Race And Class In Shakespeare's Othello

Does love need to discriminate against different race or class? Does it matter what race you need or have to be, in order to be with someone? A social issue was brought to attention during the play “Othello” and that was race and class. Race and class have always been a social issue not only in plays and book but also it has been a social issue around the world. Desdemona and Othello were from a different race and different class. Even though they came from different backgrounds they got married together to become husband and wife. There are a variety of racism and discrimination towards Othello throughout the play. Othello’s was often described as black or African descent. He was the only black person in the play. Desdemona, his wife wasn’t seen as someone who was supposed to marry Othello. Her father

didn’t want to accept the fact he wanted to be with her. Due to the circumstances Othello didn’t care at all and didn’t find race nor class an issue. He truly loved her and it was the reason he married her.
Othello was considered an “other” during the play. This is an example of post-colonialism and the taboo of interracial relationships. Interracial relationships have changed during the time. Over these passed years there has been relationships where family members don’t even accept them for who they are. Many of those cases have been seen everywhere due to the fact they don’t share or are from their same culture or ethnicity. The discrimination of couples who have disapproval from their family members and their close ones. As said on the scene by Brabantio. “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father, and may thee.” (Shakespeare 290) He didn’t want to Othello to be with Desdemona due to various reasons.
OTHELLO: “My life upon her faith!—Honest Iago, My Desdemona must I leave to thee. I prithee let thy wife attend on her, And bring them after in the best advantage. Come, Desdemona. I have but an hour Of love, of worldly matters and direction, to spend with thee. We must obey the time.” (290-299)
It’s true that racism still exists nowadays. Where couples are being judged by others whether it’s in public or not. Society expects someone to be in a relationship that are the same race or class. Those couples who are being discriminated have a feeling of stare that others do while they are together, even if they are holding hands. There’s a saying that is made that says “She’s milk, your oil, those two don’t mix”. That’s a saying that many people know about and follow through it. I personally know couples who are from a different race. It can be really difficult for them, due to the fact that their family can be strict and having the sense that their significant other won’t be accepted by them. There can be many issues due to communication and having to accept their culture and the way they come from.
Anytime and everywhere we go there is someone different. Personally everyone is different from each and no one is the same. Society always focuses on the different people who are not like the others. They make those who are different seem worthless and useless, having them to have a low self-esteem. There are many things that people wouldn’t do for the persons that are different. For an example, when someone doesn’t know the time and knowing you’re afraid to ask because they won’t give you a response. Many have felt insecure about themselves because the lack that they feel left out, and thinking they don’t fit like the rest. There has been cases where they commit suicide due to racism. Racism is something powerful that has always been a controversy issue.
Due to the fact that Othello was considered an “other” in the play it was for many reasons. One, Othello had to achieve and join to the religion of Christianity. Two, he was of a different race/color. Othello wasn’t considered as someone who was a qualified member just cause of his race. For the position he was in and being able to be with his wife Desdemona. Othello had a strong ruling power position. A moor is someone who is mostly black. By calling him “The Moor” it made it seem like an animalistic identity. Making him feel like an animal or an “other”, which I wouldn’t get why he never complained about it and said anything. As well said an described on the scene:
IAGO: “And I—God bless the mark!—his Moorship’s ancient.”
RODERIGO: “By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.”
IAGO: “Why, there’s no remedy; ‘tis the curse of service. Preferment goes by letter and affection, And not by old graduation, where each second stood heir to th’first. Now, sir, be judge yourself, Whether I in any just term am affined To love the Moor.”
RODERIGO: “I would not follow him then.” (33-40)
Emilia didn’t have any racist comments towards Othello until the end of the play when he killed Desdemona. When Othello murders Desdemona, Emilia shouts in anger and called him a “blacker devil”. That was the time when Emilia got furious and started to be racist with Othello by telling him rude comments. She had a reason to, since Desdemona was innocent and since Othello was manipulated by jealousy. This is when Othello is being called a ‘blacker devil” by Emilia:
OTHELLO: “You heard her say herself, it was not I.”
EMILIA: “She said so. I must needs report the truth.”
OTHELLO: “She’s like a liar gone to burning hell! ‘Twas I that killed her.”
EMILIA: “O, the more angel she, And you the blacker devil!”
OTHELLO: “She turned to folly, and she was a whore.”
EMILIA: “Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.”
OTHELLO: “She was false as water.” (128-134)
We see on the play that Othello has been receiving racist comments not just from Emilia at the end of the play, but also by Iago. On act one, scene one Iago and Othello are talking about the act that Othello wants decides to be with Desdemona no matter what. Iago, tells him that he is blind in love and thinks he’s crazy for making a decision to be with Desdemona. He refers to Othello as having big lips and says that behind his back. Even though he found Desdemona attractive also. Iago replies in a furious way saying:
IAGO: “Zounds, sir, y’ are robbed! For shame, put on your gown! Your heart is burst; you have lost half your soul. Even now, now, very now, an old back ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell. Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arise I say!” (86-92)
As said in the article The ‘process’ of prejudice: ‘Othello’ there are facts being said that Othello was being treated as a prodigy. He knew he was the only victim going through racism. Yet he just didn’t accept it, he wasn’t in realization to the point where we was securely considered as an outsider. He was always being placed in a crucial way. He just thought he had terrible power of society within.
Others can say that Shakespeare could’ve been thinking about other things, he could’ve been racist himself. Looking different at the play and Shakespeare not having to mean it in the wrong way towards Othello by dominating him. Iago was supposed to be Othello’s close friend who was considered at first trustworthy, but in reality was a liar. Iago wanted to destroy Othello in any way because Othello didn’t choose him to be his lieutenant. He chose Cassio and that was when he became angry, since Cassio didn’t know anything about war and he did.
On the article Racism, Misogyny, and the “Othello” Myth: Inter-racial Couples from Shakespeare, it is being said that not only does Othello have any racial issues but also sexual relations. That has been involving with black men and white women. That black men had the right to control any women, whether she was white or black. It also says that, Desdemona gets what she deserves just so that Othello “must rub off on her” and that continues with black femininity.
Iago was just jealous of Othello all the time because he was more powerful than him, and because he had a good relationship with Desdemona. Which is what he wanted to have exactly with Emilia. Iago was racist towards Othello all the time, but never said anything in front of his face. The only time he did was behind his back. He didn’t want Othello to find out that every problem caused was because of him. Iago at first when he was speaking with Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, Iago had called Othello a “Barbary horse”. As said on the scene by 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.” (110-114)
On the article Racism, Misogyny, and the Othello Myth there is a statement that is said “Antony and Cleopatra is also a great Shakespearean tragedy featuring inter-racial sexuality- assuming one believes that the dramatist’s Cleopatra was meant to be black-but it has never achieved the universal appeal to Othello.” By that said, it states that any woman who is with a black man deserves to be punished. It also talks about witchcraft with how Brabantio thinks Desdemona has been on witchcraft due to the fact she was with Othello.
The author says that because she explains how Desdemona wasn’t supposed to be with Othello which who she referred to as “the moor”. She explains briefly how back then whoever was with a dark man, deserved to be punished since it was a culture that was used back then. Something that we are not used to seeing right now because it’s not seen as something “right”.
In the article Othello: racist or anti-Islamist? the author Grace Tiffany argues that, “Othello himself is radically unlike the savage stereotypes”. An example would be when Brabantio calls Othello a “thing”. She thinks the play Othello is about prejudice, not race. She makes an argument that Moors were related to religion and not race. Thinking that Shakespeare removed any prejudice that was being made towards or as said, against him.
Shakespeare’s play of Othello shows us that racism still exists in our everyday life.

Everyone has once experienced it in their lifetime whether it was in public or not. People have and are experiencing it right now, something that society doesn’t know or think about. Racism can be stopped by just accepting the fact that everyone is different in their own way, trying to fit in with the rest isn’t something everyone should value. Love shouldn’t matter what race or class you are in. Love is a feelings that just happens and no one can control it. Love can have different meanings, it is something we can’t truly define because it’s a feeling.

Works Cited

Desmet, Christy. “Racism, Misogyny, and the ‘Othello’ Myth: Inter-racial Couples from Shakespeare to Spike Lee.” Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England 20 (2007): 281+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. Print.

Doloff, Steven. “The process’ of prejudice: ‘Othello’ I.iii 128-14.” Notes and Queries 41.4 (1994): 491+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. Print.

Schilb, John, and John Clifford, eds. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and writers. 5th Ed. Boston: Bedford, 2012.

Print.
Tiffany, Grace. “Othello: racist or anti-islamic?” Shakespeare Newsletter Winter 2009: 111. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. Print.
Vaughan, Virginia Mason. “Celia R. Daileader. Racism, Misogyny, and the Othello Myth.” Early Theatre 10.1 (2007): 149+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. Print.
William, Shakespeare “The Noble Othello.” Schilb and Clifford 742-846