... play: Othello. The issue of racism is shown through the words and actions of every single character in the play. The motivating factors and reasons for a character's racist mindset may vary, but this topic still happens to appear in majority of dialogues. Roderigo, Iago, and Brabantio are three characters that portray racist traits throughout the play. No matter the circumstance, in that time period racism was ... natural, and inevitable to every social class. Roderigo is a jealous suitor of Desdemona, and is often portrayed as young, rich, and foolish. He obeys the words of Iago under ...

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... it to be themselves.[ LINK TO 3] They live by a code of behavior and upbringing which views someone like Othello as barbarous, uncivilized, and almost amusing in a superior cultural kind of way. Every time a character calls Othello "the Moor" a sense of derision and superiority is conveyed and all the other feelings of distance inherent in Venetians.[4] Iago says that Desdemona is a "supersubtle Venetian ... "[5] as if the calculatedness of her thoughts and deeds were not too a feature of himself, which they certainly are. The implication is that civilised people are ... This paragraph ...

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... , Othello. Barbantio tackles Othello with the theft of his daughter, claiming that he must have worked on her by witchcraft. There dispute is settled by the Duke of Venice who sanctions the marriage when Desdemona tells him of her love for Othello. The Duke and the Senate have a high regard for both the nobility and military capacity of the Moor, whom they now appoint head of the Venetian army in Cyprus. Desdemona refuses ... confusion Iago kills Roderigo, who has become more inconvenient than profitable. Othello, convinced now of his wife's infidelity, smothers her in her bed. Her innoce...

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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

When you start reading the first act of Othello, the picture that Iago and Roderigo paint is not necessarily the picture you imagination builds up after you continue. The act opens with the pair arguing. Iago believes that the Moor is pompous and conceited, and this is visible after only a short period of time. Othello is being described by others before the audience sees him speak for himself. As we listen ... white ewe. Arise, arise! " From Iago's point of view (which is all we have at this moment in time) were not sure about how Othello will present himself when he finally makes an appeara...

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... His Moorship" by Iago, Roderigo and Brabantio. It is because of this dominant image from their perspective that they find it difficult to see the man behind the blackness. Othello is also referred to as "thick-lips" and "the gross clasps of the lascivious Moor" (Act 1, Scene 1) by Roderigo. In Act 1 Scene 3 , Iago informs Brabantio of his daughter's marriage to Othello. Iago: " an old black ram is ... challenges racist attitudes by depicting Othello as being black-coloured, but being the good guy and Iago as the white, but evil man. The person who shows his racist attitude directly to Oth...

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... a street in Venice. Roderigo, a wealthy Venetian gentleman, is discussing the marriage of Desdemona, the daughter of Brabantio. Earlier in the evening, she had eloped with Othello, a Moor who is a respected General in the Venetian army. Roderigo is angry with Iago, for he has paid him a handsome sum to win the love of Desdemona for himself and to keep him informed of her love life. Iago, like Roderigo, is a frustrated man ... , young wife. He only knows that he loves her helplessly, intensely, and passionately. Therefore, Iago's words fill him with terror. Desdemona enters to remind her h...

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... the opening act , the weaving of public and private business would not be as apparent. .The opening act sets the stage for the entire play, revealing the time, place, and background information of the plot. It also introduces the traits of the major characters, some in person and some through conversation. It also introduces the themes of appearance vs. reality, romantic love, and deception. Finally, it foreshadows the action of the play, driven by the ... entirely by the duke "I think this tale would win my daughter too.Good Brabantio,Take up this mangled matter at the best". From the b...

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... , Desdemona and Othello are independent characters that portray their eternal love throughout the play. To begin, Othello's love is proven to be honest as it is expressed during the most challenging times. Primarily, Othello is aware that race is an obstacle, which Brabantio must overcome in order to support his daughter's relationship. Knowingly, he continues to express his love story while he might ... thee nothing! Whereon I do beseech thee, grant me this, to leave me but a little to myself." (Shakespeare Act 3 Scene 3 Lines 75-76). Othello is pushing Desdemona away for some time show...

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... tupping your white ewe." (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 90). Brabantio's perceptions of both his daughter and Othello have changed. Later on Iago uses Desdemona's deceit towards her father as a way of changing Othello's perception of Desdemona. He repeats the words Brabantio used "She has deceived her father and may thee."(Act 1, Scene ... man: let me see now; To get his place and to plume up my will In double knavery. How? How? Let's see. After some time, to abuse Othello's ears That he is too familiar with his wife- (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 374-378). This quote explains how Iago pretends to ... i...

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... only three female characters for strategic reasons. The significance of Emilia and Bianca is to heighten our awareness of Desdemona's innocence and loyalty to her husband. Emilia and Bianca are primarily created to present to the reader a striking contrast to Desdemona. Desdemona is the young, sweet, and unsuspecting daughter of Venice nobleman Brabantio. She is often referred to throughout the play as virtuous, innocent, and pure ... contrast to Desdemona's innocence and idealism with her experience and her realism. Emilia is the expectedly hardened wife or Iago. She is a woman of the w...

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... her husband, despite his actions. When she elopes with Othello she dishonours Brabantio, her father; however, she shows strength of character by standing up to him, and justifies herself in saying that her duties now lie with Othello: "I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband" (I.iii.184). Desdemona is often compared to Hero from Much Ado About Nothing, but ... " wife. Although they have parallels, Othello and Much Ado About Nothing are two very different plays. Much Ado About Nothing is set within the conventions of the time, so the audience must understand the Elizabethan con...

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... choosing her love for herself and defying her father, she broke an accepted order. This kind of independence in a woman was frowned upon in Venetian society. Desdemona's loyalty represents the role of women in the male-dominated society of the time. However, she is seen to interfere with politics in her support of Cassio's cause - "Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do all my abilities in thy behalf ... Venetian society, but only as a soldier. The binary oppositions of light and dark imagery highlight the racial prejudice which is still evident. Black Othello loves Desdemona, whom he ...

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... can be gleaned off personal differences such as the reverence of Othello with the duplicity of Iago. Desdemona, courteous and intelligent, is an exemplary to the women of her time, challenging the unuttered bounds of her patriarchal society. These anomalies all form part to the theme of difference that is core to this Shakespearian tragedy. Othello's different racial background displaces him within the societal sphere of his career. His Moorish roots elicit skepticism ... his fantasy'. Conversely, Desdemona is intelligent and outspoken unlike the majority of women of her era. This is ev...

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Ever since the beginning of time, the male species have always been dominant. It is only within the past 100 to 50 years that females have become almost as important and equal in society. In Shakespeare's plays, most of the main characters or main speaking parts are played by characters that are male. The basis of Shakespeare's plays seem to focus mainly around the male main character and his conflict, which ... . Women also seem not to be favored in Shakespeare's plays, yet more of the problem. In Othello, Shakespeare writes his male character's to view women in a demeaning way. In the 17th c...

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... who finds fun in exploiting them. Similarly his passion for money is conveyed to the audience in his metaphor in Act one Scene one where he instructs Brabantio to, "look to his house, his daughter, and his bags as he is being robbed signifying just how much of a one track mind he has and how anyone obstructing him from reaching his ... goal will be hurt. Scene one also depicts the cunning Iago manipulates Roderigo into disliking the moor in the same way Iago jealously hates him. The ease with which Iago has exercised ... who bears the weight of Shakespeare's political and social messag...

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... position. If he is not at the proverbial right place in the right time, the events that transpire could not possibly have happened. Othello is a very respected military officer in the Venetian army. He is actually called into action for much of the play to help defend the Greek island of Cyprus from an imminent threat of invading Turks. This gives Othello the opportunity to show off is military ... skills as well as his heroic attributes. It again lends itself to such heroic values as respect, courage, determination and the like (Time and the Tragic Hero n. pag.). An important focus of t...

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... he could have had when his madness takes over. That moment in act 1 scene 1, was the catalyst for the entire play, and if he had the common sense not to cast out his only loyal daughter, then he might not have had those horrible problems he did in the play. By doing those things, he left a small opening for Edmund to start working his magic ... , but I"ll get to him later. Posthumus is the luckiest out of all these villains. Again, he wasn't really the main villain of the play, it looked as if the queen was making all the moves in the beginning ... to do what they did, then plays like t...

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... Emilia is unpinning Desdemona's hair and preparing her for bed (like a mother helping her young daughter). This showing of affection is strictly among the women of this play. The men are the ones who are committing all the violence and most of the distrust. This conversation continues intimately throughout the rest of the scene, but heightens when Desdemona says, "O these men, these men (line 67)!" She can ... a playwright. Shakespeare's Othello has been studied exhaustively, yet most character analyses focus on the two male figures, Othello and Iago. The two main female characters, Des...

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... back at him for this. Iaga's resentment towards Othello has probably been brewing because of this and also of the obvious fact that Othello overlooked him for the lieutenant position. When Roderigo maliciously informs Brabantio that Othello supposedly stole his daughter and has sexual relations with her all the time, he accuses Othello of witchcraft. Brabantio starts to make racist comments towards Othello because he doesn't understand how ... his daughter could marry a man like Othello who is dark skinned. Brabantio thinks that the only way Othello could have gotten Desdemona to fall i...

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... even which set off this hatred was Othello promoting Cassio to the position of lieutenant which Iago wanted for a long time. He goes on to say "by letter and affection- by which he means that the military positions are appointed by favoritism rather than hard work and capability. In the beginning of the scene, Roderigo approaches Iago because he has paid him good money in order to ... overpowered, and influences by stronger ones such as Iago who have the tendency to talk nonsense and put themselves up on a pedestal. How would you describe Brabantio? When Roderigo finally gets through to...

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... and don't know what's best, right? It's only masculine to choose the husband for your daughter and arrange a marriage that will leave her well off financially so that she may bring the family name nobility and pride. Yes, masculinity is all of these things, but in Othello we are focusing on the power of the word and how it brings about so much unnecessary trifles. Iago uses ... have lost half your soul" (1.1.87). He's implying that his masculinity has disappeared with his daughter because he could not control his properties sexuality. In this time women were to be submissive, do what wa...

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... has other issues. Iago has served faithfully as Othello's ensign. However, Othello Infuriated Iago for selecting Michael Cassio as his Lieutenant instead of himself. An evil nature is hidden under a mask of integrity by Iago as he delights in the misery of others. He sets out to arrange Othello's destruction with his envy as a partial justification. Brabantio, a Venetian Senator and Desdemona's ... father, was awaken by, Roderigo and Iago to inform him that his daughter has run off with Othello. He is skeptical of him personally because he is a foreigner, despite the admiration Brabantio...

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... be perceived as Demon with Magic, or some sort of Devil Desdemona's father Brabantio, King of Cyprus, is infuriated when, Iago reveals to him, Othello and Desdemona's marriage. Brabantio believes Othello, has swayed Desdemona with his dark magic, "My Daughter! Oh my Daughter!" She is abused, stolen from me, and corrupted by spells and medicines from the Moor! "(Shakespeare 785.) Desdemona boldly speaks up to ... her father; "My duty is to the Moor now. "(Shakespeare 791.) Brabantio accepts his daughter's decision and joins their hands together, "Come Hither Moor, I here do give ... is a...

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... Almereyda's modern version of Shakespeare's Hamlet, I wondered what other plays of his had been turned into contemporary versions. I decided to look at my favorite Shakespearean play of all time, Othello. I know that there was at least one version made, O, which starred Josh Har Mekhi Phifer and Julia Stiles. The reason I"m writing is to find out if this adaptation of the classic play by Shakespeare ... worked better for the critics. Many critics do not like modernized versions of classics, so I was intrigued as to what ... fellow soldier, Cassio. Tim Nelson's 2001 adaptation, "O", mov...

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... are many points in this tragedy that make the reader think the couple should have known what Iago was trying to do. The first point that comes to mind is time. The play opens with Roderigo and Iago at the home of Senator Brabantio. They scream to the Senator that a Moor had stolen his daughter, and slept with her. This is when the reader first realizes Roderigo and especially Iago ... were out to ruin Othello's life. Outraged Brabantio calls for his men to retrieve the Moor, or better known as Othello. Othello ... ? / Never To fetch her fan, her gloves, her mask, nor nothing? / Never, m...

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• Grade Level: High School