Paper Summary:

This paper examines racism as presented in William Shakespeare's "Othello." The paper describes the racism of the Elizabethan era and how represents its belief system. Various themes from "Othello" are also explored, such as good versus evil, in which good is depicted as being white and evil being black. Additionally, the paper includes an extensive plot summary and character analysis of Othello and Iago. The paper concludes that this drama ends in tragedy because of Othello's African heritage.

From the Paper:

"The literature of the Elizabethan period was very racist. It used to portray people of African heritage in a very negative light. Shakespeare himself had been racist in some of his earlier works, especially the Merchant of Venice. However, Othello is the only text in Elizabethan literature that allows the man of African heritage to shine and be viewed in a positive light. From the beginning of the play, Othello, a man of African heritage is portrayed positively by William Shakespeare. The author depicts Othello as a real hero, a very brave general and a man of high social standing. However, this great man, just like any other Elizabethan greats, has some weaknesses that antagonists use to bring him down."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hall, Kim F., ed. "Racism in Othello." Othello, the Moor of Venice: Texts and Contexts. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007.
• Kass, Sarah. "The Trials of Othello." Journal of Education 176.1 (1994): 85-101.
• Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Ed. Kim F. Hall. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007.

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