Othello. Shakespeare recognizes Iagos and Roderigos color prejudice as a sordid manifestation of jealousy against an individual who has achieved higher recognition and status. Consequently, Iago uses racism as a means to achieve both an advantage an
Color Coded Attributes
Shakespearian plays provide the reader with a comprehensive look at the human condition, dealing with the virtues of men, their vices, and ultimately the factors that lead to their demise. In this manner, the characters of Shakespeare’s Othello become symbols of honesty, jealously, love, deceit, nobility, and race. Within the first few lines of the play, the reader learns Iago’s name, but remains unaware of his intentions. At this early point, the audience is dependent on Iago’s and Roderigo’s description of Othello, restricted to the described image of an uncivilized bestial Moor. The beginning of the play highlights stereotypical racial sentiments, however, Shakespeare uses Othello’s entrance to juxtapose the tropes of race, with the image of an adroit soldier and an accomplished leader. Thus, Shakespeare recognizes Iago’s and Roderigo’s color prejudice as a sordid manifestation of jealousy against an individual who has achieved higher recognition and status. Consequently, Iago uses racism as a means to achieve both an advantage and authority over Othello in an attempt to control his actions and ideas. Shakespeare’s Othello demonstrates that nobility and valor, like jealousy and cowardice, are not the monopoly of any color.
Shakespeare employs Iago as the “Machiavel,” who adheres to Machiavelli’s principle that the acquisition and effective use of power may necessitate unethical methods. In short, Iago becomes Shakespeare’s amoral villain. Accordingly, Iago uses inflammatory diction as a form of vengeance to manipulate Othello in response to his lost promotion. Through this diction, the audience understands that for Iago, Othello’s race is the source Iago’s power. However, the provocative racial sentiments through out the play are generally confined to Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio. Both Iago and Roderigo implement racial insinuations during their plot against Othello’s position and reputation. Iago tells Brabantio that, “an old black ram/ is tupping your white ere,” (1.i.88-89). However, these potent insults demonstrate Iago’s consistent desire to reduce Othello and his actions to those of a beast, with his use of animalistic racial slurs. With this diction, the audience becomes sympathetic to Othello as Iago’s actions and dialogue reveal the nature of his own character. In addition, the audience sees that Roderigo is also adept at racist insults and stereotyping. He refers to Othello as “thicklips” (1.i.66) and informs Brabantio that his daughter has given herself to the “gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,” (1.i.126). Provoked, Brabantio professes his anger, “Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be,” (1.ii.99). Nevertheless, beyond the racial innuendos, Othello remains a strong warrior and remains an integral part of Venetian civic society. Therefore, these racial comments have little impact upon the Venetian court in general. Even as Brabantio struggles to conceptualize his daughter’s disobedience, his final expression of grief communicates a sense of anger at her deception and betrayal rather than the racial disparities of her marriage. In contrast, Othello uses composed, poetic, humble, and articulate diction. As a result, his character is clearly revealed through his speech. Although a Moor, in this scene Othello demonstrates nobility and valor, while Iago and Roderigo reveal their jealousy, as their characters are being continually exposed through the course of their actions and speeches.
