In William Shakespeare's "Othello," the concept of racial identity is one of several prominent themes. The primary protagonist, Othello, is an societal outsider because of his foreign roots and the color of his skin. Othello is "The Moor of Venice"," meaning he is of African (probably North African) ancestry, and the play is, in many ways, shaped by this status. A textual analysis of "Othello" reveals several racist overtones and motifs, making it easy to see that Shakespeare put in plenty of thought as to how the character's racial identity would factor into or shape the events of the play. It can be argued that Shakespeare himself was a racist based on the way Othello is portrayed at times, or it can be argued that he was actually trying to shed light on the social construct of racism, or that there were other motives behind Othello's ethnic characterization. It is difficult to compile all of the possible evidence in this play and be able to say definitively that it is racist or, on the other hand, that Shakespeare intentionally used the appearance of racism for different reasons. However, regardless of the motive behind its employment, one can say without a doubt that racism is present within the play and that it is actually a major factor. While it's hard to prove either side of the "Shakespeare was a racist" argument," it is completely obvious that the portrayal of Othello's character is a direct product of traits associated with his ethnicity. The way Othello's peers and colleagues talk about him, the way he perceives himself within Venetian society, and the way Iago takes advantage of him with relative ease show that his character is molded by racial stereotypes within the author's society that transcend into the fictionalized Venetian society.
Othello's racial identity is emphasized most often through the perspectives of his fellow Venetians and others who come into contact with him.
