Racism in Othello

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Racism in Othello

It's not hard to imagine that Othello was probably Shakespeare's most controversial play. In the play, Othello Shakespeare's shows the audience a transformation of a barbarous black man into a respected soldier and nobleman. At the time this play was written, black people were only known as slaves. That is why there is a clear theme of racism throughout the play. Society rejects the marriage of Othello and Desdemona, sees it as an act "against all rules of nature"(act 1.3, line 102). Society has no real reason to reject the marriage of Othello and Desdemona. Othello matches or even exceeds the other men trying to win Desdemona hand in marriage. Nothing separates Othello from "the wealthy, curled darlings of our nation"(act 1.2, line 68) except his skin-color. Iago, Brabantion, Roderigo and Emilia are all main characters that have racist feeling toward Othello. Out of these main characters Iago shows the most racist in the play.

In the play Othello, Iago is a character that obviously has a plane to bring Othello down from his high place in society. Iago hates Othello because when Othello chose his lieutenant, he chose Cassio and not him.