Outline the Nature of the Tragic Hero in Act One of Othello In the play 'Othello', the writer – William Shakespeare – uses many techniques in order to outline the nature of the tragic hero to the audience. As a result of the hero's absence in the first scene, the initial presentation of the tragic hero is one based around the villain's bitter discontent and disdain. Othello's negative portrayal to the audience leads them to believe that he is an evil, cunning, immoral thief. Shakespeare achieves this effect through Iago's use of racist, dehumanising language: “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”. Throughout the first scene, Iago and Roderigo also never refer to Othello by name, however, the audience quickly learn that both characters hate 'the moor', as this – amongst other derogatory terms, including 'thick-lips' – is the only title given to him.
Ethnic Notions The film Ethnic Notions showed the harsh realities of racism in America from as far back as slavery to the civil rights era as it pertained to oppression. Oppression in its most basic form is “to exercise harsh dominion over, to be weighed down” per the dictionary. However, this is at the physical level, but as Sandra Lee Bartky expresses there is a psychological oppression which has the same weighing down on the mind. There is also the oppression that comes from the stereotyping as well as sexual objectification. These ideas were clearly demonstrated in the film.
When the Ghost first speaks to Hamlet, he speaks with disgust towards the Queen, saying, “Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,/ With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,--O wicked wit, and gifts that have the power/ So to seduce!--won to his shameful lust” (1.5.42-45) This is perhaps the only instance where her unfaithfulness to Hamlet the King is mentioned. But the Ghost of Hamlet maybe spoke those words out of spite and anger, feeling that his marriage to Gertrude was still existent even past his death. But isn’t marriage valid until death do them part? As Heilbrun mentioned, the Ghost seemed angry over Gertrude’s betrayal and that is why he uses words like “shameful lust” and “traitorous” to describe the Queen. Besides this allusion, there is no further evidence in the play that suggests that Gertrude cheated on the King with Claudius while the King still lived.
Iago states, “That never set a squadron in the field, Nor the division of a battle knows” (Shakespeare 959), he feels that he has the most experience and should have received the title of Lieutenant. Iago also accuses Othello of sleeping with his wife, Emilia. He provides no evidence to support this accusation but rather it seems to exist as a result of the hatred he has built up against Othello. Iago plans to make Othello look like a fool for promoting Cassio and to discredit Othello’s wife, Desdemona of her innocence. Also, Iago’s wrath is carried out by Roderigo when he is told by Iago to kill Cassio in order to keep Desdemona in Cyprus by suggesting, “wherein none can be so determinate as the
This racial language is disgusting and should not be said by a young boy, but it goes to show that Ben has inherited some of his mother’s racism. On the other hand Daisy is extremely hurt and distressed by Ben’s language towards her. Her innocent mind cannot comprehend why Ben would say such a thing, even if he was purely influenced by his mother. Mrs Preedy is very involved in her son’s life and prevents him from making his own decisions because of her racial views. She made it impossible for him to become friends with Daisy only because of her coloured skin tone.
The clashing and juxtapositions of these two characters is essential. From the very beginning Othello is caught in the middle of a tension, this being the war and being caught in between two worlds. It is the tension between Othello’s victimization at the hands of a foreign culture and being the “outsider” that makes him a tragic figure rather than simply Iago’s ridiculous puppet. Othello’s flaws are his social insecurities regarding his cultural difference and pure self-doubt, which almost certainly comes from his race and his perception of himself. In act 3, scene 3, Othello speaks with a racist discourse when he says, “My name, that was as fresh As Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black As mine own face”.
Racism In Othello Seen throughout the play “Othello”, written by Shakespeare, racism is a main struggle for the main character. During the whole play, racist comments are thrown at Othello, a commander of the Venetian Army. Shown from more than one character in the play, these racial comments are towards Othello as he is shown to be one of the only characters with African and Moorish characteristics. From the act of racism shown in “Othello”, Shakespeare is able to reveal it through Othello's marriage to his white wife Desdemona, his position as a commander of the Venetian Army, and his physical appearance as an African-Moor. To begin, Othello is immediately shown in an interracial status as he has been talking to Brabantio's, the Senator of Venice, daughter Desdemona.
Even Emilia sinks to the level of insulting Othello based on the color of his skin. The character that most commonly makes racist remarks in Othello is Iago. It is very apparent that Iago uses racism as a scapegoat to hate and blame Othello. Societal racism takes its toll on its victims. The effect of racism on Othello is quite evident and is one of the main causes for his insecurity about his marriage.
However John Agard comes across in a sarcastic method and Tatamkhulu clearly shows his anger and opinion in an angry mood. Both Tatamkhulu Afrika and John Agard portray racist attitudes as an unlawful punishment because of only their ethnic group. Both Poems are autobiographical so both authors have had their own experience meaning that the anger shown is very descriptive. John Agard uses irony and satire “excuse me, standing on one leg” to show emphasis and ridicules the social stigmata towards half-caste. Afrika uses his poem to illustrate the diverse conditions of two social cultures within his society (“but we know where we belong”).
From the very beginning, iago controls the play. He not only has a hand in the following course of events but he also controls the fate of various characters in the play. Iago has enormous hatred for Othello not ony because othello over-looked his (iago) merits but also because he is a thick-lipped Negro, a sub-human whom iago cannot stand. Now, I shall state the relation between the problem of race and domestic tagedy putting a special emphasis on iago, who is the triggering agent in the play. It is ironical that though