Stereotypes In Othello
In Shakespeare’s Othello, the protagonist adopts an identity that conforms to Venetian society and defies racial expectations brought forth by his Venetian peers. His simplistic perception of himself as a Venetian man, unconcerned with racial stereotypes, conveys his noble virtues to be greater than that of his white Venetian counterparts’. However, Othello’s internalization of the racial prejudice, as instigated by Iago, is his ultimate demise. In the beginning of the play, Othello demonstrates an effective resistance against the racial stereotypes expressed by Brabantio. His use of poetic language and honorable military status greatly contrasts the black stereotypes that Brabantio thrusts at him. For instance, when Brabantio accuses Othello of stealing
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For example, when Iago expresses to Othello that Desdemona will someday recoil to “her better judgment” and “fall to match [Othello] with her country forms/And happily repent”, Othello proclaims, in return, “Why did I marry?” which suggests that he has internalized the racism and is doubting Desdemona’s love (3.3.252-259). He is slowly accepting the notion that his wife could not possibly love someone with his racial background. He also becomes fixated on punishing his wife for her infidelity to the point in which he associates his skin color with vengeance in the line “Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell” (3.3.462). However, when Othello murders Desdemona, his internalization of racism is complete. His poetic language becomes choppy similar to Iago’s, a man who is already consumed by racism, and he begins to compare himself to a “base Indian” who “threw a pearl away/Richer than all his tribe”, which suggests that Othello perceives himself as an inferior man (5.2.357-358). In the end, Othello’s internalization of racism propelled him to mistrust his marriage to Desdemona and misguided him from his former Venetian
For example, when Iago expresses to Othello that Desdemona will someday recoil to “her better judgment” and “fall to match [Othello] with her country forms/And happily repent”, Othello proclaims, in return, “Why did I marry?” which suggests that he has internalized the racism and is doubting Desdemona’s love (3.3.252-259). He is slowly accepting the notion that his wife could not possibly love someone with his racial background. He also becomes fixated on punishing his wife for her infidelity to the point in which he associates his skin color with vengeance in the line “Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell” (3.3.462). However, when Othello murders Desdemona, his internalization of racism is complete. His poetic language becomes choppy similar to Iago’s, a man who is already consumed by racism, and he begins to compare himself to a “base Indian” who “threw a pearl away/Richer than all his tribe”, which suggests that Othello perceives himself as an inferior man (5.2.357-358). In the end, Othello’s internalization of racism propelled him to mistrust his marriage to Desdemona and misguided him from his former Venetian