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Racism in Othello

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Published: Jan 30, 2024

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Introduction, historical context of racism in othello, racist characters in othello, othello's experience with racism, racism and language in othello, racism and love in othello.

  • Shakespeare, William. Othello. Edited by Michael Neill, Oxford University Press , 2006.
  • Greenblatt, Stephen. "Race." In The New Oxford Shakespeare : The Complete Works, edited by Gary Taylor et al., Oxford University Press, 2016, pp. 1697-1710.
  • Smith, Emma. "The Construction of Race in Othello." The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare's Othello , edited by Rene Weis, Cambridge University Press, 2005, pp. 85-102.

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Discuss the role that race plays in Shakespeare’s portrayal of Othello. How do the other characters react to Othello’s skin color or to the fact that he is a Moor? How does Othello see himself?

Othello incurs resentment for many reasons. He is from a land that Venetians consider exotic and mysterious, he has had unique adventures, and his military accomplishments far exceed those of the men around him. The most visible indicator of his outsider status is also the one that provokes the most poisonous responses: Othello is a Black man in white Venice. Whenever characters such as Iago feel jealousy, fear, or simple hatred toward Othello, they give vent to their feelings by using racist slurs. For much of the play, Othello resists, ignores, or seems indifferent to the racism that dogs him. But eventually he internalizes Iago’s and others’ idea that his Blackness makes him barbarous. This belief, as much as his conviction of Desdemona’s guilt, allows Othello to kill his wife. When he turns the race weapon against himself, he dooms both himself and Desdemona.

Among Iago’s many repulsive qualities, his eagerness to hurl racial epithets is perhaps the most shocking. In an attempt to enlist Brabanzio in his anti-Othello cause, Iago refers to the general as “the Moor,” “the devil,” and “a Barbary horse.” These terms reduce Othello to a crude stereotype, turning him into a villain and an animal. When Iago tells Brabanzio that “an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe,” he demeans a passionate and loving relationship between two intelligent adults by characterizing Othello as a mindless rutting animal who has soiled the pure Desdemona with his lust. Iago hopes to disgust Brabanzio with this animal imagery and with the contrast between Othello’s Blackness and Desdemona’s whiteness.

Like Iago, other Venetians resort to racial slurs to deal with their own feelings of inferiority or powerlessness. Roderigo, on the defensive and trying to present himself and Iago as a unified front, casually refers to Othello as “the thick-lips.” This epithet is both an attempt to undermine Othello’s military achievements with a cheap stereotype as well as a way to pit Roderigo and Iago’s physical similarity against Othello’s unfamiliar appearance. Brabanzio, outraged at his daughter’s elopement, expresses disbelief that Desdemona could shun the curly-haired young men of Venice in favor of Othello’s “sooty bosom.” Brabanzio channels his own insecurity about his daughter’s loyalty to him by expressing sneering disgust about Othello’s race, implying that Othello’s Blackness is a dirty coating that threatens to soil Desdemona’s purity.

While Othello is barraged by racism, he manages to resist its pull for some time. But in Act IV, he crumbles. Othello discusses his race throughout the play—usually in response to something a white Venetian says—but here he makes his first negative reference to it, suggesting that perhaps his Blackness is to blame for his lack of conversational ability. It is a quiet moment, but a hugely significant one. It marks a turning point: Othello has fallen victim to the same racist logic (or illogic) that rules the thinking of people such as Iago and Roderigo. Like those men, Othello wants to place the blame for his feelings of inferiority somewhere and winds up laying that blame not where it belongs (in this case, at Iago’s feet), but on his own skin. The floodgates have opened, and now Othello is in danger of believing all of Iago’s racist nonsense. In the next lines, Othello compares himself to a toad living in a dungeon, as if he has begun to suspect that his Blackness makes him a loathsome animal, somehow less than human.

Only when Othello buys into the absurd idea that his race inherently makes him dangerous does he begin to creep toward the possibility of doing violence to his wife. When he sees himself through society’s eyes, as a barbaric interloper, Othello begins to despise himself, and it is that self-hatred that allows him to kill what he loves most.

Read more about the weaponization of race in Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give .

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Racial Disgust in Early Modern England: The Case of Othello

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Bradley J Irish, Racial Disgust in Early Modern England: The Case of Othello , Shakespeare Quarterly , Volume 73, Issue 3-4, Fall-Winter 2022, Pages 224–245, https://doi.org/10.1093/sq/quac057

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The ongoing development of Premodern Critical Race Studies (PCRS) is perhaps the most exciting intellectual current in early modern studies today. 1 In this essay, I attempt to put the vital insights of this research into conversation with scholarship from another prominent subfield: the interdisciplinary study of emotion. 2 I do so through a reading of Othello , in which I argue that the circulation of racial meaning in Othello ’s Venice is intimately tied to the circulation of affective meaning—and that the inscription of racial identity onto Othello by the inhabitants of Venice is fundamentally an emotional process. More specifically, I will suggest that the affective mode of disgust plays a central role in how Othello is perceived by others in the play. While few would deny that jealousy is the dominant (and most explicitly articulated) emotion in Othello , I argue that racialized disgust is what more precisely animates Iago’s plot to undo his master, serving both as a personal motivator and as an instrument by which he poisons how Othello is perceived by others.

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Race and Ontological Alienation in Othello by Romaissaa Benzizoune

Race and ontological alienation in othello.

Whenever an author lays claim to what it means to be Black, a site of disruption is created, wherein a Black audience member is expected to identify with or see as “truth” a representation of himself that cannot be.

Othello , like the few other Shakespearean plays that address the specter of race, remains controversial in scholarly analysis. The play and its protagonist (or, if Iago is interpreted as protagonist, its namesake) have both been hailed as progressive and attacked as problematic. Shakespeare’s efforts in the play have been celebrated by some critics and repudiated by others; Mika Nyoni goes so far as to describe Shakespeare as a writer who may have “influenced or helped to perpetuate racism and religious bigotry which was evident in The Slave Trade, Colonialism, and the persecution of Jews in Germany.” 1 Although many critics of the play have identified the site of contestation as either the racism of Iago or the violence of Othello, few have focused on the character Othello himself. Ultimately, the way that Shakespeare falsely inhabits the Black psyche in his representation of Othello is foreign and debilitating. By othering Othello from his very self, Shakespeare presents to us an (anti-Black) Black character that is more of a caricature that a tragic hero.

Regardless of Shakespeare’s inadequate portrayal of the Black character at the center of the play, Othello is useful as a window onto perceptions of race in England in the early modern period. The play features a cast with a variety of racial outlooks, ranging from outright racists (like Iago) to those who are more sympathetic (like the Duke of Venice) to those who are the most accepting of Blackness (Desdemona, and presumably, Othello). This range is perhaps a reflection of some of the attitudes prevalent in Shakespeare’s time, and while the views of these fictional characters cannot be taken as reflective of Shakespeare’s own views, it is clear that they are rooted in reality. Othello is an Other in every way, and one who is defined in the eyes of almost every character, including himself, by his Otherness. The prefix of “Moor” or “black” is often attached to his name, which in and of itself is never explained (was Othello really the name that he was born with in North Africa?). Othello does not have a name or a nation when he is “the Moor” (more than fifty times), “the dull Moor,” “the cruel Moor,” or even “the noble Moor.” 2 Of course, Iago showcases the potential of early-modern racists in a way that far surpasses Othering; all of the inventive slurs aside, he most shockingly compares Othello to a horse, suggesting that Desdemona’s relationship with a black man would be bestiality. 3 However, Iago’s antiblackness is not problematic, especially seeing that he is the villain of the play. It is the anti-Blackness that the supposed hero exhibits toward himself (vis-a-vis Shakespeare’s imagining of a Black man) that is far more concerning.

There is something disturbing in the way that Othello talks about himself—or more accurately, the way that Shakespeare imagines Othello would talk about himself. It is clear, especially by the end of the play, that his Blackness is only ever a site for insecurity and emasculation. In act 3, scene 3, Othello reflects on his skin color sadly: “Haply, for I am black/ And have not those soft parts of conversation/ That chamberers have.” 4 The way Othello objectively announces his blackness feels stiff and unnatural ( Haply, for I am black! ). Despite his status as a military general and his clear capacity for anger and resistance, Othello suspiciously never seems to question or resist racism: The effect renders him sympathetic to the white viewer at the cost of his very Blackness. (Othello reminds me of pandering, sympathetic “Mammy” figures in American cinema.) In the same conversation with Iago, he even bizarrely refers to himself as a slave: “O, that the slave had forty thousand lives.” 5 Most offensively, when lamenting Desdemona to Iago, Othello says: “Her name, that was as fresh/ As Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black/ As mine own face.” 6 That a Black person would compare their own blackness to physical dirt is only as comical as it is offensive. When someone lives their whole life as a Black person, they psychologically understand the color of their own skin, and would never even think to think of themselves as “begrimed.” Just as a white character would not ever describe themselves as raw or undercooked, a black character would not describe themselves as dirty or covered in soot. However, historically, white or lighter-skinned people have seen black skin as dirty, sometimes due to a direct misunderstanding of what Black skin is. In the 1986 Iranian film Bashu, The Little Stranger, light skinned Iranians try to “wash” the black off the film’s protagonist, an Afro-Iranian from the country’s more secluded south.

Othello’s self-hatred and anti-Blackness not only feels ontologically inaccurate, but historically inaccurate as well. While it is obvious that a white man would make a big deal out of a North African Moor’s Blackness, it does not make sense that a North African Moor would primarily identify with the construct of “race” as opposed to that of homeland, tribe, religion, or other ethnic configuration. (Even today, North Africans will much sooner identify with nationality or religion rather than race; part of this is because many see themselves as Arab rather than Black.) To me, Othello reads exactly like a white man’s envisioning of a Black man; he is oddly obsessed with the aspects of himself that a white man would be obsessed with, and devoid entirely of other aspects that would situate him in a more believable identity. The way Othello would’ve been performed at the time—a white production for a white audience, featuring a white Othello in blackface—only reinforces for me the idea of Othello as white spectacle, featuring a creative rendition of a Moor that has little to do with reality. 7 When Shakespeare tries to make the Other knowable without really knowing him in the first place (and without grounding him in a clear historical background, preferring to shroud him in ambiguity and mystery) he is perhaps doing the Other an ultimate disservice.

Although this paper is not personal, race is often a personal experience felt and lived rather than neatly intellectualized. When Shakespeare writes an Othello who essentially hates himself for being Black, his intentions may have been pure. In painting Othello as a tragic figure worthy of sympathy, a victim of his own Blackness and societal perceptions of it, Shakespeare could have been attempting something radical. However, to me, Shakespeare’s imagining of Othello is vaguely insulting. It evokes for me a passage from Black Skin, White Masks in which Fanon criticizes Sartre’s work Orphée Noir : “Help had been sought from a friend of the colored peoples, and that friend had found no better response than to point out the relativity of what they were doing.” 8 In this ever-memorable passage, Fanon expresses eloquently what it feels like to be misrepresented as Black for all of posterity. Although Sartre was a well-intentioned “ally,” his interpretation of the experience of being Black (which is entangled in a transcendent argument for humanism, and that is where the “relativity” comes in) was twice damaging. 9 It was first of all inaccurate, because a white French man could never know anything of the black lived experience, but more than that, it took up a vital space for Black self-definition. As Fanon puts it, “And so it is not I who make a meaning for myself, but it is the meaning that was already there, pre-existing, waiting for me.” 10 Fanon’s critique is most powerful in the context of existential philosophy, of course, but Othello , just like Orphée Noir , serves as a white “intellectualization of the experience of being black.” 11 In both texts, a white male author—canonical, foundational, intellectual authority—makes grand assumptions about the Black psyche; in both works, that same white male author seems to position himself as a positive, savior force. Whenever a white person lays claim to what it means to be Black, a site of disruption is created, wherein a Black audience member is expected to identify with or see as “truth” a representation of himself that cannot be , and certainly does not feel, accurate. The real violence of the play occurs upon this very site. In the wake of Othello, just as in the wake of Orphée Noir , the black audience member finds themselves unmoored, robbed of self-representation, told about themselves.

Throughout my four years at NYU, and unsurprisingly, Othello is the only North African protagonist that I have been presented with. Within the play, he is the character that ends up being the most anti-Black, and his self-destruction enriches the plot in a way that is useful for climatic flair but not for authentic representation. While Othello is an insightful text in a variety of ways, a rereading of the play, with a postcolonial, Black studies lens, can only be so generous. The stunted depiction of Othello as a simple, sympathetic “Moor” is ultimately problematic in its illegibility, and any discourse about the play should leave room for this interpretation. In regards to this text and other canonical works I have encountered during my time at NYU, another line from Black Skin , White Masks comes to mind: “The dialectic that brings necessity into the foundation of my freedom drives me out of myself.” 12

  • Mika Nyoni, “The Culture of Othering: An Interrogation of Shakespeare’s Handling of Race and Ethnicity in The Merchant of Venice and Othello ,” Theory and Practice in Language Studies 2, no. 4 (January 2012): 680.
  • William Shakespeare, Othello , (The Pelican Shakespeare, Penguin Books, 2001), 5.2.266; 5.2.299; 2.3.144.
  • Shakespeare, Othello , 1.1.125.
  • Shakespeare, Othello , 3.3.304-306.
  • Shakespeare, Othello , 3.3.502.
  • Shakespeare, Othello , 3.3.441-443.
  • Peter Holland, Shakespeare and Religions (Cambridge University Press, 2001), 300).
  • Frantz Fanon , Black Skin, White Masks (Penguin Classics, 2020), 102.
  • Sartre though that Negritude was only useful as a transitory phase on the way to a post-racial reality.
  • Fanon , Black Skin, White Masks , 102.
  • Fanon , Black Skin, White Masks , 134.
  • Frantz Fanon , Black Skin, White Masks (Penguin Classics, 2020), 103.

Romaissaa Benzizoune (‘BA 20, @romaissaa_b ) originally wrote “Race and Ontological Alienation in Othello ” in Professor Bella Mirabella’s Interdisciplinary Seminar “ Shakespeare and the London Theatre ,” in Spring 2020.

Thumbnail image: Othello and Desdemona (19th century) by Daniel Maclise, via Wikimedia Commons.

115 Othello Essay Topics & Examples

Most Othello essay samples analyze the plot, thesis, and characters of William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The tragedy is based on n Cinthio’s story ‘Un Capitano Moro.’

Before you start writing your Othello essay, you must have a clear understanding of who The Moor is. We hope that you already have read the plot or watched the play.

However, some students lack an idea of the object because they have not come across Shakespeare’s masterpiece or any information concerning Othello. This post will help you to ask Othello essay questions and successfully write your paper.

✨ How to Write an Othello Essay?

  • 🏆 Best Othello Essay Topics & Essay Examples

👍 Good Ideas for an Essay on Othello

💡 most interesting othello topics to write about, ❓ othello essay questions.

Before you start outlining, you should ask yourself: what or who is Othello? Your answer is significant as it expresses your interest in the subject and, therefore, motivates you to research the chosen topic.

When working on your Othello essay introduction, you should get a clear understanding of The Moor character and its origin.

Your intro should thoroughly explain the subject to your audience. Don’t forget to include a thesis which discloses the central message of your paper. Put it at the end of your intro.

The next step is planning the essay body. Here are some questions you may answer in your Othello character analysis:

  • Describe Othello: Who is he? When he lives, his life, occupation, etc.
  • Is Othello a good character or bad? Do you identify with Othello?
  • Why is Othello famous to date? What makes him popular?
  • What is his role in the play? Why is Othello character crucial to the tragedy? Would the story so attractive without Othello?
  • Does the play reflect contemporary issues?
  • What did you learn from Othello?

Explain the pointers above and provide a better understanding of the Othello character to your readers.

If you need more sample ideas for your Othello essay outline, check them below:

  • The role of race in Shakespeare’s tragedy. At the beginning of the plot, Othello’s name is not mentioned, although everyone knows he is dark-skinned and different. Discuss in your essay, how it would impact the play if Othello were white. Argue if the character’s race is matter in the story.
  • The role of loyalty. Shakespeare showed how loyalty could have both positive and negative attributes. Othello’s belief in Desdemona’s lack of allegiance caused their destiny. Use it as an example of how devotion can be dangerous if it is used for bad reasons.
  • The role of Desdemona. Is she is a passive victim of Othello? Analyze how her character changes when she is not with him. Think of how victim behavior can cause even more violence.
  • Relationships between characters in the play. In your essay, you can examine relationships and emotions between Othello and Desdemona, the villainy of Iago’s character, Emilia’s emotions for Iago and Othello, and love of Roderigo for Desdemona.

In your Othello essay conclusion, sum up all the issues you disclosed in the body. Avoid introducing new points. Instead, highlight the thesis statement to show your readers that your essay supports it.

After you’ve finished your essay, don’t forget to proofread it and wipe out grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes.

We hope that the tips above will ease your writing an outstanding paper. Make sure to check our website for more Othello essay topics!

🏆 Best Othello Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

  • Theme of Jealousy in Othello by Shakespeare The jealousy displayed by Othello and the villainous nature of Lago are some of the qualities that impress the readers of the play.
  • The Tragedy of Othello: Critical Analysis — Othello Critical Essay The imagination of the audience is captured by the fact that the drama involves interracial marriage that was unfathomable in those days.
  • The Downfall of Othello The properties of Othello are given to Cassio who also assumes position that had been held by Othello The downfall of Othello is evidenced by death of his wife, loss of property and his own […]
  • The Relevance of “Othello” by William Shakespeare in the Current Society The paper demonstrates the relevance of Othello to the contemporary audience by highlighting the existence of the major issues Shakespeare addresses in this play.
  • Othello as the Outsider In the play, Othello strives to emphasize that his blackness is insignificant impediment and highlight the advantages of his origin revealing the positive features of his character and behavior.
  • Iago the Gardener`s Behavior in “Othello” by Shakespeare In the lead-up to the passage to be analyzed, Iago has tried to turn Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, against Othello by letting him know his daughter is “making the beast with two backs” with the Moor.
  • Female Characters in Shakespeare’s “Othello”: A Feminist Critique This shows that Desdemona has completely accepted and respected her role as a woman in the society; she is an obedient wife to Othello.
  • Character of Iago in “Othello” by Shakespeare Analysis It is worth mentioning here that it is this attributes that he possessed that made him successful in manipulating other characters painting him to be a strong and compelling character.
  • Othello: A Tragic Hero Through the Prism of Aristotle’s Definition According to him, the prerequisite of a tragedy revolves around the plot of the play. Othello, who is the main character, is a perfect example of a tragic hero.
  • Othello’s Tragedy Othello is one of the characters who have features in William Shakespeare’s tragedy titled The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. It is clear to note that the tragedy that befell Othello was because […]
  • Story, Plot, and Symbolism of “Othello” Film The movie’s point of attack is Othello’s decision to overlook Iago for a promotion to the position of Lieutenant in favor of Cassio.
  • Othello and Desdemona in “Othello” by Shakespeare This essay will discuss why the relationship between Othello and Desdemona was doomed from the start and how their tragic fate relates to the topic of jealousy.
  • Comparison of “Hamlet”, “King Lear” and “Othello” by Shakespeare Iago’s reports and the loss of the handkerchief appear to Othello reliable proofs of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, and under the effect of anger the protagonist is both unable and unwilling to do further investigation.
  • Othello’s Fall From Grace and Redemption at the End of the Play At the end of the play, Othello’s realizes that his naivety and lack of confidences in his wife’ innocence and fidelity.
  • Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ Act 1 Scene 2, Lines 60-82 This passage is in the form of a dialogue between the two characters in the play. The above lines portray Othello as a victim of prejudice.
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  • ”Othello” and ”Chronicle of a Death Foretold”: A Difference Between Love and Passion Consequently, I believe that differences between passion and love have a tendency to exist, as passion is the uncontrolled actions to show affection, and love is the act of the understanding of the behavior of […]
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  • The Significance of the Handkerchief to Othello The main reason for the discord is that Othello slept with his wife and justifies all the negativity toward Iago. The handkerchief is the best proof that Desdemona has entered into an intimate relationship with […]
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  • Topics in the Othello Play by Shakespeare I frequently returned to the beginning of the passage or dialogue to remind myself what the topic of the conversation was.
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  • Anti-Racism in Shakespeare’s Othello For Shakespeare, Brabantio’s views are representative of the racial prejudice of the society in general, rather than of his personal feelings towards the protagonist. On the other hand, Othello’s story is cohesive and believable; he […]
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  • Lago’s Hatred and Jealousy in the “Othello” by William Shakespeare Othello is a story by William Shakespeare that revolves around four characters, Othello, who is the general in the Venetian Army, Lago, who was Othello’s assistant in the same army, Desdemona, the daughter of a […]
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  • Shakespeare’s Othello: A Tragic Hero When Alexander the Great died, Aristotle fled to Chalcis, where he died the following year at the age of about 62 William Shakespeare was a strong adherent of Aristotle in his writings.
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  • Othello: The Shakespeare Story Analysis Using the three female characters of Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca, Shakespeare gives us the common view of women through the eyes of Iago and the view of the nobility through the eyes of Brabantio, Desdemona’s […]
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  • The Tragedy of Othello Told in Pictures In this project, I will tell the tragedy of Othello through a collection of pictures. The project is based on “Othello: The Moor of Venice”.
  • “Othello”, “A Worn Path” and “Negro” Literature Comparison Although Hughes in his “Negro” discusses race as the main source for the character’s identity and attempts to accentuate the role of the black race for the whole world history, Shakespeare in Othello and Welty […]
  • “Othello” a Play by W. Shakespeare Literature Analysis Consequently, Othello seeks to distance himself with the misconstrued stereotypes of a ‘Moor.’ This essay seeks to prove that the main character’s sense of identity leads to his self-destruction.
  • Philosophy of Literature: Shakespearean Tragedy In addition, it is also an indication of the facts that human beings are always nosy and ready to participate in other people’s issues.
  • Treatment of Women by Shakespeare and Sophocles Othello disregards the explanation that Desdemona has in regard to the accusation of being unfaithful and kills her.’She’s, like a liar, gone to burning hell, Shakespeare 28.’ After Othello killed Desdemona, he believed more in […]
  • The Movie Adaptation of the “Othello” by William Shakespeare In its turn, this explains the lessened plausibility of film’s action, as compared to what it is being the case with original tragedy.
  • What Can Lawyers Learn From ‘Othello’? Shakespeare has employed one of the literature elements by using major characters like, Othello, a hero and the head of armies, Desdemona, Othello’s covert wife, Michael Cassio, Othello’s deputy, Lago, ranked below the lieutenant, among […]
  • Othello and Desdemona: Emotional Strangers Unaware of what is happening, Desdemona continues to show her fierce devotion to her husband which both blinds her to the truth of Othello’s murderous emotions and feeds them.
  • Humiliation of Iago (Othello) In order to identify the actual reasons for Iago’s hatred to Desdemona and Othello, the author makes use of his own approach in analyzing the play through the prism of motives, plots, themes, and character […]
  • William Shakespeare’s Othello Summary | Essay Example Othello leaves Venice in the company of his wife, Iago and Cassio and Desdemona’s attendant known as Emilia. Othello’s love for Desdemona is a major weakness that leads to his downfall.
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  • Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice Iago’s paranoia is tremendous to an extent that his insanity is portrayed when he deludes Othello to kill his own wife.
  • Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello: The Words and Actions of Iago To my mind, one of the most complex, captivating, and, at the same time, the most evil characters in Shakespeare’s plays is Iago from The Tragedy of Othello.
  • Othello and Snow Country: Personal Opinion As aforementioned, it is hard to differentiate between love and passion as they all come in the name of love. Nevertheless, because his ‘love’ for her is based on passion, he smothers her to death; […]
  • Why Does Iago Convince Othello of Desdemona’s Infidelity?
  • How Are Othello and Blanche Dubois Alienated in Their Societies?
  • How Jealousy Leads Towards the Tragedy in “Othello”?
  • Why Iago From William Shakespeare’s “Othello” Is a Well-Written Villain?
  • Does Othello Meet the Standards of a Tragic Hero?
  • How Does Iago Convince Othello That Desdemona and Cassio Must Die?
  • What Role Does Race Plays in “Othello”?
  • How Does Iago Attempt to Poison Othello Against Desdemona?
  • How Do Age, Social Position, and Race Impact the Relationship Between Othello and Desdemona?
  • Can Pathos and Ethos Compel “Othello” Out of Logic?
  • How Are the Characters Empowered or Disempowered in “Brilliant Lies” and “Othello”?
  • Why Isn’t Shakespeare’s “Othello” Called Iago?
  • What Are the Qualities “Othello” Possesses Which Make It a Tragedy?
  • Does Iago Cause the Tragedy of Othello and Desdemona, or Is He Merely the Catalyst?
  • How Does Iago Convince Othello of Desdemona’s Infidelity?
  • Why Did Othello Kill Desdemona?
  • Why Does Othello Choose to Trust Iago Rather Than Desdemona?
  • Does Iago Cause the Tragedy of Othello?
  • What Are the Similarities Between “Macbeth” and “Othello”?
  • How Far Does the Context of War and Soldiery Contribute to the Tragedy in Shakespeare’s “Othello”?
  • Whose Responsibilities for Tragedy Outcome of “Othello”?
  • What Are the Contextual Factors Critical to the Study of “Othello”?
  • How Did Iago Manipulate Othello?
  • What Role Does Incoherent Language Play in “Othello”?
  • How Othello’s Personality Evolves in the Tragedy of “Othello” by William Shakespeare?
  • What Does Othello’s Speech and Say Tell Us About His Character?
  • Did Desdemona and Othello Experience True Love?
  • Did Othello Truly Love Desdemona?
  • How Does the Ending of “Othello” Relate to the Ideas and Characteristics of the Text?
  • Were “Othello” and “The Merchant of Venice” Racist Plays?
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Racism in Othello by Shakespear

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How to Write a Racism Thesis Statement: A Step-by-Step Guide (With Examples)

Jul 20, 2023

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Jul 20, 2023 | Blog

As a student, you will handle many subjects and assignments.

One topic that is popular for essays and research papers is Racism.

Many resources are on the topic, so students assume a racism essay is easy.

The challenge you will face with a racism essay is not content but a thesis statement.

The racism thesis statement should be powerful and something your audience can understand and relate to.

This article will provide helpful guidelines and tips on writing a racism thesis statement and examples of powerful racist thesis statements.

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What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement is the backbone of a persuasive paper.

The thesis states your position or opinion as a factual claim and guides readers through their journey with you in this essay.

I am informing them on how they will navigate through it.

A good thesis statement is the equivalent of a preacher giving a sermon or a politician making an announcement.

As you craft your paper’s introduction, your goal will be to pique interest by announcing what you’re going to say in-depth throughout the rest of your essay.

Do you know how a preacher or politician might say, “Here’s what I’m going to tell you”?

The thesis statement is your announcement of what you’re trying to convey.

Difference between a TOPIC and a THESIS STATEMENT

A topic is a subject or good idea you would like to explore further.

A thesis statement is a specific argumentative stance you will take on the subject.

For example, Racism is a topic, while a thesis statement about Racism could be:

“While racism remains a problem in America, it can be reduced or potentially eliminated through the effective implementation of diversity training programs in schools and corporate institutions.”

How do I get started with writing a thesis statement on racial discrimination?

Use these three steps:

(1) brainstorm what you think

(2) refine your idea

(3) rewrite your idea in the form of a central claim

Let’s use a hypothetical sociology class assignment asking you to construct a response to the racism problem on our college campus.

Step 1: Brainstorm what you think 

You start by writing, “Racism is a prominent issue on our college campus.”

Even though this is a great starting point, it is not well-defined. It’s’ simply restating the assignment.

At this point, what you need to do is to brainstorm. On this given topic, what do you think about it?

What’s your opinion on the given topic?

How will you support your opinion?

What examples and facts can you provide?

Try putting these questions on paper and writing down your answers. You will then use the solutions you wrote down to formulate a stronger racism thesis statement.

Step 2: Refine your idea

One of the proven best methods of doing this is using the following model:

On a piece of paper, write this: “I think that ____________.

Using your initial brainstorming idea, fill in the blank.

In our case, it will be this: “I think that racism remains a problem on our college campus.”

While you have rewritten your rough idea at this stage, it is starting to form a thesis.

Next, complete this model as you continue building your thesis: I think racism Racism remains a problem on our college campus because __________.

Then you write: IRacism Racism remains a problem on our college campus because it does not require mandatory diversity training for all of its students.

Okay, now you are progressing and heading in a good direction.

Let’s reword the thesis to make it appear more “academic.”

Step 3: Rewrite your idea in the form of a central claim 

We need to replace the word “you” to make the thesis statement appear less personal and like the main claim.

To achieve this, delete the “I think that” from the sentence:

“Racism remains a problem on our college campus because the college does not require mandatory diversity training for all of its students.”

Hurray! You now have your thesis statement—many congratulations.

Essential details to keep in mind when writing a racism thesis statement

1) your racism thesis statement should appear at the beginning of the paper.

When writing a Racism essay on Racism, the thesis statement is important.

Readers should be given a clear idea of what your essay will cover and how it will unfold.

The racism thesis statement is an outlook for the rest of your paper in the introductory paragraph.

The introductory paragraph should clarify that you’re approaching this topic from all angles and know how complicated this issue can be in today’s society.

2) Your theRacismatement on Racism should give direction to the rest of your paper

A thesis statement on Racism gives your reader direction and provides several reasons for elaborating on a specific claim.

If you wish to accomplish this, your statement should expRacismhe the idea of Racism in-depth with different examples that will persuade readers.

For example: ”Racism does not exist” while still, an argument is insufficient as it has a false sense of structure.

However, if your thesis is that “racism does not exist because antiracist movements have grown in power and number over the years,” you can provide two reasons to support this claim within one sentence.

Such shapes the rest of your paper while leaving much time for evidence discussion later.

Such gives the paper the needed shape as evidence is discussed in detail to support this claim.

3) Ensure that you have a debatable argument

Although it’s important to question any information you are given, there is a certain knowledge that the public already values.

For exampRacismeryone, he knows Racism is a social and moral vice.

This means coming up with such a topic would not interest their audience.

Your argument becomes a racism thesis statement once you add an aspect.

For instance, oRacismld says, “Racism is the most harmful social and moral vice on earth. we might lose our unique identities and multicultural features if not eradicated soon enough.”

4) Keep your Racism thesis statement short!

It’s effortless to make your racism essay more interesting if you keep it short.

If you pick a broad topic, the magnitude of information will almost certainly give you trouble.

A good thesis statement should be small and localized rather than large or generalizing.

For example: “White police brutality on black people among many other things shows that Racism still exists in the United States” would make a powerful claim about something that was happening more often now than before

Tips On How To Write A Racism Thesis Statement

Tips On How To Write A Racism Thesis Statement

Before writing your thesis statement on Racism, consider the following guidelines.

Find a racism topic or issue to write about

Racism is a broad issue that continues to plague the world even today.

Therefore, finding an informative topic from which you can develop a thesis statement shouldn’t be difficult.

You can see Racism approach Racism through other social issues such as art, politics, economy, equitability, poverty, and history.

2. Pick a topic that is interesting to you

You might not be familiar with all the Racism surrounding Racism.

As asRacismoned earlier, Racism is a broad topic; there are many approaches you can take in your paper.

Therefore, to have an easier time developing a thesis, pick a racist topic that interests you.

For instance, if you are conversant with the history of America, your thesis statement could focuRacismhe the effects of Racism during the Civil Rights Movement that began in 1954 and ended in 1968.

3. Hook your reader

As you write your thesis statement, try to include a hook.

A hook is a statement that grabs the attention of a reader.

Try hooking your reader by relating your thesis to popular culture.

You could even refer to current issues on the news or relate to popular television programs, movies, or books.

4. Avoid offensiveRacismage

Remember, Racism is a personal issue; it is open to bias depending on your thinking.

Therefore, most of the issues surrounding this topic are controversial.

Avoid offensive and rude language when discussing a controversial topic in an academic paper.

Examples Of Racism Thesis Statements

Examples Of Racism Thesis Statements

It would help if you had a well-thought-out and well-constructed thesis statement to get a good score in your racism-related research paper or essay.

The following are examples of thesis statements on different racism topics.

Existence of Racism

Existence of racism | Essay Freelance Writers

Such an essay tries to prove that racial segregation is still a significant social problem.

Therefore, your thesis statement should focus on the problems racial segregation causes.

Consider the following example:

It is a fact that police killings involving people of color are more than white people. Joshua Correll of the University of Colorado confirmed this when he designed a game where the participants played cops. The game results indicated that, despite the people playing cop, they were more willing to kill a person of color and showed hesitation when the suspect was a white persRacismis. Racism continues to plague society.

Use our free Thesis Statement Generator Tool Here .

Workplace-related Racism

Racism is a form of prejudice often experienced in a workplace environment.

A workplace powerful racism thesis statement could read as follows:

Prejudice in a workplace environment is a backward practice that undermines productivity. In the professional sphere, white people are considered mentally superior, and therefore they get the top jobs that pay higher wages. Blacks are considered physically endowed and land physical labor jobs, which generally pay lower.

Anti-racism movements

Anti-racism is a phrase coined by people who formed movements to fight Racismnsequences of Racism.

Martin Luther King Jr led the greatest antiracist movement between the early 50s and the late 60s.

Another key antiracist figure was Nelson Madiba Mandela of South Africa.

Anti-racism also covers the beliefs and policies set to combat racial prejudice.

An anti-racism essay thesis statement should evoke emotion from a reader.

The following is an example:

Anti-racism movement leaders were treated inhumanely; Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, and Martin Luther King Junior was assassinated. But, society today would not be as egalitarian as it is without them. Their sacrifices are the sole reason blacks and whites can walk on the same street and work together to create a brighter future.

Cause and effect

You can choose to write about Racism and the effect of Racism.

For example, ignoRacismis a cause of Racism that results in fear and eventually extreme violence.

The following is an example of a thesis statement that focuses on ignorance and fear as thRacismary causes of Racism.

Undoubtedly, Racism has negative consequences, the key among them being fear and violence, resulting from a need to protect themselves. Racism major cause of Racism is ignorance. Uneducated and unexposed feel threatened by people of a different race. Such people condone and practice this prejudice without considering its negative effects and consequences on the individuals they discriminate against and society.

Racism Thesis statements based on art and literature

Books, music, and movies cover a wide variety of racist topics.

The following are examples of literary artworks you can base a racism essay on:

Othello is a play by Shakespeare that addresses some delicate sociRacismssues such as Racism.

You could develop a thesis statemeRacismhlighting Racism in the play.

Othello, who was black, was highly disrespected by Lago and other characters such as Emilia, Roderigo, and Brabantio. These characters labeled him ”Barbary horse,” ”an old black ram,” ”thick lips,” and other demeaning names. He was also abused for marrying a Venetian woman. All this shows a strong conviction that one race is superior and a barbaric intolerance towards the ”inferior” race.

2. To kill a mockingbird

This book by Harper Lee is popular because it portrays the struggles of a black man in the southern states in the early 20 th century.

The book is a good source for Racism essays as it depicts Racism and its effects easily and comprehensibly.

The following is a good example of a racist thesis statement from To Kill a Mocking Bird :

Tom Robinson was suspected of murdering Mayella Ewell, a white woman, and was sentenced not because of any evidence but because he was black. Like Atticus Finch, Scout, and Jem, who tried to defend him, White characters were given shaming names such as ”Nigger lovers.” The story in the book clearly shows the tribulations a black man went through and how his word meant nothing.

3. Disney films

Disney films and racism thesis statements

Disney films are popular for their fascinating stories and world-class acting and production.

However, scrutiny of several films will realize a certain degree of racial prejudice in how the films portray characters.

The following is an example of a thesis statement focusing on racial prejudice in Disney films:

There is a significant degree of racial prejudice in how Disney portrays characters in their films. For example, in Jungle Book, the gorillas communicated in an African vernacular language. Another example is Lady and the Tramp, where the cat villains had slanted eyes and spoke with an East Asian accent. The film production company portrays protagonists as white and antagonists as people of color.

4. Advertisements

The advertisement sector also depicts racial prejudice.

To demonstrate, consider this thesis statement:

Several surveys show that black people are underrepresented in commercials, mainstream media, and online ads. According to the US Census Bureau 2010 records, blacks  and other racial minorities represent 30%. Yet, only 7% of ads involve black people, while other racial minorities are hardly ever represented.

Racism is a fairly easy subject for an essay and research paper .

However, it has so many sources and different points of view that selecting one idea to focus on in creating a thesis statement can be problematic.

But, with the guidelines shared above, developing a thesis statement for your racism essay will not be as difficult.

Remember, you need to let the reader know your point of view and demonstrate your objectiveness on the issue.

Examples of thesis statements on Racism

  • Racism worldwide can end if the global collaboration and interracial and intercultural communication continue to increase.
  • Racial minorities in America still face covert prejudice despite America’s institutional and societal changes in the sixties.
  • Multiculturalism has failed as an institutional practice in Europe, which can be determined by the increase in hate crime cases and racial minority issues.
  • Despite the significance of affirmative action in countering racial prejudice, there are concerns that it promotes racial differences.
  • There exists a misconception that affirmative action is a women’s agenda.
  • Racial prejudice founded on a single person’s actions but taken to be the general state of affairs for the given race is wrong.
  • Racism in the workplace adversely impacts workers’ productivity as it affects their aggressiveness.
  • It costs nothing to point out racist actions in the workplace.
  • The majority of Racism in the world relies on Racism as a means of garnering votes and grabbing power.
  • The rate of racial hatred and related crimes is high in Australian universities.
  • Students’ diversity can play a significant role in reducing racial crimes and related issues.
  • Embracing diversity in the workplace can help reduce incidences of racial intolerance.
  • Transgender, bisexual, gay, and lesbian Americans have experienced prejudice from society.
  • In the thirties, the Blacks lived in hatred and poverty, which was the cause of death of many innocent lives.
  • It was considered strange to show affection to Black Americans in the past.
  • Despite the frowning among most citizens in America, racial prejudice is a common practice, especially in the brave home.
  • Racial equality is a social barrier that Americans are yet to overcome.
  • There are wide geographical and psychological distances between Asians and Blacks in America. Such distances can be attributed to the segregation by the American society government or the white-centric media.

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  1. Othello and the question of race: a review of two decades of criticism

    the course of Othello criticism, and how criticism of the two decades differs in terms of interpretation and approach. Materials I discussed in this thesis included a number of articles and essays, as well as a handful of monographs. Articles and essays were selected from several periodicals,

  2. PDF Othello, Racial Themes and Public Reception

    William Shakespeare's classic tragedy 'Othello' has been the focal point of a large variety of critical literary discussions since its first performance in 1604 due to its complex and nuanced portrayal of humanity. This thesis focuses on the public's reception to Shakespeare's magnetic representation of. racial identity and aims to ...

  3. PDF Is Othello a racist play

    associate with "truth.". The play forces the audience to look at Othello, "his Moorship,". and then consider how they are looking at him. The question, then, is if, in the absence of a systematic racial theory, blackness. carries any weight as a signifier. In the third act of the play Othello identifies himself as.

  4. Racism in Othello: [Essay Example], 533 words GradesFixer

    Introduction. Othello, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1603, is set in Venice and tells the story of Othello, a Moor who rises to a high rank in the military but faces racism and discrimination. This essay will explore the prevalent theme of racism in Othello, examining the historical context of racism in the play, the racist ...

  5. Othello: A+ Student Essay

    It is a quiet moment, but a hugely significant one. It marks a turning point: Othello has fallen victim to the same racist logic (or illogic) that rules the thinking of people such as Iago and Roderigo. Like those men, Othello wants to place the blame for his feelings of inferiority somewhere and winds up laying that blame not where it belongs ...

  6. Othello Themes: Racism, Jealousy, & More

    The key themes in Othello are: jealousy, racism, sexism, appearance vs. reality, & prejudice. Othello is the most famous literary work that focuses on the theme of jealousy. It runs through an entire text and affects almost all of characters. One might even say that jealousy is the main theme of Othello. However, the exploration of racism ...

  7. Racial Disgust in Early Modern England: The Case of Othello

    The ongoing development of Premodern Critical Race Studies (PCRS) is perhaps the most exciting intellectual current in early modern studies today. 1 In this essay, I attempt to put the vital insights of this research into conversation with scholarship from another prominent subfield: the interdisciplinary study of emotion. 2 I do so through a reading of Othello, in which I argue that the ...

  8. Race and Ontological Alienation in Othello

    In the 1986 Iranian film Bashu, The Little Stranger, light skinned Iranians try to "wash" the black off the film's protagonist, an Afro-Iranian from the country's more secluded south. Othello's self-hatred and anti-Blackness not only feels ontologically inaccurate, but historically inaccurate as well. While it is obvious that a white ...

  9. Racism in Shakespeare's "Othello" Research Paper

    Instead, he may be described as trustworthy. His complete trustfulness plays the role of 'negative' racism in Shakespeare's play. It aims to show that cultural, racial, and mental differences make Othello unarmed in the encounter with the virtues of Western civilization - intrigues, rationality, and cold calculations.

  10. Racism in Othello by William Shakespeare

    Many literary critics argue that racism is a central theme in Othello. It drives many of the decisions made by its characters, because Othello is a Black man in a city of white Venetians and is ...

  11. Racism, Ethnic Discrimination, and Otherness in Shakespeare's Othello

    This study aims to present a comparative examination of the traces of racism and discrimination in two plays of Shakespeare, Othello and The Merchant of Venice, written in 1603 and around 1598 ...

  12. 'Othello', Racism, and Despair

    Othello confronts racism. Its different faces or masks -. not only enmity, disdain, abuse, but friendship, admira- tion, love - serve to make it more insistent, compelling, inexorable. In the end, he succumbs to the racist vision of those around him. The consequent despair leads to mur-. der and to suicide.

  13. (PDF) Racism in Othello

    Abstract. Racism has been one of the most devastating matters of the human being from the very beginning of the history, and it has been a topic of great debate and discussion since then. This ...

  14. 115 Othello Essay Topics & Examples

    115 Othello Essay Topics & Examples. Updated: Mar 2nd, 2024. 15 min. Most Othello essay samples analyze the plot, thesis, and characters of William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The tragedy is based on n Cinthio's story 'Un Capitano Moro.'.

  15. Othello Racism Thesis Statement

    Othello Racism Thesis Statement - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free.

  16. Racism in Othello Thesis Statement

    Racism in Othello Thesis Statement - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site.

  17. We Are Othello: Speaking of Race in Early Modern Studies

    Shakespeare's notion of a "race war" as expressed in Othello. rily about the correlation of race and violence, indeed, about of violent interaction that leaves the targeted individual sensing his or her humanity. A "race war" also suggests a desired. so that Othello's mounting internalized racism, especially.

  18. Thesis Statement on Racism in Othello by Shakespear

    Download thesis statement on Racism in Othello by Shakespear in our database or order an original thesis paper that will be written by one of our staff writers and delivered according to the deadline. ... Racism in Othello by Shakespear. Tweet. Date Submitted: 09/09/2006 23:36:37 Category: ...

  19. How To Write Racism Thesis Statement (with Examples)

    Step 2: Refine your idea. One of the proven best methods of doing this is using the following model: On a piece of paper, write this: "I think that ____________. Using your initial brainstorming idea, fill in the blank. In our case, it will be this: "I think that racism remains a problem on our college campus.".

  20. Thesis Statement for Othello and Racism

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  21. Othello Thesis Statements Racism

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  22. Thesis statement for racism in othello

    How are the relations between different ethnic groups presented in thesis statement for othello and racism. Race and racism in othello essay summary of the novel the great gatsbythe merchant of venice. Essay about racial discriminationto kill a mockingbird is an extremely powerful book highlighting page zoom essays.

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