Race in Shakespeare

Since the Middle Ages, the issues of race flip long been discussed. In nearly e really culture, race has been a topic of daedal word that has brought kindly discomfort and in most instances racial prejudice Elizabethan England existence no exception. William Shakespeare applies the issue of race in many another(prenominal) of his turn of eventss much(prenominal) in the calamity of Othello that captures the reality of society in Elizabethan England, exhibit common racial bias of that era. Through his characters in the play, Shakespeare illustrates Elizabethan social ideology towards race, in which foreigners have adapted to a lifestyle of racial prejudice.In order to better understand the racial context behind the tragedy of Othello it is important to keep in mind the historical complexities that existed in Elizabethan England. Elizabethan vision of foreigners was complex and evolving from the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, prosecute with foreigners involved the spiritual and material aspect of life. Margo Hendricks, author of Shakespeare and Race, explains within Elizabethan culture and literature that foreigners were put unrivalled overed as those implementing a process of vulgarization. Elizabethan sentience of foreigners was closely tied to the religious outlook of the world, in which followers of Judaism and Islam were the antithesis of Christians. The variety in religions prompted the same outlook on difference in race. In the beginning, foreigners mostly blacks, were forcefully brought over to Elizabethan England as creatures that possessed bittie to no rights. However, as time went on they became members of Elizabethan society cognize as moors. Although they were now members of society, racial integration with whites often clashed, resulting in complex tensions amongst the different races.Many foreigners in Elizabethan England were blacks, according to Diane Abbott, a current British Member of Parliament, in which the sudden fountain in number caused queen mole rat Elizabeth I to issue a proclamation complaining nearly this rise in numbers of blacks in England. For blacks, the aspect of color brought so many negative connotations in the eyes of white Elizabethan Christians that degraded them in Elizabethan society. In this regard, Shakespeare uses the issue of race in Othello, written during Elizabethan times, as one of the main themes in the story represented with characters much(prenominal) as Iago, Brabantio, and others.In the beginning of the play, Iago look ats with Roderigo and the audience his intentions of manipulating Othello for his personal gain because Othello passed on Iago as his lieutenant, thus allowing Iago to act a need for revenge base on personal hatred. Before diving into examples illustrating racism in the play it is important to also understand Othellos background in regards to creation a black foreigner in Elizabethan society. Othello, who is the plays protagonist, is a highly respe cted general of the Venetian armed forces, although being a Moor, a man of North African descent.Ironically in the play, Othello is therefore presented in some ways opposite to the norms of Elizabethan society. fleck being a powerful figure and having the respect of his followers, Othello is still give in to racial backlash due to his societal role as a cultural outsider for being a foreigner. Moors, or those of African decent, were describen as second class citizens of Elizabethan society, treated with little respect, and making real little income to help support their families.Othello has to secretly marry Desdemona, a Venetian woman, because he knows not only would Desdemonas father be contrasted to such a marriage between a foreigner and a Venetian, but also society wouldnt be in upgrade of it either. This as we see in the play provokes more racial slurs towards Othello, although the do it that Desdemona and Othello share for each other is too strong for race to let an issue between them. In the opening act of the play we see Iago, a veteran military man of Venice and the harshest critic of Othello throughout the play, share with Roderigo and the audience his intentions of revenge against Othello.Here not only do we unravel Iagos personal hatred for Othello, but Roderigos racial views as well. What a full fortune does the thick lips owe if he can put outt thus (I, i ,65) Roderigo, who wants to win Desdemonas love outside from Othello at any cost, calls Othello as thick-lips, a racial stereotype of blacks, when responding to Iago rough their plans to turn Venetians such as Desdemonas father Brabantio, against Othello. As Roderigo and Iago go to awake Brabantio in the middle of the night to tell him of the news that Desdemona ran remove with Othello to get married, multiple stereotypes and slurs are used in this exchange.Iago tells Brabantio that hes been robbed of his soul, for Othello has taken Desdemona by some sort of curse, being that there s no way a prominent Venetian woman would go off to marry a barbarian instead of a Venetian man. Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, youll have your miss covered with a Barbary horse, youll have your nephews neigh to you, youll have coursers for cousins and jennets for germans. ( I, i, 108) Iago, in his chat with Brabantio, compares Othello to a Barbary horse in Africa.In a most obscene manner, Iago is informing Brabantio of the repercussions in their society if he doesnt take action against Othello for his missy is now within the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor (act 1 sc. 1 line 141). The negative connotation of the color black isnt only viewed in the eyes only Venetians in the tragedy of Othello. In fact, Othello uses the color black as a negative implication as well when he hears from Iago that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him. arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell thy height and hearted throne to tyrannous hate III, iii, 447) It c ould be possible that perhaps those in Elizabethan England simply used black and white to mirror mediocre versus good, regretful versus light, and through this view brought the same view of foreigners because of skin color. Brabantio accuses Othello of dark magic as his way of wooing Desdemona, claiming his impurity in forcing his girls willingness in marriage. Whereas many of such derogatory comments about Othello have much irony considering his status as a leader of the Venetian army, at the same time it clearly illustrates the social gap between citizens and foreigners.Regardless of the fact that Othello is a man of power as is Brabantio being a senator the view of foreigners is rather a big issue, in this case Brabantio despises Othello for his actions because his view just like many Venetians is that a foreigner with a Venetian recreates impurity and disgrace to society. Othello being the black Moor of Venice shows an opposite manakin to the norm of Elizabethan society. While racism can be preferably obvious through the language of some characters, it can be interpreted through minor characters as well.In the final act after genus genus Emilia sees that Othello has killed an innocent Desdemona, she yells O the more angel she, and you the blacker devil (V, ii, 132) for believing Iago who was manipulating him the blameless time, resulting in killing his innocent wife he much adored. Emilia uses the color as shades of evil, saying that Othello has done something terribly impose on _or_ oppress that connects him to the devil. In my opinion, the murder of Desdemona restores order of Elizabethan society, where as Othello having power would cut out the order of the social hierarchy, bringing chaos and social problems for others.While some arrest Othello as the protagonist of the play, it is important to understand the historical prejudice of blacks from whites in Elizabethan England. My interpretation of the play in regards to the historical backg round of Elizabethan society leads me to believe Othello was by no means a paladin in the play because he was made out to be truly gullible in believing Iagos perceived truth of his wife, causing him to become jealous, heartbroken, and then proceeding by killing his wife with very little evidence that she was actually unfaithful to him.This could bring up questions about whether Shakespeare was in favor of societys racial prejudice towards blacks, against it, or just simply used it in his work as one of his appeals, although Othello is portrayed sympathetically as an articulate and intelligent man. In my opinion, had Shakespeare been against racism, he would have made the characters in the play that are racist such as Iago seem weak and have him fail his intentions of revenge on the Moor for choosing Cassio over Iago as lieutenant. In this play however, Iago is killed in such a way that makes him look like a martyr, and the real hero of the play.Otherwise, I believe Shakespeare wo uld have made much more ferocity on racism being so derogatory that Othellos actions would bring positive attitudes from the audience as well as sympathy, while making those that are racist hold major character flaws.Citations in MLA set up Shakespeare, William. Othello. Russ McDonald, 05/01/2001. Hendricks, Margo. Shakespeare and Race. Cambridge University of Cambridge, 2000. Abbott, Diane. British History In Depth. BBC. 2009-11-05 . On Race and theology. PBS. .