Analysis Of Shakespeare's Othello

In the context of the seventeenth century, Shakespeare was writing in a time where he would have had to create great atmosphere and setting. Creating the important bond with his language and attachment between the actors and the audience whilst competing with the racket of the crowd who called out, hurled fruit and tried to join in with the performance on stage. These performances would therefore demonstrate the isolation and seclusion of the racial or female roles that Shakespeare carefully constructed in his work.

The first time we are introduced to an outsider is in The Taming of the Shrew in 1590. Women as outsiders are a significant motif in this tragic comedy, particularly in relation to power. The Taming of the Shrew is examining the

With clear references to Othello’s ‘thick lips’ and ‘old black ram’ being linked very closely to his portrayal and respect that he has in this play. The argument that has disputed the involvement of either all white or all black characters, but I believe that it is important to keep the cast the way Shakespeare wrote it because of the clear divide and isolation it makes it commendable and stimulating. It could be argued that Shakespeare was indeed creating racial difference or that he was allowing Othello’s personal flaws to instead create his isolated and jealous breakdown. Othello is presented as having inherent bravery and virtue, yet he is corrupted and ironically ‘blackened’ by Iago the white male character whose manipulative lies and deception eventually destroy him. Othello’s last obituary is resonant and controlled. It is seen that in fact this emotional explanation of his love life, last moments and his great deed was actually problematic for the audience to accept due to the speculation that these ideas were in fact false throughout this

The verse and prose he spoke in were usually heard from high status characters, but Othello easily coped with this language even to his isolation. This indicates that even if Shakespeare did want to display this racial difference in Othello, he kept the language of high status to indicate that although Othello is black, he is still an accepted Venetian soldier. With all this racial discrimination one would take have to take into consideration that the Elizabethan theatre would have been in a period where Shakespeare was dealing and addressing with the customs of society, such as black people not even being permitted on stage. White characters were painted black to represent the black race. With this in mind Shakespeare would have had to mirror society’s strong beliefs and extreme behaviours against the black race. Shakespeare is presenting the message that whether you are part of the white or black race, society is constantly isolating outsiders in a situation that they never deserve. Cowhig critiqued Othello and said that “It should not be forgotten that Othello was the black noble whose humanity eroded by cunning and racism of whites” (Cowhig 7), he was a black noble man who was seduced by white evil: Iago. The actual black villain here is arguably