Othello Essay Example for Free

Othello EssayIn the play Othello written by Shakespeare, the issue of racism is addressed. Othello, the protagonist of the play, is African American or black. According to Lois Whitney, numerous of Othellos specific attri savees probably derive from Shakespeares reading of Leo Africanus, whose Geographical Historie of Africa which was translated and published in London in 1600(Berry, 1990). Many critics have different views on this. If Shakespeare depended upon Leo Africanus for such details, he must have been much more interested in racial psychology than critics such as Bradley or Heilman apprize(Berry, 1990). One of the most liberal features of this Shakespeare play is the numerous references to Othellos skin color made by multiple characters however some critics tend to ignore or underplay the issue of Othellos race. Many critics have different views and arguments on Othellos skin color. A. C. Bradley, fro example, asserts that in regards to the essentials of his character Othellos race is unimportant, and that Shakespeare would have laughed if anyone had congratulated him on the accuracy of his racial psychology (Skura 2008).Others differ and believe Othellos race was important. Laurence Lemer calls Othello the story of a barbarian who relapses and concludes that Shakespeare suffered from colour prejudice (Berry, 1990). Throughout the play Othello is referred to as a berth. Moor is a term meaning a descent from Africa. Har superannuated Clarke Goddard argues that Othello is neither a Negro nor a Moor but any many who is more beautiful within than he is without (Skura, 2008). Some critics regular(a) put the audience of the play into consideration.The potential impact of his individualized appearance upon audiences is suggested by Charles give births frank admission that although he could find Othello admirable in the reading he was only repelled by the figure of a coal-black Moor on stage, he concluded that the play should rather be read and not seen (Berry, 1990). Many critics have tended to ignore or underplay the issue of Othellos skin color, but these select critics have not. Along with critics making references to Othellos race, many characters in the play do as well.The characters that are most antiblack refer to Othello by his real name less than the people who are least racist. Othellos pitch blackamoor is not only a mark of his physical alienation but a symbol, to which every character in the play himself included must respond (Berry, 1990). Othello does not refer to himself as African but rather as an exotic Venetian. Other characters do not see Othello as that. Many characters call Othello numerous names other than his real one. For Iago Othello is an old black ram, the devil, and a barbary horse (Berry, 1990).Many see Othellos blackness as a symbol of ugliness, bestiality, treachery, and demonic. None of those terminology describe how Othello really is. Those words are the stereotyped definition of what a b lack man is. This stereotypical definition puts Othello is a predicament and makes his acceptance in the Venetian society difficult. at one time such critics conclude that Othello is not a stereotype, he tends to lose his individuality as a Moor and to become a representative of humanity (Berry, 1990).The stereotypical image of a black man plays an important case in the plays ending. Since this play is a tragedy and Othello is a tragic hero, his blackness does play a role in that. A tragic hero is the protagonist in a tragedy. This play is a tragedy considering Othello commits take and at long last takes his own life. Othellos Africanness is crucial to his tragedy not because of what he is, innately or culturally but because of how he is perceived by others and himself (Skura, 2008).If it wasnt for Othello world black, the play may have had a different outcome. Throughout the play, Othello sees himself either as an exotic Venetian, a convert in the fullest sense, capable of com plete assimilation, or he sees himself as a barbarian, worthy of destruction (Berry, 1990). In the play Othello was worthy of destruction. It was the racism and hatred that drove him to it. If the other characters werent so faultfinding(prenominal) about his skin color, the play would have ended very differently. His failure to break free of this constricting framework, to achieve a true sense of personal identity, is one of the plays most powerful sources of tragic feeling (Berry, 1990).With all the commotion over Othellos race, it really didnt give him a chance to be himself. By him being black, it makes him feel less accepted into his society. Othello attempts to shape an image of himself that will win acceptance in Venice (Berry, 1990). Critics also even see how Othellos identity is altered by the constant racial tension against him in the play. Stephen Greenblatt argues, Othellos identity depends upon a constant performance of his story, a loss of his own origins, an embrace a nd perpetual reiteration of the norms of another culture (Greenblatt, 1990).All of this racism in the play causes Othello some serious anxiety. Anxiety is a condition that can drive an individual to do things that are out of character for them. He cannot probe the real cause of his anxiety because to do so would be utterly destructive, leaving him with only two options to embrace his blackness and hurl its beauty and power in the face of his enemies, as does Aaron in Titus Andronicus, or to internalize their image of him and yield to self-loathing (Berry, 1990). Othello doesnt really do either in the play.He let others put thoughts into his head about his wife treason on him with another man, which led to a murder scene where he killed his wife and in the end took his own life too. His immediate reaction to the murder thus reflects his divided image of himself he is either doomed like all great men or destroyed by his own blackness (Skura, 2008). Based on the evidence in the play, Othello is definitely destroyed by his own blackness. His blackness is what drove him to commit the murder and kill himself.In conclusion, Othellos skin color is central to the play. It is important not merely because Shakespeare portrays Othello as a Moor or because racial tension and anxiety pervade the air of Venetian society, affecting Othellos relationship with every character and increasing his susceptibility to Iagos appeal it is important because Othello himself in his aspirations towards assimilation and anxieties about his blackness, internalizes a false dichotomy that can only dehumanize him (Berry, 1990).This play does give the stereotype of black people a negative name. Many critics argue what role his race played in the play. Some think it was really important while others argue it wasnt important at all. One of the most prominent features of this Shakespeare play is the numerous references to Othellos skin color made by multiple characters however some critics tend t o ignore or underplay the issue of Othellos race.