Racial Discrimination In Othello

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Rosa Parks once stated, “Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.” Hundreds of years before racism would be blatant, the story of Othello became popular based on the story, “Un Capitano Mor” by a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565. This brilliantly concocted writing surrounds four characters: Othello, a tragic general in the Venetian army; his beloved wife, Desdemona; his devoted lieutenant, Cassio; and his trusted but ultimately unfaithful assistant, Iago. Given its varied and enduring themes of jealousy, betrayal, repentance, love and ultimately racist, Othello describes the life of a tragic hero. Racial discrimination and relations are …show more content…

After not being chosen to be lieutenant, Iago is overwhelmed with jealousy of Cassio and masked with hatred against Othello. This led to the racist remarks behind Othello’s back, referring him as, “thick lips” and warning Barbantio in regards to Othello’s romance with his daughter. Desdemona said herself, “Even now, now, very now an old black ram is tupping your white ewe…” Iago’s jealousy of others’ success and better well-being, “enhancing” his naturally repulsive and vile …show more content…

William Garrison’s “The Liberator” demonstrated Aldridge, “renowned negro tragedian” was one of the several black Americans who “disprove the inherent lack of capacity in black America.” Although, on the other hand, in another edition of “The Liberator”, they described Aldridge 's success and “most excellent representation of Othello” are used as evidence that “European nations do not seem to entertain these prejudices by any means so deeply as we do here in the United States.” Nowadays, everyone interprets together Shakespeare in their own way. In the case of Othello, this may upset traditionalists who may insist that he should be African American, as Shakespeare intended. However, the fact is that no one can say for definite and cannot speak for Shakespeare and what his intentions were. In the end, it is important to resonate the legacy that his plays continue to change and mutate in ways he could never imagine. Everyone clearly has their own set of interpretations for how Othello should be

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