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Abstract
Othello presents the modern construction of race by giving the conflicts of the characters and

representation of tragedy, because of differences of color of skin. Othello is a good person from

inside who has fair dealings of his affairs. But, he faces the hatred and ill comments of people

due to his black color. The play portraits that he is considered equalizer with animals. The white

people becomes black from inside to manipulate a game to destroy his life, because he is inferior

from them. He shows his powers in the start, but at the end he is swallowed by the comments and

jealousy plots of the people who are different from them. The modern construction in early days

of 16th century is based on racial discrimination than religious terms. It becomes popular with the

time and it is even favorable today.

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STUDENT NAME

PROFESSOR NAME

SUBJECT

DATE

Othello and Modern Constructions of Race

Introduction

Othello shifts the interest towards the racial and especially the color differences in

Modern English history. The race is the problem of modern world and the people are facing the

issues because of discriminations. Othello is the hero of Shakespeare, but he fates to get the

drastic end, because of negativity which people pour in his mind during the past years of his life.

The tragedy takes the main part of play and it is all because of the construction of race in the

which is clearly observant in the main theme, character description, setting and symbolism of

play.

Theme

Racial discrimination is the main theme of Othello, because he is black, and his loving

wife Desdemona is white. He is deeply involved in love relationship, but the people in the

society is giving him remarks when he is with his wife like, “old black ram” and “white ewe”.

He is a brave solider who worked for the land, but the people do not consider his work and

performance in practical life. Instead they consider his appearance and features (Jones). They

show hatred towards him, because he is not ‘white’ like them. The play clearly exhibits that the

racial differences throw back all his good fortune (Swarbrick).

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The emergence of race was the main problem in 16th century in Europe (Neil). The racial

different people are facing the anxiety about their sustainability in a different society where the

skin color is more important than the personal characteristics according to the setting and theme

of the society. The categorization of ‘animal’ and ‘human’ are totally connected with the black

skin and personal characteristics. Iago is the real beast, but he makes Othello to be the one

because of his manipulation and hatred towards the black skin. The natural differences of human

beings are linking towards the physical differences in characteristics.

Character

Othello, the play, has few main characters which participate in construction of racial

theme. The biggest among them is Iago who is the real villain of the play. He calls Othello,

“Barbary horse” when he is going to wed with Desdemona. Another character is Rederigo who

calls “thicklips” to explain the ugliness of Othello.

Shakespeare uses Iago, Brabantio and Roderigo to show the developing picture of racial

society in Europe where the physical appearance and skin color is considered as the fundamental

point for selection of people (Swarbrick). Othello is dignified, strong and poetic figure. He is

noble, respectful and loyal towards his people, but he becomes the hit point of stereotypes which

people draws on the basis of different color.

The characterization of Shakespeare novels gives the two different directions. The first

ones are those people who are equating racial differences and ugliness. And the second ones like

Desdemona who are giving importance to the internal differences of personalities by giving

worth to Othello character in the form of love and respect. Duke is also giving favour to Othello
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by calling him ‘fair’ when he is black in color. His comments are showing the significance of

personal attributes than the racial differences.

Othello faces the poor fate and says in the last scene that, “Like the base Indian, threw a

pearl away”, when he kills his wife in wrong mind set of hatred. It is the true representation of

the fate of racially different people in new developing ideology of modern society.

Relationship

Othello is a good human being, but the people make him hypersexualized beast and ill-

mannered person by questioning his relationship with his wife (Swarbrick). This is the same

thought about the racially different people in that time. Shakespeare clearly represents the

difficulties of black people which they are facing in relationship, because of differences and

harsh comments of people (Smith).

Iago is jealous of Othello and he even tries to destroy his wedding by putting allegation

on Othello (Thompson). He says to Desdemona father Barbantio that, “your daughter and the

Moor are now making the beast with two backs”. These comments are clearly putting the

question on the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. Barbantio is also shocked to see

his daughter loving a black man.

The play has the complex nature of relationships and the people’s acceptance to see the

black people in relationship with the white. The jealousy and hatred destroy every relationship at

the end. The black color become dominate in the society where the white people are dominated.

The relationship between Desdemona and Othello becomes weak because of arise of inferiority

complex in Othello due to his color. the love and friendship face the end, because of progression

racial discriminations in the minds of people.

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Symbol

Racially different people are not considered trustworthy. Instead, they are representation

of evil people of the society and darkness of character in terms of Othello play. In the start,

Shakespeare introduces his main character with the words dark-skinned and different when the

readers are unaware of the name of Othello. He is the hard-working figure who gets his place in

Venice, but the people do not accept it.

Despite of strong personality, powerful figure and good character of Othello, the white

people makes him weak in a society where the inferiority complex is existent (Makonnen). Iago

says, “hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light” in scene three. This is

symbolic irony to explain Othello in terms of Iago. Othello is fair inside and Iago is fair outside

with the blackest soul.

The color is not a big issue in the start of the play for Othello. He is confident to win the

argument of Desdemona’s father with his strong arguments (Smith). But, at the end of the play

he considers himself a dirty and evil man because of seeds of jealousy of Iago due to color

difference of Desdemona. He becomes foolish in the hands of Iago and turns black inside which

ultimately makes him killer of his life.

Ultimately, he shows his violent nature in last scene and becomes what others want from

him. Emilia responded at the end by saying him a “the blacker devil” and to Desdemona “the

more angel”. These symbols show that he changes his principles of black and white. He is the

black and he turns like it (Makonnen). Those people, like Emilia, who are praising him in initial

stages of love marriage, at the end consider him evil for his wife and society.

Setting
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Othello takes place in Venice, Italy. The setting of this play is very important, which

shows the start of a modern construction of society where the racial discriminations start

progressing and at the end they flourish in other countries of Europe. The language of people of

the society shows the mindset of the society. Venice fought many battles against Ottoman

Empire and it is represented by showing Othello as a fighter of the land, who is seasoned journal

and he works for Italy regardless of his connection with the African country. He is calling

‘moor’, which is the famous world of 16th century to refer the African people. Venice is full of

the white people in times of Othello that’s why he is considered a different identity for the

society.

The racial differences put the end to pure love. Italy is place of pure love which is scared

to Venus (Makonnen). Desdemona participates in pure love with Othello till her death and she is

loyal to him even when he is killing her. She gives importance to a black man who turns

eventually black from inside at the end and commit a crime of love.

The military setup, the crisis of war and other elements are involved in changing the fate

of Othello and Desdemona wedding. It is the society where the men are dominated who can

decide the black and the white of social treatment. Othello and Desdemona both becomes the

victims.

Narrative Structure

Shakespeare develops the strong characters who constructs narratives for themselves

from the start till the end of the play. They conflict with each other and designs a strong plot of

tragedy. The words have in-depth meanings and strong symbolism towards the construction of

racial differences in the modern society (Smith). The characters give support to each other and
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develops the connection till the end. Othello promises to stay faithful and loyal with his wife in

the initial stage of play by giving a realistic narrative about himself. He says in scene two that,

“As this that I have reach'd: for know, Iago, But that I love the gentle Desdemona”. He knows

that he is black, but he is confident to take care of people whom he cares about.

Conclusion

Othello is written in the setup where the English literature is shifting from medieval to

modern. The old concepts and themes related to religion differences and obligations were turning

towards the race and color concepts. In old England, the racial differences were a new thing. But,

in modern America it is a big problem. Race is the concept of modern English society and

Shakespeare turns the ideology of the society towards the different theme.

The main character, Othello is the confident man who wins the love of a beautiful woman

in the initial stage of play. He eventually gets married and starts living a happy life. But, the

racial disease kills his happiness and love. He becomes a black soul who is the killer of his

beautiful life. The society does not let him live a good life, because the people do not accept him

due to his skin color. In 16th century, the racial differences are new thing, but today in America it

is present in a big stage.

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Work Cited
Jones, Nicholas. "A Bogus Hero: Welles's Othello and the Construction of Race." Shakespeare

Bulletin, vol. 23, no. 1, Spring2005, pp. 9-28. EBSCOhost,

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Makonnen, Atesede. "“Our Blackamoor or Negro Othello”: Rejecting the Affective Power of

Blackness." European Romantic Review, vol. 29, no. 3, June 2018, pp. 347-355.

EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/10509585.2018.1465708.

Neil, Michael. "“Mulattos,” “Blacks,” and “Indian Moors”: Othello and Early Modern

Construction of Human Difference." Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 49, no. 4, Winter98, pp.

361-374. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2307/2902233.

Smith, Ian. "We Are Othello: Speaking of Race in Early Modern Studies." Shakespeare

Quarterly, vol. 67, no. 1, Jan. 2016, pp. 104-124. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=117538091&site=ehost-live.

Swarbrick, Steven. "Shakespeare’s Blush, or “The Animal” in Othello." Exemplaria, vol. 28, no.

1, Jan. 2016, pp. 70-85. EBSCOhost,

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Thompson, Ayanna. "The Future of Early Modern Race Studies: On Three Ambitious (Enough?)

Books." Eighteenth Century: Theory & Interpretation (Texas Tech University Press), vol.

49, no. 3, Fall2008, pp. 251-260. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=42116583&site=ehost-live.