and age; and continues to captivate and remain relevant to a modern audience; Othello certainly is a timeless classic work of art. â€Å"The object of tragic imitation is men in action.† As stated by Aristotle in his work, Poetics. Othello consists of men in action, in more than one sense; Othello (titular character protagonist), Iago and Cassio are ‘men of action’ and additionally, throughout the play we are able to†¦show more content†¦Iago wakens Brabantio (Desdemona’s father), â€Å"Even now. Now†¦ an old black ram†¦white ewe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Iago wakens Brabantio (Desdemona’s father) of n ews that his daughter has eloped with Othello. He uses racial slurs (white ewe, old black ram), Iago’s imagery of animals also makes reference to Othello’s supposed untameable sexual urges and bestiality which were common beliefs about ‘moors’ or ‘blacks’ during the Elizabethan era. Brabantio’s mind is shaken as Iago manipulates his (Brabantio’s) fears of inter-racial marriage/sex. Iago also refers to Othello as the devil (which is ironic due to Iago being more likely to be likened as such, with his ‘motiveless malignity’ and Machiavellian schemes.) which plays on the Elizabethan notion that black men were evil and the devil often took the shape and form-factor of a black man. Brabantio later accuses Othello of using Black Magic to win Desdemona’s hand, which may be in reference to said notion. The Duke of Venice, in defence of Othello says,â€Å" And, noble signor, ... far more fair than black† , Not a ll Venetians see Othello in the same light as Brabantio, The Duke and the senators are obviously filled with veneration for the great military leader. Shakespeare plays with light and dark imagery here, although the Duke speaks of Othello in a highly virtuous and courteous manner, he still treats the notion of ‘blackness’ as an undesirable feature, or bearing negative connotations. RatherShow MoreRelated Racism in William Shakespeares Othello Essay1059 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares Othello The play, Othello, is certainly, in part, the tragedy of racism. Examples of racism are common throughout the dialog. This racism is directed toward Othello, a brave soldier from Africa and currently supreme commander of the Venetian army. Nearly every character uses a racial slur to insult Othello at one point in the play. Even Emilia sinks to the level of insulting Othello based on the color of his skin. The character that most commonly makes racist remarks in Othello is IagoRead MoreRacism In Othello Analysis829 Words   |  4 PagesRacism in Othello.† Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 3, Oct. 1993, p. 304. In this article, the author relates the idea of primal scene to racism in â€Å"Othello†. Primal scene is a psychoanalysis theory by Sigmund Freud. This theory claims once a child imagines or sees their parents having sexual relations they will be unable to repress this image from reappearing in th eir mind. The author relates this theory to the play â€Å"Othello† by mentioningRead MoreExploring the Causes of the Tragedy of Shakespeare ´s Othello1014 Words   |  4 Pagesunfavorable circumstances. In the play Othello, William Shakespeare uses the literary device characterization in sequence to convey that Othello’s tragic flaw is the main reason that brings Othello to his downfall --- death. 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He was a black generalRead MoreHow Does Shakespeare Use Language and Dramatic Devices to Present the Theme of Jealousy in Othello?1497 Words   |  6 Pageslanguage and dramatic devices to present the theme of jealousy in Othello? ----- Othello weaves a tragic tale of love, jealousy and murder. Set in Venice and progressing to Cyprus, Shakespeare’s Othello follows the cursed path of its namesake, a black soldier whose love for his wife ultimately results in her death. Woven into the socially and emotionally delicate plot is a multitude of key themes, including race (Othello’s colour), love, and jealousy. A key figure, if not the most important in the playRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Othello 1131 Words   |  5 PagesAn Analysis of Othello by Shakespeare Shakespeare is known for his use of recurring themes throughout his work, including love, death and betrayal. These themes are present in his work of Othello. However, the most fundamental issue is jealousy. The lives of the characthers in Othello are ruined by jealousy from the beginning to the end of the play. The telling of the story is carried out by passion, jealousy, and death. Shakespeare’s Othello reveals devastating tragic inevitability, stunning psychologicalRead MoreFour Main Characters in Othello by William Shakespeare900 Words   |  4 PagesOthello is a play about the Moor of Venice who is a black man in the 1600s. The play revolves around four central characters: Othello, a general in the Venetian army; his new wife, Desdemona; his lieutenant, Cassio; and his trusted ensign, Iago. Even though Othello isnt introduced until (Act 1 Scene2), there are several perceptions we already have of him. Since Iago is the first to speak of Othello, we may conclude that Ot hello is an animal or a man that doesnt deserve to be a part of VenetianRead MoreOthello The Destruction Of Power Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesOthello, the Destruction of Power As William Shakespeare has written many plays, none may be as powerful as Othello, the Moor of Venice. With the entanglement of love, deception, power and yes even race was an issue in those days in 1597. Although, Othello finds love, it comes at such a cost to him and his wife, Desdemona, with things such as deceit, jealousy, race and even alienation. When a person has as much power as Othello had, it will typically come with a cost, and his cost was death to himRead MoreSymbol In Injullo Desdemona And Lago Characters In Othello1071 Words   |  5 Pagessymbol in the play. It is the root influences of Othello, Desdemona and Lago characters in the play. The handkerchief is the tool for Lago revenge against Othello. Also, the handkerchief plays a pivotal role that lead to Othello demise. Lastly, the handkerchief is Desdemona love for Othello. The handkerchief represents different meaning to all different characters in the play. The handkerchief is Desdemona love for Othello but also the cause Othello suspension of his wife disloyalty. According toRead MoreRace, Religion, and the Significance of Stereotypes in Othello1688 Words   |  7 Pageswritten multiple works that incorporate generalizations of his era. For example, Shylock from The Merchant of Venice served as the archetypal Jew of the late 16th century. Othello explicitly includes race and religion as a fundamental part of the motivations behind the characters’ actions. In Othello, Shakespeare portrays Othello as a character that transcends stereotypes yet still has some connections to his cultural and religious origins. Shakespeare illustrates how early 17th century Venetian stereotypes