Othello: Shakespeares Radical Depiction of Race in the 17th Century - Research Paper Example

Othello: Shakespeare’s Radical Depiction of Race in the 17th Century In the modern setting, racism is still a very sensitive topic that everyone tries to avoid because of the complexities that it may convey. Consequently, creating unconventional characters such as a protagonist who is black, noble and respectable and carries a high rank in the army, and an antagonist who is white and evil, is something that is totally outrageous when Shakespeare first brought ‘Othello’ to his 17th century European audience. ‘Othello’ is a story about a black decorated soldier who secretly married a rich white woman and found himself a victim of doubt and malice because of the color of his skin. The role of race is strongly manifested in context, form and plot of the story. It provided the greatest prominent substance for the struggles that become evident in the play (Bate). With the help of the villain Iago, Othello felt deceit and insecurity therefore doubted his worth too which propelled him to commit a savage act of murder. Through the manipulation of Othello and others, Iago was able to associate the color of Othello’s skin to his inconsistent behavior. He planted doubt and suspicion to his master by exposing the existence of prejudiced ideas and persuaded him to do something about it. By making Othello believe that racism exists, Othello himself created it (Coleridge). Discrimination may be rooted from reasons of fear, jealousy, greed and aspiration for power. The most common form of discrimination is attacking the skin color since it is very easy to distinguish and an innate trait that can’t be changed (Halio). In the story, Othello is a respected general of African heritage and is married to Desdemona, a fair skinned female and daughter of Senator Brabantio. Being born with freedom and royalty, Othello never had a taste of indifference from the rulers and people of Venetia. The different color of his skin has not prohibited him from reaching a high rank in society and enjoys the privilege that his position entails. Meanwhile, the success of Othello earned him respect as well as envy for some. Iago, a soldier under his command, despises him for denying him a promotion to lieutenant and instead giving it to an inexperienced Cassio. Iago then plotted his revenge by conniving with Rodrigo who is known for his admiration for Othello’s wife, Desdemona. In their discussion, the two men repeatedly mention Othello as merely a “Moore” and indicate that he is not human and doesn’t deserve to be called by his name (Halio). There is an obvious effort to degrade Othello's character by using debasing terms. Rodrigo regarded him as “What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe, If he can carry ‘t thus!” (Othello, I.i.65-66). In the 1600s, racism was accepted as a part of normal life. White Europeans regarded themselves as civilized and the black Africans as savages. Although Othello’s character in the story was accepted by the Venetian society, his demise is unavoidable because of his race, because the color of his skin is part of his nature, his blood and his primitive drives. However, it is very important to point out that Othello’s race is not the main reason why Iago despises him so much. It can be said that Iago is jealous of his master because of his high position in the military and the blissful marriage that he has with Desdemona. His hatred to Othello started at a professional level that gradually developed into an attack to the latter’s physical qualities and led to racism (Muir). Furthermore, Iago and Rodgrigo tried to sabotage the marriage of Othello and his wife by convincing Brabantio that the former forced the latter to a union without her consent. To point toward the difference of the color of the skin and stature of the two, Iago and Rodrigo called out to the senator, “An old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe” (Othello, I.i.87-88). They insinuated that Othello is still a moor, and amidst the high regard that people give to him, he is still different and an outsider. They equate Othello into an ill formed animal, “You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary/Horse; you’ll have your nephews neigh to you; you’ll have cours-/ers for cousins and gennets for germans” (Othello, I.i.110-12). Iago further anger the old man by labelling the act between Othello and Desdemona’s union forms the “beast with two back” (Othello, i.i.112). These horrible comparisons of a man from a darker race with animals suggest barbarism and uncivilized representations (Hazlitt). Desperate to maintain his honor and authority in the eyes of society, Brabantio announced that Othello tricked his daughter to marry him. He can’t understand how, “against all rules of nature” his Desdemona could have fallen “in love with that what she feared to look on” (Othello, I.iii.98). Shakespeare just gave an idea on how extreme the Elizabethan era perceived race. He presented an association of black men to witchcraft and seduction and that the union of a black man and a white woman is unnatural and taboo. In the story, Brabatio also believes that men of different have no place in a white society, “For if such actions may have passage free,/bondslaves and pagans shall our statement be” (Othello, I.iii.98). He ordered his guards to find the general and sent him to prison. Othello defended himself by recounting that Brabantio “lov’d me; oft invited me” (Othello, I.iii.128) before the incident. He dismissed racism as a factor of the father of his wife’s anger since he respected Othello from the start. He convinced the Duke of Venice that they were truly in love. The Duke then acquitted Othello for the suspected crime and pointed out that to Brabantio that he should see the values and good morals of a person past his race or color by saying, “If virtue no delighted beauty lack/Your son-in-law is far more fair than black” (Othello, I.iii.288-89). Othello’s real character is presented as the story progress; the audience generates an educated man and knows his place in the society. Othello was completely oblivious of the existing hatred over race. He declared, “My parts, my title and my perfect soul/Shall manifest me rightly” (Othello, I.ii.31-32). Having been raised as a royalty, he never thought of the possibility that he will be accused of such wrongdoing just because he is black (Hazlitt). After clearing his name, Othello, together with his wife and his soldiers, went to Cyprus to defend the island from the Turks. Iago soon went out of his way to plant suspicion to his master by claiming that Desdemona is having an affair with a white man. Because of Othello’s pure and unassuming character, he immediately dismissed his soldier’s claims. He emphasizes, “Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw/The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt:/For she had eyes, and chose me” (III.iii.187-89). Though he also considers that it is natural that his wife prefer men of the same skin color, “And yet, how nature erring from itself—” (III.iii.228). Using this belief, Iago built the doubt in Othello’s mind by convincing him that Desdemona has qualms with the marriage and looks at other men brought by the issue of his husband’s race. The element of belonging to an ‘inferior’ color at that time is essential since Othello gradually lose his self-confidence and eventually felt demoralized. The single seed of doubt that was planted in his mind opened his eyes to the fact that he is different from the rest of the society. He condemned Desdemona in an attempt to release his unbearable anger, Haply, for I am black And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have, or for I am declin’d Into the vale of years,--yet that’s not much— She’s gone. I am abus’d: and my relief Must be to loathe her (Othello, III.iii.264-69) Moreover, Othello crafted an idea that her wife’s infidelity is justified because of his racial inferiority. He himself acknowledge and believed that he is a lesser man because he is black, and nevertheless Desdemona’s actions are motivated by that sad fact (Hazlitt). He suddenly changed into a very different person in considering the relevance of race due to the influence of Iago. When Lodovico saw how Othello slapped his wife because of a comment about her supposed lover, the man exclaimed, “My lord, this would not be believ’d in Venice,/Though I should swear I saw ‘t; ‘til very much” (Othello, IV.i.225-26). Believing that this is completely out of character from the general, he doubted Othello’s reputation saying, “Is this the noble Moor whom our full senate/Call all in all sufficient? Is this the nature/Whom passion could not shake? Whose solid virtue/The shot of accident, nor dart of chance,/Could neither graze nor pierce?” (Othello, IV.i.245-49). He became full of anger, self-loathing and apprehensive. Emilia, the wife of Iago, noticing the harsh behavior of Othello to his wife and hearing his foul words to describe her cried, ““Here’s a change indeed!” (Othello, IV.ii.107). Consumed with hate and jealousy, Othello orchestrated his wife and her lover’s demise. Othello’s color was primarily an unimportant factor for most of the members of the Venetian society. It is observed that his skin color was only judged by the people who admired and respected him when he committed the cold-blooded murder of his wife. They can’t comprehend why such an irrational and brutal act can be manifested by such noble man, why a generous general would destroy his name and reputation from mere hearsay and gossip with baseless accusations (Bate). Nonetheless, race played a key role in the story. Iago raised the consciousness of Othello to insecurity and racial inferiority. In the end, the people of Venice came to a conclusion that the savage within the “Moore” prevailed after all. Works Cited Bate, Jonathan, ed., and Russell Jackson. Shakespeare: An Illustrated Stage History. Oxford University Press, 1996. Print. Coleridge, S.T. “Lectures on Shakespeare” Shakespearean Tragedy . Bratchell, D.F. London: Routledge. 1990. Print. Halio, Jay, ed. Understanding The Merchant of Venice: A Student Casebook. Greenwood Press, 2000. Print. Hazlitt, W. “Characters of Shakespeare's Plays” Shakespearean Tragedy . Bratchell, D.F. London: Routledge. 1990. Print. Muir, K. Shakespeare's Tragic Sequence. London: Hutchinson & Co LTD. 1972. Print. Shakespeare,W. Othello. Ed. Honigmann E.A.J. London: Thomson Learning. 2006. Print. Read More