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Outsider essay what is meant by outsiders
Essay on the outsiders defining the word outsider
Outsider essay what is meant by outsiders
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Is everyone an outsider? We have been looking the concept of outsiders but are we also outsiders? “Othello”, by William Shakespeare, explores the idea of an outsider from the very beginning of the play. Equally so, “The Boat People-Big Trial” is a short story written by Herb Wharton and follows the concept of outsiders as it is about the Europeans coming to Australia and misjudging the Aboriginals again. The quote written by Meshell Ndegeocello “any ideas of ‘other’ are complicated, and otherness is relative to personal ideas of ‘normal’”, shows that to certain people ‘other’ can be totally different and non-conforming whereas to another group of people ‘otherness ‘ may be normal for them. People often get portrayed differently because of personal opinions and as a result derogatory and demeaning terms may be used. Therefore everyone is an outsider even though they may not know it. Both successfully explore the context of otherness as it relates to outsiders. Throughout the first act, a choice of disapproving and select terms are used to describe Othello by a number of different characters. Referred to as “he” and “him” by …show more content…
He plays on different characters and their emotions towards Othello, as well as descriptions afforded Othello to assist in the depiction of the man as an outsider. Alternatively the “boat people” explores the difference from how the aboriginals were outsiders and were treated unjustly and now the boat people, may not be in the same situation, are outsiders in their own way as they are “fleeing” their own country. The text explores the concept of outsiders as the aboriginals we still treated as outcasts even though the boat people were the foreigners. It is a satire as it idealizes the Europeans attitudes that aboriginals were outsiders. The thought for being normal and being an outsider depends on peoples personal
In Shakespeare’s play Othello, Othello is first seen as a man who has gone through many hardships. He worked his way up from being a captured and enslaved prince, t...
Kernan, Alvin. “Othello: and Introduction.” Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Ed. Alfred Harbage. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1964.
Writers use conflicts, mischievous relationships and reflective dialogue of and between characters in order to display rising tension between foreigners and natives. The association of foreigners and natives has been an ongoing concept throughout history, however this does not always apply for just cultural background or religion, as foreigners may also feel different due to self-appreciation, health conditions and views on society whilst being in the same situation. This is demonstrated in Othello and alien nation through which composer’s use techniques to build tension, enabling the responder to engage and develop an understanding of the relationships between Othello concerning himself, and others around him. Like wise with ‘Alien Nation’, Megan lynch shows her thoughts on society and her relationships with others through a diary entry. Both texts will be discussed and compared in this essay, showing responders how tension is used between foreigners and natives.
"Othello." The English Review 15.3 (2005): 15. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 8 May 2014. .
To begin with, when I was younger I would have considered myself an outsider because when I first started school, I didn’t have the characteristics to fit in and felt like I would not blend into the people I was surrounded by. Also, I have met many people who have presented experiences from their past when they had felt like they didn’t fit in because they couldn’t keep up the standards to be popular. In social media, there are many guidelines that people feel the need to meet in order to feel like you belong and some who don’t match up can feel like outsiders, and that happens to many. Furthermore, in today’s society people feel the need to be popular or to fit in, and if they can’t meet the expectations they are considered an outsider and that happens universally. Others may suggest that just because someone doesn’t fit in a group doesn’t mean they are considered an outsider, they are just someone who doesn’t meet certain expectations. However, many others would disagree and would label someone an outsider when they don’t fit in or don’t meet expectations of society because that makes them think they don’t
In the Shakespearean tragedy Othello the number and description of themes is open to discussion. With the help of literary critics, we can analyze this subject in detail.
Othello avoids all irrelevancies and the action moves swiftly from the first scene to the denouement. We never get lost in a multiplicity of incidents or a multitude of characters. Our attention remains centered on the arch villainy of Iago and his plot to plant in Othello’s mind a corroding belief in his wife’s faithlessness. (viii)
Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 39-55)
Shakespeare's Othello is not simply a play which embodies the conflict between insider and outsider. The paradigm of otherness presented in this play is more complicated than the conclusion, "Othello is different; therefore, he is bad." Othello's character is to be revered. He is a champion among warriors; an advisor among councilmen; a Moor among Venetians. Yes, Othello is a Moor, but within the initial configuration of the play, this fact is almost irrelevant. His difference is not constructed as “otherness.” Othello, by his nature, is not an “otherized” character. Besides being the dark-skinned Moor, Othello varies in no real way from the other characters in the play. Further, Othello and Iago can be seen as two sides of the same destructive coin. With Iago as a foil and subversive adversary, Othello is not faulted for the indiscretions he commits. It is the invention and projection of otherness by various characters in the play, especially Iago, which set the stage for the tragedy of dissimilarity which is to ensue.
In the Sixteenth century, as we see clearly from Othello and other works of both Shakespeare and Cinthio's original version of Othello, race was a topic of great debate and discussion. Today, in the twenty-first century the debate retains its controversy and passion. However, attitudes towards race have taken a dramatic turn during the last century. In the developed world people are now living in an increasingly cosmopolitan society would undoubtedly be more tolerant and would reject or even be offended by racial discrimination to any person or sections of the community. Openly 'racist' people today are seen as outcasts. Taking this into account, the way a modern audience would react to race and racism in Othello is dependent upon the way in which that modern audience would interpret 'Othello'. This prompts the questions of what sort of message Shakespeare wanted to send to his audience and was Othello the moor portrayed as a tragic hero or did his character eventually come to resemble the prejudices of which he was a victim. Shakespeare also discusses the issue of race with other characters such as the hateful Iago and the prejudices hidden deep in Barbantio.
In William Shakespeare’s Othello, unspoken fears of being an outsider and concerns about his public image contribute to the downfall of a tragic hero named Othello. Othello, a general in the Venetian army’s, final monologue reflects the importance of reputation and the conformity needed to fit his surroundings. He is seen as an outsider of the Venetian culture; he is frequently referred to as “the Moor” and is called an abundance of racial slurs by the Venice born natives. Although Othello never voices his internal struggle to feel accepted by the people around him, his image and physical appearance are some of major issues he faces. Even in the moments before he stabs himself, Othello is more concerned with the legacy he is leaving behind than with the death of his wife, Desdemona. Shakespeare uses Othello’s transformation from a heroic military soldier to a tragic figure to warn of the dangers of obsessing over one’s reputation and the need to feel accepted by society.
In conclusion, studying Othello’s color evokes much more than mere racial category, but the entire chronology of human discrimination. It is evident through both contextual and critical insight that Othello is an indispensable textual work. Philip Koln declares it, “a cultural seismograph, measuring the extent and force of gender, racial, and class upheavals in any society that performs it”(Distiller,340). The evolution of Othello’s critical responses and representations serve to amplify its importance tenfold as it successfully charts the beginning of humanity’s departure from xenophobic tendencies toward a more global community.
The Development of the Character of Othello as Shown by his Use of Language and Imagery in William Shakespeare's Play
Othello: Summary." emotes: Othello. Ed. Penny Satoris. Seattle: Enotes.com Inc, October 2002. eNotes.com. 18 April 2011. .
"Othello Summary and Analysis." Othello Study Guide : Summary and Analysis of Act II. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. .