Definition
Racism
is usually defined as prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a
different race based on such a belief. It
is someone who is prejudice and discriminates someone because of their race,
ethnicity.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In William Shakespeare’s Othello, racism
is certainly featured throughout the play.
Othello was written some time between 1600 and 1605. In an time were
ethnic minorities were so unimportant that they were almost ignored, a black
man rises and has a position of a general in Venice, and is a well respected
and trusted by his white leaders.
However, when Othello marries Desdemona, the
young and beautiful white girl, and the daughter of the Senator Brabantio
everything changes, the racism of the 17th century world begins to
take place. Iago becomes jealous when Cassio is chosen to be Othello’s personal
assistant. As revenge for what Othello has done, Iago decides to use Othello’s
marriage. Iago raises Brabantio from his bed, and shocks Brabentio saying, “'Zounds, sir,
you're robb'd; for shame, put on your gown; Your heart is burst, you have lost
half your soul;
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is tupping your
white ewe. Arise, arise;
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, or
else the devil will make a grandsire of you: Arise, I say" (A1, S1, L112-17). We can assume that
Iago is not subtle. The words that he says
can show us that other races in Venice are treated differently. They are even related to animals and the
devil in disguise. However, we can confirm that racism is in the atmosphere
after Brabantio’s reaction.
Brabantio mostly
displays this racist atmosphere when he confronts Othello on the marriage
situation and demands Othello to tell him where his daughter is, “ Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her;
For I'll refer me
to all things of sense,
If she in chains of magic were not bound, Whether
a maid so tender, fair and happy,
So opposite to marriage that she shunn'd.
The
wealthy curled darlings of our nation,
Would ever have, to incur a general
mock,
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom.
Of such a thing as thou" (A1, S2, L63-71)
When Brabantio discovered that Desdemona wasn’t forced and was
willingly married Othello, he had suspension. In other words, Brabentio
believed that Othello had used witchcraft on her. This is racist because
Brabantio is stating that it impossible for his daughter to fall in love with a
moor, unless he used some sort of witchcraft, a black man has nothing to give
to a white woman – even a noble soldier such as Othello.
Brabantio would rather have his daughter unmarried than be with
a black man. He believes that the duke will agree with him when he asks him to rule on the
legality of the marriage, “Mine's not an
idle cause: the duke himself,
Or any of my brothers of the state,
Cannot but
feel this wrong as 'twere their
own; For if such actions may have passage free,
Bond-slaves and pagans shall
our statesmen be” (A1, S2, L96-100). This is another presentation of racism; Brabantio believes that
the Duke will side with him because they are both white and Othello is black.The
meaning of his speech is that other races will be accepted while they are
useful, and while they remember they belong and stick to it. Marrying Desdemona a beautiful white girl,
which every man would want, and he was rising above his supposed rank.
The
Duke of Venice obviously believed Brabantio’s tale, however Othello was saved
because the Turks were attacking Cyprus and he was needed. Secondly, Desdemona persuades the council that
she married Othello because she loved him, and he did not use witchcraft on
her.
In
the Elizabethan times, it was believed that the errors in the character were
reflected in the outer appearance.
However the Duke tells Brabantio that his daughter is safe if Othello is
her husband. The duke says "and, noble
signior,
If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in-law is far more fair
than black” (A1, S3, L291-3). When the duke says
this, Racism is in the atmosphere because the duke is implying that Othello is
not like all the other moors, Othello is honorable.
The
demonstration of Racism in Othello is displayed throughout the whole play,
however primarily in Act 1. Iago’s decision to destroy Othello is not
specifically based on colour, but the fact that he believes the promotion in
the military more.
While
racism indeed is demonstrated in Othello, it has nothing to do with the tragic
outcomes in the play. On the contrary,
Shakespeare has displayed Othello as a good black man who was driven to do
horrible things by a white man. Shakespeare’s point is that appearance is no
indicator of the person beneath the skin. Like they say, “don’t judge a person by their colour”(unknown).
