Racial Discrimination in Shakespeare
In Shakespeare’s Othello the Duke says, “If virtue no delighted beauty lack,/Your son-in-law is far more fair than black,” (I.iii.330–331) While it may seem like a compliment, the Duke is essentially saying that if virtue is beauty, then Othello is beautiful, not black; suggesting black is ugly. While the Duke may not have meant to seem discriminatory, his words left an underlying tone. Othello is a Shakespearian play written about a black general and his wife. Throughout the play, Othello struggles with doubts and suspicion of his wife’s faithfulness after his friend suggests she is cheating. Othello is not only fighting his own thoughts, but he has to deal with constant jabs at his race and behavior. He is constantly compared to beasts and brutes and has to fight for respect. While Othello gains the respect of some, there is still an underlying tone from his friends and coworkers that suggests they are better than him.
William Shakespeare’s writing is world-renowned. It is taught in schools around the world and is translated into 100 different languages. Shakespeare’s plays shape many children’s education. While reading, it is clear in Shakespeare’s writing that he is not purposely portraying Othello as less than, but there is still a hidden stigma surrounding him. This stigma is now taught in modern-day schools and shows how the reading and production of Shakespeare’s Othello are detrimental to racial equality.
The reading and production of Shakespeare’s Othello are detrimental to racial equality because it portrays black people as a lesser race. At the beginning of Act One, Iago and Rodrigo wake Brabantio to notify him of Desdemona and Othello’s marriage. Iago calls out something that immediately gets Brabantio on his feet, “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram/ is tupping your white ewe. Arise! Arise!” (I.i.97–98) Later in the act, Iago and Rodrigo create a plan to trick Othello. While explaining the scheme to Rodrigo, Iago mentions their marriage in a negative light, “If sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt an erring barbarian and (a) supersubtle Venetian…” (I.iii.396–399)
Othello is a black general in a white man’s world. He had to prove himself as a general to earn the respect of many, but he is still seen in a negative light when compared to others. Iago refers to Othello as ‘an erring barbarian’ compared to Desdemona’s ‘supersubtle Venetian’. When he uses words like erring, he is suggesting Othello is a dysregulated person. He also calls him a barbarian, suggesting he is uncultured and lesser. In Ancient Rome, the barbarians were described as brutes that were constantly fighting. If Iago respected Othello and saw him as an equal, then he would not refer to him as a barbarian. Furthermore, when Iago first warns Brabantio, he again describes Othello in a disgusting way. Comparing an old black ram to a white ewe is the same as comparing dirt to snow. When Iago describes Othello ‘tupping’ Desdemona, he is suggesting that when they are having sex together, Othello is making her dirty, similar to when you mix snow and dirt, creating a muddy mess. A white ewe signifies a sort of pure innocence, and when Iago calls Othello a black ram, he degrades Othello to the title of a beast or an animal. Iago is basically indicating Othello is a black animal out to steal Desdemona’s innocence. This relates to modern times because Othello is a common book used in modern education. When a black boy or girl is reading a story like this, they may begin to think of themselves as less than the people around them. While Shakespeare’s writing may have been acceptable in the past, in this day and age, the effects on modern children in school could be disastrous. Therefore, when these degrading terms are used to describe Othello, black people are portrayed as a lesser race.
The reading and production of Shakespeare’s Othello continue to be detrimental to racial equality because it displays interracial marriage as unnatural. Once Brabantio is made aware of Desdemona’s and Othello’s marriage, he insists to the men of the court that Othello must be using some sort of witchcraft on Desdemona, and she is being controlled by Othello.
… And she, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, everything,
To fall in love with what she feared to look on…
That will confess perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature, and must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell” (I.iii.114–118)
While Brabantio does not come out and say it, he does not approve of Desdemona’s marriage to a black man. When he tells the court about Desdemona he says ‘to fall in love with what she feared to look on’, when he says this he is suggesting Desdemona ‘feared’ to talk or associate with a black man, so how could she ever marry one? He also refers to ‘practices of cunning hell’ which could be interpreted as magic from the devil, saying the only way Othello could manage to sway Desdemona into marriage was through witchcraft. When Shakespeare relates it to witchcraft, he is saying their marriage is ‘unnatural’ which is a way witches are commonly described. If Brabantio approved of their marriage, then his reaction to the court would have been much calmer. It is easy to infer that Brabantio would have been fine if Othello was a white man. Furthermore, when speaking of Desdemona, he says ‘perfection so could err’ meaning Desdemona is a perfect child and she would not make the mistake of marrying someone like Othello, suggesting Othello is someone unfit for Desdemona. These views may have been acceptable in past times, however, now the message it sends to interracial couples or families could affect children’s views of their parent’s relationship or their family dynamic. Compared to same-race couples, white women and black men are twice as like to divorce by the tenth year of marriage, meaning interracial marriages between whites and blacks are less likely to work out. This gap could be a result of the representation of interracial marriages in classic literature. This ultimately shows how Shakespeare portrays interracial marriages as unnatural.
While there are detrimental elements of Othello, the reading and production of Shakespeare’s Othello are not detrimental to racial equality because historically, it has been used to give opportunities to black people. Many world-renowned actors have played Othello in their careers. While it may not have been their first role, it was still a substantial role for them to play. It allowed them to represent Othello properly. Actors like Laurence Fishburne and Yaphet Kotto are among the many who have portrayed Othello. Not many famous characters in classic literature are described as people of color, so the chance to play a well-known Shakespeare character is an amazing opportunity. Shakespeare theater is much different compared to modern musicals and plays, so being able to experience this version of productions gives actors an idea of what it was like to perform back then. In the late 1400s and early 1500s, the only people on stage were white males. Women were legally prohibited from the stage and black men were not given an opportunity. The chance to play a role that has been previously played by a white man is inspiring because it proves the past wrong.
Even though there are beneficial elements of Othello, the book does have deleterious effects on racial equality because Othello himself is sometimes portrayed as a white man in blackface. The definition of blackface is ‘the makeup used by a non-black performer playing a black role.’ While some may consider it harmless, it can result in terrible things. If a young child is watching the movie or play, and they see a white man portraying a black role, it could send the message that black actors are not good enough to represent their own race. It is suggesting a black actor is not good enough. If a black man had been cast as a white character and painted his face white, the outrage would have been uncontrollable, but with many of these men, it is overlooked. Why could the casting crew not have chosen a black man? Did they believe no black man could compare to a white actor, or did they simply choose a white man because they wanted to?
While Othello has many beneficial effects and purposes, in the end, the bad outweighs the good. Overall the message of Othello portrays the black race as inferior, displays different race marriage as unnatural, and allows white actors to take opportunities from black actors. This is not a one-time occurrence, many different races and religions are portrayed as subsidiary in literature throughout history. It is sadly a common mistake. These novels and scripts are described as ‘classics’ and are praised throughout countries, but everyone seems to ignore the underlying tones of these books. In this instance there is really no group or person to blame, seeing as many of these beliefs and ideas were considered social norms, but the times have changed. It is time to begin following modern-day ideas and stop letting these subtle messages educate students.