Othello

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Othello

• Presentation By James Abene
• Honors English

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The Role Of Racism in Othello
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Play Background

• Othello is a play about a Moroccan man who falls
  in love with a white woman named Desdemona. They
  fall deeply in love and plead to not be broken
  apart for this would kill them.
• Othello took place a in a time where racism was
  very common and no one liked military men named
  Moors. Othello of course, happened to be one.

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Racism in Act 1

• Page 13 Even now, now, very now, an old black
  ram is tupping your white ewe. Lines 97-99
• Page 11 What a fill fortune does the
  thick-lips owe if he can carryt thus! Lines
  72-73

• Page 15 I am one, sir, that comes to tell you
  your daughter and the Moor are now making the
  beast with two backs. Lines 132-133
• Page 15 To the gross clasps of a lascivious
  Moor. Line 142

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Analysis of the quotes part 1

• The first quote calls Othello blatantly a black
  man whom is making love or marrying a white
  woman. This shows that Iago and Roderigo both
  feel somewhat disrespect for Othello, whom they
  also call a Moor. The word tupping means either
  to marry to make love too but in this case it was
  used just to make Brabantio angry.
• The second quote shows is that the Iago once
  again is racist because he calls Othello out on
  his thick lips which is a black trait. For
  someone to even bring this up in talking about
  another person is clearly a sign of racism.

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Analysis of the quotes part 2

• The quote from page 15 reads something about a
  beast with two backs. This is in fact a reference
  to the fact that Othello and Desdemona are making
  love. Nothing would be wrong with this if it
  wasnt for him being a Moor. Since he is a Moor,
  Brabantio sends Iago to get him before he reaches
  the Duke.
• The gross clasps of the lascivious Moor is a
  direct derogatory term towards Othello which
  means that he pranked Desdemona to fall in love
  with him. This also means that Desdemona could be
  playing a trick on her father which Othello made
  her do.

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Racism in Act 2

• Page 77 lines 273 277 Blessed figs end! The
  wine she drinks is made of grapes. If she had
  been blesses, she would have never have loves the
  Moor. Blessed pudding! Didst thou not see her
  paddle with the palm of his hand? Didst not mark
  that?

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Analysis of the quote in Act 2

• What this quote is saying is that Desdemona,
  being a white girl has no morals. If she did have
  morals, she would have never loved the moor,
  Othello. What Iago is trying to say is that
  falling in love with Othello gives herself and
  her family a bad name. It makes them seem not
  human for they are not following within the
  normality's of society.

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Racism in Act 5

• Page 247, lines 161 Emilia o, the more angel
  she, and you the blacker devil!

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Analysis of the Quote in Act 5

• This quote is blatantly calling Othello a black
  devil or a man who deceived a young girl to fall
  in love with him against his will. After he kills
  her, Emilia calls him this because she had a very
  strong bond with Desdemona and now that she is
  dead, she would not have anyone to talk to, not
  even her husband.

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THE END