Racial Influences on the Character of Othello
Perhaps one of the most influential writers of all times is William Shakespeare. He was born in 1564 in England as a middle-class labor worker. In 1590, he pursued his career in theatre to become the most famous playwright in England, and eventually owning the Globe Theater. Among his great tragic plays was Othello, which was written between 1601 and 1604 in England. The play was first performed at the court of the King’s Men in 1604, and then was published in 1622 by Thomas Walkey.
In the play, the protagonist Othello was given a race of Moor. Despite being a foreign character, he played as noble and respected leader in military and in love. From the initial impression to the tragic ending fueled by jealousy, readers were presented different versions of Othello’s character due to his difference in race as …show more content…
At the beginning of the play, Othello’s actual personality and characteristics was not shown to the reader but were suggested from Iago instead. Iago’s hatred on the basis of race cannot be clearer when he announces Othello as: “an old black ram…to fear, not to delight” (MUTLU 136). Iago articulated to us that Othello is perceived as possessing an ugly, strange, and evil nature due to his race. Iago further despises his success in military and in winning Desdemona, a white woman. While the actual characteristics of Othello are actually the opposite, it had made an impact to our initial assumptions about Othello’s character. Othello was an outsider from Venice, who excels in his role as a soldier and leader. Iago’s racist comments about Othello would lead the readers to link his barbaric nature as fighter to his success as a soldier. While our impression of Othello would change after he had made appearance in the play, this initial view of his character would provide a contrast to his noble and elegant
Perhaps one of the most influential writers of all times is William Shakespeare. He was born in 1564 in England as a middle-class labor worker. In 1590, he pursued his career in theatre to become the most famous playwright in England, and eventually owning the Globe Theater. Among his great tragic plays was Othello, which was written between 1601 and 1604 in England. The play was first performed at the court of the King’s Men in 1604, and then was published in 1622 by Thomas Walkey.
In the play, the protagonist Othello was given a race of Moor. Despite being a foreign character, he played as noble and respected leader in military and in love. From the initial impression to the tragic ending fueled by jealousy, readers were presented different versions of Othello’s character due to his difference in race as …show more content…
At the beginning of the play, Othello’s actual personality and characteristics was not shown to the reader but were suggested from Iago instead. Iago’s hatred on the basis of race cannot be clearer when he announces Othello as: “an old black ram…to fear, not to delight” (MUTLU 136). Iago articulated to us that Othello is perceived as possessing an ugly, strange, and evil nature due to his race. Iago further despises his success in military and in winning Desdemona, a white woman. While the actual characteristics of Othello are actually the opposite, it had made an impact to our initial assumptions about Othello’s character. Othello was an outsider from Venice, who excels in his role as a soldier and leader. Iago’s racist comments about Othello would lead the readers to link his barbaric nature as fighter to his success as a soldier. While our impression of Othello would change after he had made appearance in the play, this initial view of his character would provide a contrast to his noble and elegant