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Forms of prejudice in the first couple of acts of Othello and what they reveal about the culture of Shakespeare

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Forms of prejudice in the first couple of acts of Othello and what they reveal about the culture of Shakespeare

 Prejudice forms in the Acts of Othello are prominently about racial discrimination. In the first couple of scenes, Iago and Roderigo disparage Othello in explicitly calls in racial terms such as “thick lips” and “Barbary horse” (Daileader). In every scene in the first acts, the prejudiced characters describe Othello as a beast and an animal. The biased use of racial names defines Othello as an outsider to the white Venetian society and somebody who does not deserve respect because they term Othello as less human.

The prejudice on Othello is due to his age.  Othello himself also seems to have internalized the names; in several scenes, he describes himself in the racial names. However, when he realizes that he has lost his manhood and honor, he quickly becomes the rational monster the white Venetians refer him to being.

Besides, misogyny prejudice is exhibited in the acts. Many characters hate women primarily focused on dishonesty and honesty about their gender (Daileader). The forms of discrimination reveal Shakespeare’s culture as a society that uses prejudice to identify insiders and outsiders in Venetian; this is even evident when Othello uses religion to cement his place in the Christian culture of the Venetian.

Iago intense dislike of Othello

Iago dislikes Othello because Othello unfairly passed him over for promotion by making Cassio a lieutenant despite Cassio and him having no military experience (Daileader).  Also, Iago reveals to the audience the thing he has not told Roderigo. Iago accuses Othello of sleeping with his wife, and he does not care if he rumors are true.

I think the degree of justification is based on racism, which is evident in how Iago terms Othello by calling Othello an “old black ram,” an “erring barbarian,” and “a Barbary horse.” Iago identifies Othello by his race, which could have been disturbing to Shakespeare’s audiences.

 

 

 

Work Cited

Daileader, Celia R. Racism, misogyny, and the Othello Myth: Inter-racial Couples from Shakespeare to Spike Lee. Cambridge University Press, 2005.

 

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