Othello: Racism In The 19th Century

In the 19th century, many scientists supported the belief that the human race could be categorized into different ethnic groups. Racism is generally defined as discrimination, prejudice, or antagonism directed against an individual(s) of a different race or ethnicity based on a certain belief (Brooks). Every society/generation has essentially experienced or been affected by this issue; it has been one of the most malicious aspects of the human race since the beginning of history. This subject continues to be a topic of great debate in modern society, and is one of the most significant themes that play a huge role in worldwide literature. In Othello, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in the 17th century, racism is certainly displayed

Iago awakens Brabantio to announce that his daughter, Desdemona, eloped with Othello, “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise, / Awake the snorting citizens with the bell / or else the devil will make a grandsire of you” (I.i.91-94). Brabantio mainly displays this racist characteristic when he was first informed with the news of this spontaneous marriage. When Brabantio realizes that Desdemona willingly married the Moor, he became deeply suspicious. Specifically, Brabantio was under the belief that Othello had used a spell on her “For nature so prepost'rously to err, / Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense, / Sans witchcraft could not” (I.iii.65-67). This would be considered racist because Brabantio believes it is impractical for his daughter to have fallen in love with a Moor unless he performed some sort of witchcraft. Therefore, implies that a man of color cannot provide for a white woman, even an honorable military general such as Othello. He will expect the Duke of Venice to agree when he asks him to rule on the legitimacy of the marriage, “Mine’s not an idle cause. The Duke himself / or any of my brothers of the state, / Cannot but feel this wrong as ’twere their own. / For if such actions may have passage free, / bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be” (I.ii.97-101). Illustrating another display of racism - Brabantio is under the assumption that the Duke will take

Beginning in 2013, there has been regular protests and a great controversy over the issue of “Black Lives Matter”, an international activist movement that campaigns against the violence and racism towards black people (Rickford). Furthermore, it relates to the police brutality and shootings towards the (unarmed) African American community. Blue Lives Matter, made up of active and retired law enforcement officers, is a pro-police movement that was developed in the United States in response to the Black Lives Matter movement (Rickford). Indeed, showing how sensitive and how much of a significance racism is in modern