Plato once said that “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” Outsiders, members of illegitimate societies, are shunned because of limitations and restrictions in society. They tend to gravitate towards the light, but very few complete their journey. In Othello, The Great Gatsby, and The Death of a Salesman, heroic ambitions for acceptance and escape from the darkness are combated by societal expectations, shown through the light, which acts as a lure, towards societal norms and goals. Ironically, however, the tragedies that face all the protagonists are because of the darkness, or secret desires that each character makes to overcome their expectations. Need to say how love and American dream are barriers. …show more content…
white have created conflict between the members of the play. Since the 16th century dictates that black people, or Moors, are inferior to white people, Othello is stuck in the darkness as an outsider; thus suggesting that interlopers are alone, not part of a community. Within these contrasting worlds, outsiders, like Othello, try to integrate into society, but can’t. For instance, this ingrained mindset portraying the inferiority of black people is further shown when Othello exclaims, “Her name, that was as fresh as Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black / As mine own face.” 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’s Complexity In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the main protagonist Othello may not be as simple of a character as you might think. This notion stems from two different ideas that create an aura of complexity around Othello’s character. The first idea is that even though Othello is a black man living in Venice during the sixteenth century (a predominantly white and racist city during that time) he is able to obtain a high status in society. The second idea is how drastically different Othello’s personality is at the beginning of the play compared to the end of the play.
It is society that labels both Othello and Iago as outcasts, Othello for being dark skinned and Iago for being shoved down the social hierarchy. Both of these outsiders are uncomfortable in their current social system. Regardless, they are deeply submerged within it and are shaped by it. Their obsession over their circumstances and characteristics leads the men to destroy themselves. Shakespeare represents the outsiders in society through the three men of Othello.
Othello finds himself an outsider because he realize that he is black, so he is not a good husband to choose. He has a different religion, so he is not fully accepted by Venetian society. He is confused and doubts himself. He doubts why his wife chose him. He doubts why the society named him such exalted position.
In Cohen’s elucidation of Othello, he comments on the strong and prominent theme of white supremacy. Othello has pushed aside most, if not all, of his cultural characteristics in favor of adopting Venetian traits. He does this as a way to earn back some respect that he lost because of his skin color. Throughout the whole play, Othello is the victim of racial slurs that would demand serious punishment if they were directed at a white man. Cohen contradicts himself in this article when he says that Othello’s suicide “proclaims the triumph of the white civilization”(325) while demeaning himself, but then comments on how Othello reasserts his value with a simple statement.
In Othello, many people turn to race when they are frustrated or angry thus making the play racist. Throughout the play many show great respect for Othello, but as soon as the war ends internal conflicts arise, giving the characters more time to notice race and aggravate one another. This switch from war to peace is crucial in the play because if the war had continued race would not have been an issue. The war discontinuing allowed hatred and discovery of each character sparking the time to think and plot events. Iago 's hatred comes from Othello chosing Cassio as the lieutenant when he had no experience in war through Igao’s perspective.
Just as in Sophocles' timeless Antigone, in Othello, hubris proves again to be a great man's hamartia. Similar to King Creon's tragic fall, Othello's blind killing of his soulmate, Desdemona, displays that pride can only lead in one's implosion. No ending is as quintessentially Shakespearian as watching a once loyal subordinate become disparaged to the point of blind fury by his formal idol. The fatal concoction of hubris and the desire to excel can land in disaster, and the ends rarely justify the means.
Since the 1900s, Shakespeare’s plays have been taught and read in high school literature classes. In his plays you can see a trend of tragedy, romance, and racism, which are almost always analyzed within the classrooms. Some argue Shakespeare should no longer be taught in classrooms due to how eurocentric is writing is, other argue his use of language is rich and just about all of his themes still resonate today. All of his plays consist of the same type of cast, white males and females and if there is a person who is anything other then white and catholic, they would be the “antagonist” throughout the book. In Shakespeare’s play Othello, Othello is happily married and a greatly respected general in the Venetian army, even though he is his
Prominence of Racism in Othello “When Othello committed atrocious crimes because of his unfounded jealousy, those who had previously believed him to be admirable and good condemned him, not by criticizing his character, but by criticizing his distinguishing racial characteristic: his color” (Speaks 1). The play Othello, by the one and only William Shakespeare, is chocked full of tragedy, trickery, and frequent racist slurs. This play was written in the early sixteen hundred, when interatrial marriage was almost unheard of and greatly frowned upon.
In Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, the title character is a 16th century Moorish general of the Venetian army who, because of the cultural and historical background of the play’s setting, the playwright, and the original intended audience, is portrayed as both well-respected for his military prowess and disparaged for his race. Similarly, because socialization through media, African Americans in society are lively for the entertainment of music and are seen as violent for the media showing crimes committed by African Americans. Shakespeare crafted Othello’s character as a respected general to the people of Venice that people need in a time of war. This was mentioned as Othello walk in after receiving a letter from the Duke of Venice stating
Manipulation of the African Race in Othello In William Shakespeare’s Othello, racism is a principal theme that drives the plot of the entire play. An outlier in Venice, Othello the moor or African, is targeted by his ensign Iago because Cassio who seems to be unqualified, was promoted to a lieutenant before he was. Iago is driven by envy and jealousy and creates a confusing and elaborate plan to deprive Cassio of his position. Iago also shares these envious motives with Roderigo, a man lusting over Othello’s wife.
All through the main demonstration of the play, Othello is appeared the same number of various characters relying upon who is talking. Iago whines of Othello 's pride and "pomposity situation" and is infuriated by the arrangement of Cassio, an informed military theoretician of Florence to lieutenant, rather than himself. As Iago addresses Brabantio about Othello, he utilizes the expression "white ewe" to speak to Desdemona, and "dark smash" when alluding to Othello. By utilizing these terms, it demonstrates that he is attempting to give a terrible impression of Othello when he is addressing the illustrious family in Venice, since Othello is a Moor, or a Negro. Iago demonstrates his dark contempt for the Moor and his desire of Cassio in his first
Reading “Othello the Moor of Venice” was a very interesting storyline. It bleatingly emphasizes the concept of race throughout the plot. Written by Shakespeare, thus is considered one of his best pieces of work. The story has been remastered and used in a variety of different contexts and published in movies and has inspired many plays. This play was written surrounding four characters; Othello, Desdemona, Lago, and Cassio.
The concept of racism is a prevalent issue that has existed in the past and continues even today in our present society, but racism is not acceptable at all in society, and people should be treated equally regardless of race or ethnicity. However, instances of racism can be found in the play Othello written by William Shakespeare many years ago, in the present criminal justice system and even in our current school systems. In Othello, Othello, a Moorish soldier, is treated unfairly and accused of stealing the love of Desdemona by using sorcery or magic spells to win her hand in marriage. Iago, a supposedly loyal friend of Othello’s, announces to Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, that “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”
Intro Othello is a play by William Shakespeare about jealousy, race, manipulation, and hate among many other themes written between 1600 and 1605 between the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and the beginning of King James I reign. Fundamentally, it is a play about the danger of favourites- Othello, the play’s tragic hero, original favourite is his lieutenant but over the course of the play Iago is able to convince Othello that Cassio, his lieutenant, is having an affair with Othello’s wife Desdemona and Iago becomes Othello’s favourite. In the courts of both Elizabeth and James, the monarchs had favourites like Iago. But in Othello, Iago turns out to be untrustworthy.
Othello 's own brainstorm when he describes murderous green eyed monster as innate in the married man married woman relationship which suggests the wife as the exclusive possession of the husband and is thus at betting odds with the man status wherein one California n never know another individual's inmost persuasion and desires: "O curse word of marriage observance! That we can call these delicate beasts ours and not their appetite!" Several Recent critics have sought to explain Othello's behavior as arising from his insecurity as a blackness in a racialist White person society. However, I would contend that the child's play forcefully combats racism which suggests blacks and egg white s as essentially different precisely by its presentation of Othello as not at all different from any white husband. The maturation of his jealousy, the words of prop possession