Theme Of Sexism In Othello

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Who are you? There are many labels that describe each of us. What is your race? Gender? Sexuality? These questions of identity, so prominent in our society, are they what make you who you are? Racism. Sexism. Heterosexism. These acts of oppression in society become internalized. Shakespeare shows the effects of this internalized oppression, the foundation of the insecurities of many people, in Othello. These insecurities cause people to perceive themselves as worthless even when they are valued by others and see others as better when they are no different from them. In Othello, Othello and Desdemona reveal that suffering is caused by misconceptions due to insecurity. At first, Othello speaks eloquently because he has an understanding and
When Iago first manipulates Othello into believing Desdemona is having an affair, it takes time. He loves Desdemona, and she chose him, why would she be unfaithful? But little by little Iago pushes Othello’s insecurities to the brink, and he finally breaks. When Othello says that he still thinks well of Desdemona even after all of Iago’s arguments, Iago replies that he hopes Othello will keep thinking that way, allowing Othello a moment to second guess himself. He believes, due to society’s expectations--and his insecurities caused by said expectations, that it is unnatural for such a beautiful white woman of a high class to be with a man like him: a moor. He internalized the oppression that he faces every day, yet he doesn’t know the cause of his newfound self-doubt. The others see him as a lowly moor, but she saw him a nice and honest man. But this is all but forgotten when he is reminded of how he is thought of by everyone to be. There must have been some reason. She must have had some other hidden motivation. He couldn’t ever be good enough for her. Society’s thoughts, the words that have been said to him all his life, he now says to himself: blinding himself from the

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