Othello Book Report
Chris Palma
Block 6
Essay 6: Effect of Setting
In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello setting has an important effect on the story as a whole. Othello is a tragedy in which jealousy and hatred takes complete control over a young man, named Iago, who makes it his mission to ruin the life of a man named Othello for obtaining a more prestigious position in the military. “Iago: O sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him.” This excerpt taken from the first scene highlights Iago’s discontent towards Othello in which he says to his friend Rodrigo that he is only serving under Othello to hurt him later. This hatred and jealousy goes hand-in-hand with the time period and setting of the play. Along with coinciding with one of the major plot-driving themes, setting also juxtaposes nicely with the events that occur as …show more content…
Historically, people of Othello’s ethnicity have not been treated with respect and have been forced to undergo horrible treatment and prejudice. The involvement of racism in Iago’s jealousy is indicated by the language and degrading slurs that he uses when talking about Othello. “Now, sir, be judge yourself whether I in any just term am affined to love the Moor.” Here Iago refers to Othello as a Moor. It should be noted that this is the second time that Iago uses this slur in the first scene, let alone the countless other uses of it and similar words throughout the rest of the play. Further evidence of this hostile time period can be found in scene 2 when Othello is referred to as a “black thing” by Desdemona’s father. This language brings up the question why. Why would Iago use a degrading word to describe Othello that attacks his race as opposed to his character or actions? The simple answer to this is that he is racist; not dissimilar from the countless other citizens of Venice in that time
Chris Palma
Block 6
Essay 6: Effect of Setting
In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello setting has an important effect on the story as a whole. Othello is a tragedy in which jealousy and hatred takes complete control over a young man, named Iago, who makes it his mission to ruin the life of a man named Othello for obtaining a more prestigious position in the military. “Iago: O sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him.” This excerpt taken from the first scene highlights Iago’s discontent towards Othello in which he says to his friend Rodrigo that he is only serving under Othello to hurt him later. This hatred and jealousy goes hand-in-hand with the time period and setting of the play. Along with coinciding with one of the major plot-driving themes, setting also juxtaposes nicely with the events that occur as …show more content…
Historically, people of Othello’s ethnicity have not been treated with respect and have been forced to undergo horrible treatment and prejudice. The involvement of racism in Iago’s jealousy is indicated by the language and degrading slurs that he uses when talking about Othello. “Now, sir, be judge yourself whether I in any just term am affined to love the Moor.” Here Iago refers to Othello as a Moor. It should be noted that this is the second time that Iago uses this slur in the first scene, let alone the countless other uses of it and similar words throughout the rest of the play. Further evidence of this hostile time period can be found in scene 2 when Othello is referred to as a “black thing” by Desdemona’s father. This language brings up the question why. Why would Iago use a degrading word to describe Othello that attacks his race as opposed to his character or actions? The simple answer to this is that he is racist; not dissimilar from the countless other citizens of Venice in that time