![]() This further demonstrates Othello’s position at the bottom of the social hierarchy in the Great Chain of Being, where there is a great deal of disarray as a result of the interracial marriage which is “Most maimed and most imperfect” to the natural order. ![]() Leavis’ ‘Diabolic Intellect and the Noble Hero’: “The noble Othello is now seen as tragically pathetic”. As this was stated by the Duke, it undermines the fact that Othello is civil in the eyes of nobility, despite the colour of his skin.įurthermore, the setting of the play creates great significance in Act 2 Scene 1 when the action shifts to Cyprus he turmoil Cyprus reinforces Othello’s nature as a savage “Moor”, as he can no longer dominate his reactions, but rather, as Shakespeare previously quoted: “wears his heart on his sleeve” as his emotions are on the surface of his “blackness” in reference to F. These further highlight Othello’s nobility and regal respect: “If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in-law is far more fair than black.” (1:3). Shakespeare displays irony, as he intentionally reverses stereotypes as he illustrates Iago to have most of the negative descriptions of the black people and Othello to have the typical English Christian man influence: “Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, My very noble and approved good masters” “Rude am I in my speech” (1:3). Further linking back to the ‘Blackface’ podcast where they negotiated that Iago felt that he “can hide what’s inside behind this white privilege that” he has linking to Thomas Dekker’s Lust’s dominion, one of Shakespeare’s contemporaries. Subsequently, Iago extends his antagonising, animalistic and dehumanising characterisations of Othello through his use of visceral, brutal and sexual imagery: “I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs” (1:1) which further degrades Othello, not only as a black person but as a human who was belittled through Iago’s bigotry. ![]() As referenced in an article created by Virginia Mason Vaughan: “Othello was crafted at the dawn of the 17 th century, shaped by complex social and geopolitical issues”. As stated in Shakespeare Unlimited ‘Othello and Blackface’ Podcast: “People weren’t interested in seeing the play in the way in Shakespeare’s time is really sort of startling, because of the very clear and numerous derogatory references to skin colour in the play.” In Act 1 Scene 1, Iago cowardly confesses to Brabantio through Roderigo’s shadow that “even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.” Exposing Iago’s malevolence in his stealthy manner that is hidden behind his duality which further reiterates the “derogatory references”. ![]() However, the theme of race was overlooked by the audience, as it was not considered a significant problem at that time no matter how eloquently Shakespeare interweaved it throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Othello to underscore the animosity between “blackness” and the Venetians, to emphasise the vivid marginalisation of the ‘Other’ that was occurring at that contemporary era. The portrayal of the eponymous character in the play was stereotypically insinuated to be savage, violent and aggressive however, was based on falsehood in order to expose Iago’s duplicitous character and ultimately Othello’s hamartia. The characterisation of Othello was presented through the dominant ideology of the predilection, prejudice and paragon image of race. ![]()
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