Othello Race Journal - Essay Example

The theme of race appears to be one of the essential in Othello. It drives the development of the conflict by means of becoming a kind of lens through which other characters regard Othello, building negative assumptions concerning his intentions and actions. It follows that although Othello can be praised for his military achievements and skillfulness as well as for the nobility of his character, he cannot be fully accepted by the society which puts the great emphasis on his distinctive traits.

Racial prejudices result in the great distrust and contempt towards Othello. This can be seen in the language which is used to describe the character. For instance, throughout the play he is refereed to as “this Moor”, “the thick lips”, or more pejorative as “Barbary horse”, and “Devil”. ("Elizabethan Thater: Skakespeare in Context" ) Moreover, characters in the play are more prone to believe that Desdemona was poisoned or somehow bewitched and in this way, forced to love Othello than to believe that their relationships are natural.

“Did you by forced courses subdue and poison this young maids affections?” ("Elizabethan Thater: Skakespeare in Context") Obviously, race becomes the crucial feature that sets him apart.Throughout the play, the attitudes towards Othello are much influenced by that fact that he is racially different from the majority in the society. The following creates the tension between the characters and drives the development of the conflict. As a whole, the play reflects the existing at those time anxieties and prejudices relating to interracial marriages and the belief in the white superiority that define the place of Othello among others.

In this context, Othello fulfill the role of an outsider in the society which is guided by racial stereotypes and fears. Works cited"The Tragedy of Othello." Trans. Array The Elizabethan Thater: Skakespeare in Context. Print.