Since Othello utters that since he is with Desdemona, her reputation “is now begrimed and black,” it presents how a black man can tarnish the “fresh” identity of a white women. Since Othello is accepted and praised as a war hero, but not accepted as lover, love becomes a barrier that leads to a tragedy. Societal expectations push people to the point where they try to surpass society’s norms. Though, when they reach this tipping point, tragedy will
Othello is the General of the Cyprus army with honest Iago by his side. During this time racism was happening and Othello was a part of it. Othello tried his best for everybody to like him; people would talk behind his back, call him names, and would eventually ruin his life. Iago was an ensign in the army, and his “good” friend, who would put lies into Othello's head, which eventually, he took control of Othello. In this essay Othello will display cultural criticism and how it displays him as a person in the story.
Internalised societal prejudices allow their flaws to overpower their love. Othello’s experience with racial prejudice and Desdamona’s with misogyny make their relationship susceptible to distrust and selfishness. Othello’s view of Desdemona as an accomplishment is demonstrated in Act 5 scene 2, when Emilia exclaims “O, the more angel she, And you the blacker devil!” Emelia’s description of Desdemona and Othello is an oxymoron that forces them to oppose each other, where Othello is viewed as a demonic creature, and Desdemona as angelic.
First consider Othello’s inspiration, Cinthio’s “A Moorish Captain.” Though Shakespeare’s take on Cinthio’s story is not in itself a critique, what he added or subtracted from the material can suggest his intent. Some changes suggest racist motivations while others are neutral. Among the The most significant changes is Iago’s motive and Desdemona’s own doubts and those surrounding her (Coleridge). In Cinthio’s story, Iago’s motivation is his lust for Desdemona.
Othello becomes violent, and begins to grow violent towards Desdemona. He threatens to “chop her into messes” (Shakespeare, 4.1.219), and while “striking her,” calls her the “devil” (Shakespeare, 2.1.268). Othello’s physical and mental abuse of Desdemona starkly contrasts the intense love he feels for her at the beginning of the play, and only begins after Iago makes him aware of the implications of his race upon his actions. The cunning manipulator makes Othello aware of his race, and incessantly reminds the general of his blackness
Othello with focusing on trying to please other characters but his cultural beliefs and understanding prevented him from being successful and lead him down a destructive path. Othello tried his best to make everyone like him but with him trying to marry the Senator 's daughter which nobody liked. With him being new and already having a bad first impression people aren 't going to want him here for long. This being Cultural criticism he 's just trying to please everyone as much as he can. People start to call him racist names and making fun of his
Shakespeare continues to compare his two characters to present two categories of people those that are hungry for love and those that thirst for power; nevertheless, Shakespeare reminds us that one group of people will always be torn down by the other. When Othello regales the readers with a tale of his childhood he recounts “Of moving ancients by flood and field/ of hairbreadth scapes i’th ‘imminent deadly breach,/ of being taken by the insolent foe/ and sold to slavery, of my redemption thence.” (1.3.137-140) By being a black Muslim, Othello has lived an arduous life filled with death and brutality. One simple act of kindness would stand out against everything Othello has ever known, so when Iago pretends to be Othello’s friend he is drawn to him and seeks affection.
Thus, “Alabaster” can be assumed as his true attitude towards her. Along with the doomed relationship between the main characters, another main theme in the play is the unsuspected weakness and deficiency in Othello’s character due to his racial character. This is because of the fact that he is a Moor. He is presented as half-civilized and not well adapted for life in cultured Venice.
When people of one race believe themselves to be superior to those of another, only catastrophe can result. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, racism was extremely prevalent, and white supremacy was much more pronounced. In William Shakespeare’s play Othello, both covert and overt racism, assimilation, and jealous dispositions all foreshadow the untimely death of Desdemona and Othello. Most characters in Othello display both covert racism and overt racism towards Othello.
An excerpt of Act 1, Scene 1 (Lines 110-112) explores this concept when Iago exclaims “Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, you’ll have your nephews neigh to you.” Shakespeare cleverly incorporates animalistic imagery to showcase the role that race has in a society and its effect on an individual’s social standing. Iago uses his relationships to manipulate those around him and convey his dehumanisation of Othello, expressing his true perception of him and exhibiting his hatred towards him, as it shows what lengths he will go to in order to take revenge on Othello. His belief that he is entitled to Othello’s promotion angers him when he finds out that he is not the promoted one; rather it is Cassio, as he reflects on the military experience he has in comparison. Though Othello is a general that serves Venice, Iago disrespects him and refers him to derogatory terms such as “The Moor” because of his race.
In Othello, Othello and Desdemona are both characters that are struggling with their identities. In the beginning of the play we find Othello as a respectful man that is successful, but then we get Iago that manipulates him to make him seem as the bad guy. We also find Desdemona that turns against her father and the Elizabethan society to marry Othello, but we also find that she is respectful and obedient to Othello.
In the play Othello, William Shakespeare creates an elaborate tragedy with various in depth characters, enhancing the story with powerful characterization. Iago, the main antagonist of Othello, exemplifies Shakespeare’s use of characterization to create in depth and complex characters. Using his manipulative nature, intellectual mind, egotistical attitude, and dishonesty, Iago controls the other characters in order to achieve his goal, leading Othello to succumb to an overwhelming jealousy causing his downfall. In order for Iago to gain control of the characters in the play, he manipulates Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and more to believe false information and turn on one another.
However, this relationship clashes by a lot of challenges because of racial prejudice and prepare Othello`s to accept this racist view. In fact, these perceptions of racism destroy him psychologically. This play was written in 1604 by Shakespeare. So was the fact that in that period in Venice, which is a center of European civilization in that period. In fact , this was a civilization is not equal among the people.
Throughout history, societies have succumbed to the toxic concepts of racism, causing an unthinkable amount of chaos and devastation. While racism on its own can lead to many societal evils, racism coupled with jealousy can create a truly catastrophic force that can only lead to pure destruction. When someone of a different race and culture is placed in this kind of society, this destruction will only naturally follow. In the play Othello, William Shakespeare focuses on the tragic outcomes of Othello, a Venetian general and black Turkish Moor, and Desdemona, his white Venetian wife. Throughout the play, both covert and overt racism, assimilation, and jealous dispositions all foreshadow the untimely death of Desdemona and Othello.
His sinister and cunning acts are a perpetration of his character and can be demonstrated thus; when confessing to Roderigo his plans to betray Othello he declares ‘I follow him to serve any term upon him... I am not what I am’ (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 42-46). Furthermore, Iago elucidates his strategy to the audience which is typified through the quotes ‘After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear’, (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 389) and ‘The Moor is of a free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem to be so’ (Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 393-394). These lines are noticeably omitted form the film due to the time constraints, and their exclusion has been perceived as the catalyst for the contrasted themes of the play. Other notable attempts by Iago to manipulate his peers include; his advice to Cassio to put his case to Desdemona regarding his disposition as Lieutenant, which can be seen in the lines ‘...turn her virtue into pitch, and out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all’ (Act 2, Scene 3, Lines 350-353).
