2/25/2017 0 Comments Is Shakespeare Racist?Definition Racism is usually defined as discrimination or prejudice directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, racism is certainly a huge theme featured throughout the play. Shakespeare makes many horrible jokes and critiques towards African Americans. So, after reading Othello one must wonder is Shakespeare a racist? From the very beginning of the play, race seems to be the main theme because Othello is black and Desdemona is white. There are many times when characters use openly racist language to describe Othello. Most names describe Othello as an animal or someone who is the “devil” (I.i.123). By using these names, Shakespeare is using unnecessary racial language in his play. Therefore, one has to believe he is racist.
In the beginning of the play we see Shakespeare’s character, Iago, use very brutal racial language. This is because Iago becomes jealous when Cassio is chosen to be Othello’s assistant. When Iago plans revenge on Othello, he decides to use Othello’s marriage as a target. Therefore, he tells Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, that “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (I.i.97-98). By using this line Shakespeare critiques and jokes about how Othello, a black man, and Desdemona, a white woman, are having sex and how they shouldn’t be together. However, not only does Iago's line critique Othello's skin color and marriage, but it also is saying how Othello is an animal. There are many times in Shakespeare's play where Othello is described as an animal. He has been characterized as a "ram" (I.i.97), a "barbary horse" (I.i.125), and a "toad" (III.iii.311). When Shakespeare uses these names and racial slurs to describe Othello, he is dehumanizing and discriminating African Americans. Later once Brabantio discovers that Desdemona wasn’t forced, however willingly married Othello, he has suspicions. Brabantio believes that Othello used some type of “witchcraft” (I.iii.77) on her. This in fact is racist also because Brabantio is stating that it is impossible for his daughter to fall in love with the moor. He is also stating that a black man has nothing to give to a white woman – even a noble soldier such as Othello. By understanding Brabantio's thoughts, you can understand that he would rather have his daughter unmarried, than be with a black man, despite his military rank. Everyone that has read Othello knows that Othello is not a bad guy. He is just a good soldier and leader who is treated unfairly by other characters in the play. Using racial language and slurs to describe the only black man in the play, shows how Shakespeare must feel towards African Americans. Shakespeare had no reason to make Othello targeted by racial articulation or even to make him black in his play. Therefore, Shakespeare has to be racist.
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2/24/2017 0 Comments Shakespeare Tips and Tricks! Reading one of Shakespeare's plays can be quite difficult and horrifying. Every high schooler has been forced to read one of his plays and almost everyone struggles with interpreting his works. In fact, I have always tried to avoid reading his plays because I struggle with his language. Something about his diction and the way he uses his stage directions in his plays can be difficult. However, this year I am finally understanding more about his literature, thanks to some tips I’ve learned while reading his play Othello. Below are some techniques that will help heal your stress and confusion when reading his literature. Reread If you don’t Understand: Reading Shakespeare’s long monologues and soliloquies can be hard to comprehend your first read. So, my tip to you is to reread any parts of Shakespeare’s play that you don’t understand. By rereading, you are slowly gaining more knowledge about what is happening. There are many times in Othello where I had to reread a few lines or sections to gain more understanding. For example, I had to reread one of Iago’s soliloquies when he talks about putting Othello “into a jealousy so strong” (II.i.323) in order to get Othello to turn his back on Desdemona. Once I reread the long soliloquy, I had a better idea of how Iago wanted to get Othello to abandon his wife. It is always best to reread sections of Shakespeare's play at first when you don’t understand something to get a better picture of what is happening.
Use your Resources: Now that we live in a digital age, there are many types of resources that can help you understand Shakespeare’s plays. Some teachers discourage the use of summary websites; however, they are useful to help you comprehend what you’re reading. I’m not saying only read the summaries instead of the literature, but rather read the summaries after you have read a section of the actual literature. By reading a summary on SparkNotes (www.sparknotes.com), for example, you can get a better picture of what is happening in the plot of the play. Another great resource to help you get a better idea is listening to his plays on www.youtube.com. By listening to his plays, you can focus on character interactions and what is happening in the plot. I highly suggest listening to his plays because it can get quite confusing when Shakespeare has many characters in his plays.
A Long Soliloquy or Monologue?: Shakespeare’s long soliloquies and monologues can get highly annoying and tiring. One thing Shakespeare loves to do is have characters give long and unnecessary speeches about their lives. To help you understand these soliloquies and monologues you need to look at the end of the speeches. That is where there are clues and hints as to what they’re about. For example, Othello’s speech before he kills Desdemona, “it is the cause...” (V.ii.1), is long and hard to comprehend at first. So, by reading the last few lines, “it strikes where it doth love...” (V.ii.24), you get an understanding that Othello is hurting because he is confused if he should kill Desdemona. By looking at the last few lines of a soliloquy or monologue, you can get a better comprehension as to what Shakespeare’s characters are actually saying. 2/22/2017 0 Comments Not Everything is Iago's Fault As we all know, Shakespeare is one of the greatest authors of all time. He has created ideas and words that have been used all over. However, over time his ideas have been changed and manipulated. People reading and studying his works have interpreted his ideas in all kinds of ways. So, when it comes down to finding who’s to blame in his book Othello, it all depends on the matter of your opinion. While reading Othello, one person may see Iago as the one to blame because of his complete sinister mastermind. Yet, Othello could also be argued because of the lack of distrust he has in Desdemona. Othello is essentially a good character, but he has a lot of flaws in which are used against him by the evil Iago. Sense Othello is such a flawed character I believe he is the one to blame in Shakespeare's play. In the beginning of the play, we notice how completely in love Othello and Desdemona are. Desdemona bravely confronts her dad in order to be with Othello, “I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband” (I.iii.213-214). By fighting for Othello, Desdemona shows her honest and true love for her husband. Nobody would ever think she would cheat on Othello. However, as Iago poisons Othello's mind with thoughts, we begin to see a different side to Othello. He is quick to believe his friend “honest Iago” (I.iii.336), before he even talks to Desdemona. "O Beware My Lord of Jealousy" One of Othello’s main flaws is his jealousy and his lack of communication with Desdemona. When he hears, that Cassio has Desdemona’s handkerchief, he is quickly enraged with jealousy and says “let me hear thee say that Cassio’s not alive” (III.iii.537-538). After this point in the play, we see a difference in word choice; Othello immediately calls Desdemona names like “whore” (IIII.ii.23), “strumpet” (IIII.ii.93) and “lewd minx” (III.iii.541). When he decides to talk to her afterwards, he doesn’t listen and hits Desdemona, calling her a “devil” (IIII.i.268). This sudden change in word choice shows Othello's rage and devastation he feels for Desdemona.
By noticing the differences in the way Othello treats Desdemona in the beginning of the play to the end, you begin to realize that he truly has no trust in Desdemona ever. Othello was quick to believe Iago over Desdemona when it came to who has been more faithful to him. It is no surprise that Othello killed his own wife at the end of the play because he was so livid and infuriated with jealousy and disgust. The flawed character, Othello, is a good soldier, but not a good husband when it came to trusting Desdemona. |
AuthorSamantha Alwood ;) Archives |