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Short note about shakespeares othello racism
Short note about shakespeares othello racism
Short note about shakespeares othello racism
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Morocco addresses the issue of Portia’s racism. First, Morocco explains that Portia should not judge him based on his skin color. Raised in the sun, Morocco uses his upbringing in a hot climate as a reason for his dark complexion. However, Morocco then uses his blood as an example of how the prince is as human or manly as anyone else, or perhaps even more than the others. Attempting to counter her racism, Morocco even offers to cut himself to show the color of his blood, thinking that it would counteract her dislike of his skin color.
The imagery in Morocco’s speech reflects the Elizabethan perception of Moors through displaying an apparent stereotype of Moors. According to both speeches, Moors were depicted as fearless warriors with dark complexions. For example, lines 1-12 address Portia’s racism. Using Portia, Shakespeare delineates an underlying racist opinion of Moors. And, in lines 22-38, Morocco only expressed his actions that made him appear more fearsome or manly. One reason why this reflects the Elizabethan perception is because this trait was significant enough to not only be valued by a prince of the culture, but to also be used to persuade a lady to marry. Portia’s reaction to Morocco is indifference. An incident conveying this is when
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Evidently, the meeting was planned for Gratiano to meet with Bassanio to ask this favor. The incident that shows this is where Shakespeare foreshadows this meeting on line 107, where Bassanio tells an attendant to ask Gratiano to meet with him soon. Later, when the two finally meet, Gratiano asks it as a favor and even promises to behave well. Obviously, shown by the two aforementioned parts of the scene, Gratiano’s reason to attend is not simply to have a fun time, but to support his friend on this momentous
His love for Portia blinds him of the fact that possessions do not always bring others close to you. Later, this decline in moral values is seen when Portia pretends to like the Prince of Morocco, one of her suitors, by inviting him to dinner, but later reveals her true opinion of him after he chooses the golden casket. Once the Prince of Morocco leaves Portia's house, after picking the wrong casket, Portia expresses her feelings concerning the outcome, "A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains : go. / Let all of his complexion choose me so," (II.vii.78-79). Portia's hope that anyone with the prince's dark colour chooses the wrong casket shows her low morals in that she does not want to marry any of them. Through deceiving the prince, Portia's displays her prejudice towards the prince's race. These examples show how deception, as seen through love, leads to a decline in the moral values of
The role of the female has developed from being submissive and “obedient” in the Elizabethan era to being independent and liberated within the contemporary setting. The racism of the first text is overtly xenophobic and natural, whilst the “moor” is unnatural whereas the updated context portrays Othello’s race as natural and racism as unnatural. Therefore these examples show how Shakespeare’s Othello, and it’s appropriation, Geoffrey sax’s Othello, reflect the context and values of their times.
To begin, race is the first and clearest of differences between Othello and other major characters. However race is also the least seen issue in the play. Racism is, as stated by Martin Okin “confined to Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio” (Orkin, “Othello: and the”). Emilia herself has her moments of racism, going from using Moor as a describer of Othello to using it as an insult. Brabantio shows this racism when he discovers that Othello has wed his daughter stating:
I think this puts the writer across as prejudice. against non-Christian people and their beliefs. On the other hand, This story could also put across the point that Shakespeare ridicules prejudice and discrimination because some phrases in the play where Christians are prejudiced, seem to be emphasised ridiculously. Another point of racial prejudice is conveyed in the sub plot of Portia's courtship. Left rich by her late father, she is obliged to.
Bartels, Emily C. “Making more of the Moor: Aaron, Othello, and Renaissance Refashionings of Race.” Shakespeare Quarterly 41.4 (1990): 433-54. JSTOR. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
Brabantio is also racially prejudiced. He is upset when he discovers that Othello, the Moor, is the man that Desdemona has chosen. He feels that Othello is not worthy of his daughter's love because he possesses darker skin and is of Arabian descent.
In the Sixteenth century, as we see clearly from Othello and other works of both Shakespeare and Cinthio's original version of Othello, race was a topic of great debate and discussion. Today, in the twenty-first century the debate retains its controversy and passion. However, attitudes towards race have taken a dramatic turn during the last century. In the developed world people are now living in an increasingly cosmopolitan society would undoubtedly be more tolerant and would reject or even be offended by racial discrimination to any person or sections of the community. Openly 'racist' people today are seen as outcasts. Taking this into account, the way a modern audience would react to race and racism in Othello is dependent upon the way in which that modern audience would interpret 'Othello'. This prompts the questions of what sort of message Shakespeare wanted to send to his audience and was Othello the moor portrayed as a tragic hero or did his character eventually come to resemble the prejudices of which he was a victim. Shakespeare also discusses the issue of race with other characters such as the hateful Iago and the prejudices hidden deep in Barbantio.
Throughout the rest of the play we see Portia fight back not only through giving herself control of who she marries but also through deceiving the Duke into believing that she is a clever, young lawyer named Balthazar by writing a letter that the Duke receives from, supposedly, Bellario telling him that he cannot make the court hearing but he has sent a young man, a disguised Portia, called Balthazar to take his place. She starts the letter with flattery, saying, ‘Your Grace shall understand…’ This makes the Duke feel elevated and respected because Your Grace is a sign of humbleness showing respect and a feeling of status. She then writes that Bellario is ‘very sick’ so that the Duke would have sympathy for Bellario and therefore be more likely to agree to Balthazar being the prosecution councillor.
Being a mirror of the age, Elizabethan literature was not in isolation from the currents of the era including these stereotypes. All these attitudes of ethnocentrism and xenophobia was skillfully interpreted through literature in general and drama in particular. One example of this is Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice which is about a miser money-lender Jew. Portrayal ...
is unfolded, the reader sees a wife in love with the husband who was wise enough to earn her love (and consequently her fortune!). Beware, gentle reader! Do not fall under the spell of Portia the control freak! The following scenerios must be proof that this woman is not to be trusted!
His lack of education has deprived him of good manners as well as good sense. The scene itself initially seemed inconsistent with the rest of the play. The prejudice the women tolerate is evidenced by their tendency to dress in men’s clothing in order to be heard or considered (Olson). As women, their voices are inhibited or disregarded; they are overshadowed and overlooked by society. Portia, for example, has little choice but to consent to being the prize in her “loving” late father’s lottery.
Throughout Shakespeare’s various works, it has been observed that he rarely uses females in his literature, but when he does, he uses them for a distinct purpose, as is evident in Julius Caesar. By defying the societal standards of her gender and showing genuine interest in her husband’s thoughts and feelings, Portia, the wife of Brutus, reveals key aspects of his character while adding depth to the story. For her time, Portia was a woman who both respected herself and took pride in herself, without allowing society to make a mark on her. This is evident when she states, “Think you I am no stronger than my sex/ Being so father'd and so husbanded?" (Port...
He is referring to the color of his skin. that is a black one. He is telling Portia that his complexion has won him many. women and he is dressed in all white. The fact that he is, suggests that he is only concerned with outward appearance, and not with more important.
For example, the lovely Portia who exhibits features that are typical of a heroine in Shakespeare’s plays is no stranger to discrimination. By emphasizing her lack of choice in the matter of her marriage, the dialogue left no more place for Portia to deny her discomfort with the color of Morocco's skin. Also her choice of the word fair, indicating to light-skinned, is intentionally cruel because she knows of Morocco’s concerned about his appearances. Further...
This would be a way to suggest that Morocco was as noble as any white man was because red blood signified courage and virility. A lot of emphasis is placed on Morocco’s skin colour. His long-winded speeches full of false and extravagant praise makes him sound insincere,