Stereotypes In Othello

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Othello is one of the many famous tragic plays written by William Shakespeare. Othello explores topics about race, gender, love, jealousy, revenge, sexuality and social status. The play is about an African man who falls victim of the lies and manipulation he receives from his right-hand man Iago. Iago detests Othello because of his social position and suspicion he has slept with his wife. Iago plans to make Othello become suspicious of his wife Desdemona that ultimately will lead Othello to become a madman. Ultimately, Othello's jealousy gets the best of him, because he murders his wife regardless of her innocence, He realizes Iago lied to him all along and decided the best is to kill himself. Literary critics have different interpretations …show more content…

The article pinpoints that the play not only illustrates African negatively but " In creating a moor who was black in the face yet white and noble in the spirt, Shakespeare had the perfect character to astound and perplex the already blood-thirsty Elizabeth audiences" (Shaw 84). Shaw claims that Elizabethan culture believed African not only were foreigners but was a representation of their evilness. Shaw throughout the article reinforces that religion also played an important factor and influenced many interpretations that Othello blackness was a sign of impurity, while Desdemona's whiteness was a sign of purity. This interpretation is what arises the racisms of Othello. Othello's downfall is his color of skin and jealousy. His jealousy and killing his wife is the confirmation that black men are barbaric. The racism Shaw illustrates is that the English society people" reconsider their genetic place in the global structure, and their attitudes in the area of race" (Shaw 90). Basically, Othello was used to establishing the differences between white men and black men. Moreover, Othello was used more to show society the consequences of being

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