An introduction to the drama "Othello."
Othello, the "Moor of Venice," as an individual.
The "Othello" Shakespeare crowd in Elizabethan England.
The thesis assertion
the racism motif
Why was Othello's character a black guy because of stereotypes and prejudice?
How well an Othello played by a Caucasian person would perform
Why a white person can't perform the part of Othello well
How Othello MUST be a black man and not a white man, and how Iago, Roderigo, Brabantio, and Desdemona MUST be based on black actors
The "Othello" play's climax and why having a black actor portray the part of Othello is crucial
place a strong emphasis on the argument
A black or white character playing “Othello” and the achievable effects
Why race, stereotype, segregation, and prejudice for a Black Othello is indispensable in the play
IV Works Cited
All the sources used in the parenthesis
On the one hand, the character of Othello should be played exclusively by a black character. On the other, a white figure could as well do, however, the themes of race, African culture, traditions, Prejudice, stereotype, discrimination, and beliefs, as well as the perception of the audience of Shakespeare toward the character of Othello would lose its essence to a significant part. Indeed, by Shakespeare choosing to give the role of Othello to a black individual, it meant more to the people who lived in his time, and to a significant level, the race of Othello was a core element that made the play thrilling, and attractive, which remains to be the case to date. Even more compelling for the audience of Shakespeare, the black Othello helps insist on the theme of race as compared to the character of a person, in the play for centuries to date. On a critical approach, the play would not have been as famous and likable as it turned out to be, had Shakespeare chosen to engage a white character to posture the role of Othello (Shakespeare 44). Certainly, by Desdemona getting married to a white character then, it would have made little meaning, as nothing unique would be enhanced in the audience, contrary to how it appeared wired and astonishing to see a Moore marry a white woman. The anxiety across the scenes of the play escalates whenever an audience of the Elizabethan England would learn of the incredibly low in estate African, was regarded marrying the daughter of the white senator, which is true for the modern audience the world over (Shakespeare 69). Therefore, the character of Othello can only be played by a black man, as opposed to a white man, considering that the theme of race, stereotype, and segregation in Elizabethan England toward a black man who married Desdemona was what propelled the play to its climax, even to the contemporary audience.
For the black character to perform the role of Othello, it remains indispensable, unlike a white individual, considering the responsibilities given to Othello by Shakespeare, and how other characters in the play are created and thrived solely on the person of Othello. For instance, Brabantio is made relevant in the text because he refuses to believe and accept that his daughter was married to a black man, his reason being; Othello would bring shame to the whole of his family and generations beyond (Shakespeare 211). Indeed, the question as to whether Shakespeare knew the potential racist reaction of his audience before the play was launched, or whether he wanted to stress on the concept of stereotype and affirm it remains relevant to date. On the contrary, perhaps Shakespeare wished to mark a paradigm shift from the then apparent prejudices for black people and create a new open-minded society, of which point could not be driven home by a white character in the role of Othello. Moreover, Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio keep referring to Othello as his “Moorship” or simply the “moor,” to express their racist stereotypes. The quote Brabantio engages to report to Brabantio about his daughter for example, informs the core subject of the effect Shakespeare achieved when he used a black man to play Othello, "An old black ram is 'tupping' your white ewe", which made Othello appear as a beast, whose personality could only be judged by his complexion, as opposed to behavior, an estate which can be futile with a white character as a husband to Desdemona (Shakespeare 117). On the contrary, a white actor would expressly deny Shakespeare an opportunity to outline why stereotype cannot determine the achievements of an individual, as the abilities, social stature, and the dignity Othello had was unmatched, and his white peers felt envious of how a black man could thrive with ease in a white society. Indeed, by Shakespeare creating characters that hate and despise Othello based on his skin color, he is able to convince his audience the world over, that racism and prejudice cannot be determinants of fate, when he builds Othello into a respectful figure that towers above ordinary social status expected of a black man in England. Therefore, in this play, it is only through a black character that the effects of race, including hatred, catastrophe, and segregation can bring about a tragedy, a picture and feeling which a white actor with the role of Othello cannot bring forth successfully.
The dramaturgy of the day, including Shakespeare`s Othello in the then England’s old culture, reveals the sense of humor and criticism that used to emanate from racism and stereotypic sentiments (Goodwin, Allen, and Shakespeare 13). Considering that black people earned themselves a description of the stock villains, it then confirms why the audience of Shakespeare had a hard time understanding why he chose to make Othello, a black man, an icon in this tragedy. The racism of Iago, for instance, is a standard tool used by people of his ilk in then days to bargain for their unwarranted hatred against blacks. Consequently, the Moor, as Othello is called, describes the common understanding and attitude of the then Elizabethan England people toward aliens. Indeed, about the many racial prejudices the author uses to describe Othello, it confirms how the black people looked vulnerable and highly predisposed to stereotype in the white society. On the better part, the Elizabethan England can be described as a society that harbored the exotic feeling, fear, and strangeness toward the black faces, considering that after all blacks were not many amidst them (Goodwin, Allen, and Shakespeare 32). Most importantly, lack of knowledge about the African culture as a people, fear, and prejudice, as well as discrimination must attract enmity, hostility, and distrust on the part of the white community. As such, the race factor in the Elizabethan England was described by the adjectives used to refer to the black people; guilelessness, pride, courage, easily aroused emotions and passions as well as credulity. Nevertheless, apparently, the situation could be different because of globalization and international awareness of racial differences. If a white man plays the role of Othello, perhaps, the message would get through to the audience. However, the anxiety and curiosity Shakespeare founded in the husband of Desdemona could be lost, hence denying the play its noble and unique theme of racism.
Once the modern audience of Shakespeare in his play “Othello” recognize the culture of the ancient Elizabethan stature, and note that a black character was such a villain, then they can relate to the present day setting. Othello had an outstanding cast as a black hero then, of course before his fall after committing murder (Goodwin, Allen, and Shakespeare 21). One would ask why Shakespeare made a black character an icon of his play and tragedy. Moreover, one wonders whether Shakespeare had any intimate contact with black people in his life. Indeed, considering the then albeit conservative England culture and the lack of exposure to the African world, a character in the role of Othello cannot have much effect as it did then, especially if he is a white individual, because, apparently globalization has settled all the racial, cultural, and religious diversities that helped Shakespeare create suspense and anxiety in the person of Othello. In this twenty-first century, the presence of an African character would be familiar to London and the world beyond. Even though the overcrowding in London created room for Shakespeare to meat black people, however, most of his audience never did, which could not be the case currently. In the tragedy of Othello, Shakespeare makes his black character appear as an animalistic organism, whose evil is brought to light by Iago and Roderigo, but the world refuses to see until later Othello effects his destructive nature after accessing accommodation in the white society (McKeown, Hundley, and Shakespeare 13). On the contrary, a white character in the capacity of Othello apparently cannot hit such a degree of importance and concern, because unlike in the fifteenth century and beyond, people in the modern world no longer believe in racism as a factor of influence, instead, one's character and behavior matter most. Therefore, at a close analysis, an audience makes a character, and the people of London made Othello because of their suspicious reactions to the alien black complexion, unlike it would be the case in the modern world with a white face.
A white character playing Othello would undo the towering roles of Iago, Roderigo, Desdemona, and Brabantio in the play. The plot of the play “Othello” is rooted in jealousy, and to the major part, this suspiciousness creates a fertile platform for racism to thrive. Other than Roderigo and Iago, who is at best resentful, the rest of the people have developed admiration and respect for the achievements Othello has attained in life. The development of hate by Iago against Othello began when the African general chose Cassio as his lieutenant, though he had lesser experience compared to the albeit more qualified and deserving Iago, who was given the title of an “ancient” instead (Shakespeare and Crowther 67). Because of the growing hate, Iago designs an ill motive to punish Othello, and this he achieves by manipulating the thoughts and actions of Roderigo, who at this point lusts after Desdemona, Othello`s wife. It is at this point that the hurtful words Roderigo spurs against Othello are full of racist diction, “What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe/If he can carry ‘t thus!” (Shakespeare and Crowther 89). Since then, for the better part, both Iago and Roderigo develop an effective scheme to tell a lie to Desdemona`s father, Brabantio, that Othello, the son in law, had kidnapped the daughter. In fact, the deal is expressly successful when racist ideas are used, as Brabantio is bitterly angered when he listens to Iago say, “An old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe” (Shakespeare and Crowther 232). It is at that moment that Roderigo and Iago tell Brabantio that the offsprings of Othello and Desdemona would be half-breeds between the white and black race and that the pedigree would be a rare show of humanity who would bring shame unending to the family of Brabantio. They achieve destruction of the otherwise warm relationship between Desdemona and her marriage, when they tell her father that, “You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary/Horse; you’ll have your nephews neigh to you; you’ll have coursers for cousins and gennets for germans” (Shakespeare and Crowther 231). Basing on how other characters relate to Othello because of his skin color, a white person playing the role of Othello would take away the essence of the meaning in the words of Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio in the play, considering the expectations Shakespeare founded for his audience in this play.
The climax of the play “Othello” thrives on the theme of racism. Thus a white character playing Othello could deny this play the much anticipated controversial and resentful climax, not only to the apparent audience of Shakespeare, but also those who lived in the Elizabethan England. While alone, the boredom of race overwhelms Othello and he utters, “I’ld whistle her off and let her down the wind/To prey at fortune (Shakespeare and Crowther 243). Typically, Othello has concluded, informed by the racist and falsehood background, that if he finds Desdemona true of infidelity, then his household she would leave immediately. Unfortunately, the seed of racism appears to grow faster in the mind of Othello, as would be manifested in his emotions, than the outside world which harbors his ardent enemies; Iago and Roderigo. For instance, before he confirms whether the wife was cheating on him due to his complexion, his anger compels him to say, “Haply, for I am black and have not those soft parts of conversation that chamberers have, or for I am declined into the vale of years (yet that’s not much) She’s gone. I am abus’d: and my relief Must be to loathe her” (Shakespeare and Crowther 121). Indeed, Othello does not only confirm that Desdemona neither cheated on him due to her bad character nor her sins, but also explains how he feels cheated on because of the weaknesses of his nature, as a black man. The quote hitherto is a climax that marks a change in the person of Othello. He has become a formidable racist than those he blames do charge him mistakenly because he is a black man. Othello has chosen the less trodden path, and perhaps the most dreaded. On the one hand, he resorts to chasing her outside of his household. On the other, he is not content and would loathe her, or do anything extreme to console himself of the pain and inferiority Desdemona caused him. Of course, he later commits murder (Neely 135).
In conclusion, therefore, the element of race has, for the most part, dominated the point of view in the play “Othello” by Shakespeare. Othello, the character, was a respected and revered individual, except for the few who believed his fame and familiarity threatened their egos, like Iago and Roderigo. Consequently, the two used the propaganda of race as a means and the end in itself, to bringing Othello down to his fall. Notwithstanding, the complexion of Othello had little effect for the rest of the people in the community, as they charged him by the nature of his character and personality including the belief that he was a virtuous general. Nevertheless, when Othello was carried away by rage and loathed his character by murdering Desdemona based on falsified infidelity, he lost the respect of the people. Even those who respected him no longer judged his atrocity by his deed, rather, by his skin color. Therefore, the race is a critical theme in the play, as it leads to a feeling of insecurity by Othello, hence his vulnerability to the evil manipulations by Iago. Typically, the role of Othello cannot be successfully played by a white character, because the theme of race, which is the core factor in this play, cannot be portrayed effectively to convince the audience. Othello`s otherness makes him lose self-confidence despite him being a senior general. Though more of a gentleman than his haters, he is tagged as "animal" or "savage.” The Elizabethan England was defined by stereotype and prejudice against foreigners, hence the theme of race in this play occupying a central objective, which can be distorted by a white impression as Othello. Indeed, a character in the capacity of Othello in the modern society cannot hold equal stature like Shakespeare`s Othello, because globalization has diluted the anxiety, fear, and uncertainty once associated with blacks then.
Works Cited
Goodwin, Vincent, Chris Allen, and William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare’s Othello., 2009. PP 1-231 Print.
McKeown, Adam, Sterling Hundley, and William Shakespeare. Othello., 2005., 79 Web.
Neely, Carol Thomas. “Women and Men in Othello: ’What Should Such a fool/Do with so Good a Woman?...: EBSCOhost.” Shakespeare Studies., 1977. 77 Web.
Shakespeare, William. Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice - William Shakespeare - Google Books English Classics. Ed. William James Rolfe and Compiled by William James Rolfe. Harvard University: Harper, 1879, 2008. Web.
Shakespeare, William, and John Crowther. Othello., 2003. PP. 1-234 Web.
