Racism is a theory. According to this theory, there are human races that present biological differences justifying relations of domination between them and rejection or aggressive behaviors. Racism is the belief in the superiority of a human group. Defined as a race, this group would be superior to all others. Racism is the hatred of one of these human groups. In common parlance, the term 'racism' most often refers to xenophobia, which is its most obvious manifestation. Therefore, we can read much discrimination based on races in Shakespeare’s book Othello. Othello was a West African man, and he was a moor which is an ethnic from Africa. Othello was not familiar with racism, or he never suffered racism. however, he was manipulated in a bad way by Iago who is another personage of the book. Othello has suffered racism because he wanted to be at the top of white society. In this essay, the main purpose is to demonstrate the role of racism in Othello.
In Shakespeare’s play, we can see many ideas that are also supported racism and sexism. Sexism is discrimination based on sex. This means that the person is discriminated against in a certain area since their sex is considered inferior because of their characteristics. Othello was treating his wife Desdemona like property. For example, when Othello said that ‘’ I won his daughter’’, he was trying to justify why Desdemona has to be his wife like property. Desdemona also is a good example of an abused woman who suffers in silence because of her husband's behavior. Othello was threatening her like not a person. Moreover, to support this idea, Othello also mentioned that to Iago ‘’ That we can call these delicate creatures ours and not their appetites’’
However, the central point of this pal is racism. Iago was manipulated everybody by using Othello’s race to destroy him. Iago was mad at Othello because Othello gave the title of lieutenant to Cassio. Even the Moors are generally Muslim, Othello was considered a Christian. Iago made a racist comment on Othello to Brabantio. Brabantio was Desdemona’s father, and Iago told to him that ‘’Even now, now, very now, an old Black ram is tupping your ewe.’’ Iago also was trying to make Brabantio mad. For example, Iago told to Desdemona’s father that Desdemona and Othello are now doing the beast with two backs. The Black Moors were viewing like animal exotic aliens by the Elizabethans. Furthermore, Emilia also made a racist comment about Othello by saying that ‘’ O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil’’.
While the question of Othello’s role in reinforcing or challenging racism is concerned, He is was not different from the Venetians who accompany him to Cyprus. However, he was smart and competent. Othello got the same emotion (anger and jealousy) as every Venetian who had known that his wife was cheating. Otherwise, we can see that Othello was a good man. I think the story of Othello was created by Willian Shakespeare to help racist people, who will read Othello, stop doing their act.
In conclusion, In the world there is only one race: it is the human race. We cannot divide humanity in a hierarchical way, that is to consider that there are superior men compared to other men who would be placed in a lower class based on race. The story of Othello can really help the modern audience. If a racist person watches the play or reads the story, that person will simply focus on the fact that a black man killed his white wife. However, if a person is not racist, that person will think differently. He will think that the man was stupid and jealous that why he killed his wife and regretted it. There are bad people in every race, so we do not have to base on the race to do something.
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Ideas Of Racism And Sexism In Othello By William Shakespeare.
(2021, September 15). Edubirdie. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://edubirdie.com/examples/ideas-of-racism-and-sexism-in-othello-by-william-shakespeare/
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Ideas Of Racism And Sexism In Othello By William Shakespeare [Internet]. Edubirdie.
2021 Sept 15 [cited 2024 Apr 19].
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