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I am reading "Othello" and find myself wondering why the English showed such disdain/hatred for a people that they barely met? I know that they are Venetians, but Shakespeare was English and must have written from the politics of the day.
I am reading "Othello" and find myself wondering why the English showed such disdain/hatred for a people that they barely met? I know that they are Venetians, but Shakespeare was English and must have written from the politics of the day.
Try reading about the Crusades, we did indeed have a history with regards to the Muslim world.
As for the Moors, the Spanish and Portuguese were the ones who ordered them to convert to Christianity and who later went on to slaughter and expel them from Europe.
Try reading about the Crusades, we did indeed have a history with regards to the Muslim world.
As for the Moors, the Spanish and Portuguese were the ones who ordered them to convert to Christianity and who later went on to slaughter and expel them from Europe.
OK. Fair enough. But it seems like the Othello characters dislike him because he is "black". There are references to his skin color and his big lips. How did Englishmen develop such a dislike for blacks way before the era of the Slave Trade?
You would have to ask Shakespeare that wehotex. Othello is after all a work of fiction not fact. As Bamford said, it seems the Spanish & the Portuguese dislked the Blacks a whole lot more.
To assume hatred based on Othello is simplistic, as he is no more flawed than Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo, or any other tragic hero. I like to think Shakespeare was portraying a complete and complex character, rather than a simplistic stereotype. Maybe the joke is on those characters showing disdain for the here's colour.
OK. Fair enough. But it seems like the Othello characters dislike him because he is "black". There are references to his skin color and his big lips. How did Englishmen develop such a dislike for blacks way before the era of the Slave Trade?
So...prejudice didn't exist before the 18/19th century? It appeared overnight? It's no different than Gentiles disliking Jews and vice versa in a Roman times, or the Protestant/Catholic divide during the Tudor era. The fact that race is involved in Othello is merely another form of prejudice of dislike of "another" in general.
OK. Fair enough. But it seems like the Othello characters dislike him because he is "black". There are references to his skin color and his big lips. How did Englishmen develop such a dislike for blacks way before the era of the Slave Trade?
Read the text again. Othello was very popular. Most of the unabashed racist comments are solely Iago speaking to Desdemona's father. Iago was an expert at playing on people's weaknesses.
And Desdemona's father was great friends with Othello, but he couldn't picture him romancing his daughter.
I think the play is distorted by many people today, because they see it through 20th century racism. They fail to see the racist comments as no different than the comments about money or reputation that Iago makes. He is just looking to exploit weakness.
In general Shakespeare was not a social commentator. He was very interested in individuals.
Last edited by PacoMartin; 06-03-2014 at 08:51 AM..
The racist lines are primarily the first 8 lines of Iago to Desdemona's father. As racist lines they are among the finest ever written. IAGO
'Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not
serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to
do you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll
have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse;
you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have
coursers for cousins and gennets for germans. IAGO
I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter
and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.
Brabantio complains to the Duke that his daughter was stolen by witchcraft. But after the Duke asks Desdemona to explain why she fell in love with Othello he is very convinced by her story. He says:
DUKE OF VENICE I think this tale would win my daughter too.
I think that summarizes my point. The play is not about racism in general. Even the Duke admits that his daughter would be seduced by Othello's charm. They then proceed to plan for the war, and racism never really is discussed again.
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Racist lines in Othello
