Relationship of Race and Sex

¶ … Relationship of Race and Sex in Shakespeare's Othello

Issues of race and gender emerge as significant themes of William Shakespeare's play, Othello. A close examination of race and sex in Othello reveals a man that certainly has no opportunity because almost everyone he encounters refers to him by his physical characteristics rather than his name. He is never accepted because he is different and race becomes a divisive issue with Othello and Iago. Further references by Emilia, Brabantio, and Lodovico illustrate how the moor never overcame the color of his skin. Gender roles are also significant in the play in that they play a part in the reasons why Othello behaves the way he does. Desdemona is seen as more of an object rather than a human being and she is seen as a women last. Her disposition is reason enough for Othello to distrust her as he would rather believe Iago's flimsy account than carry on a rational conversation with his loving wife. Gender and race becomes significant players in this drama of jealousy and deceit.

Race is introduced as a major player in the play in the opening scene when Iago refers to Othello as "the Moor" (Shakespeare I.i.40). There can be no doubt that Iago is jealous and that his jealousy stems, at least in part, to who and what Othello is. Iago's jealousy is established early in the play as to set the stage for jealousy. Iago has been overlooked because of Cassio's promotion and this sparks his anger, which is projected directly to Othello and Iago's compulsion to destroy him. This destruction includes the added advantage that Othello is wedded to a white woman. Iago constantly refers to Othello as the Moor in these first opening scenes, insinuating that the man does not deserve his position because of his race. He confesses that he hates Othello and insults him by insulting all masters. Roderigo even points out how Othello is different because of he looks by commenting about his "thick lips" (I.i.66). It should also be noted that Othello has issues with his race when he begins to doubt Desdmona's faithfulness. He begins to think his looks might be contributing factor. These statements bring attention to the fact that Othello is an outsider in Venice and he cannot blend in with the crowds because he looks so different from everyone else.

Othello's differentness is also emphasized with other characters as well. Emilia, Lodovico, and Brabantio also speak about Othello in a deprecating manner. The fact that these characters continue to refer to Othello in this manner can only mean that he is never truly accepted. To the contrary, it seems, as Moors are from another land and they will never fit in. Lodovico is outraged by how Othello treats Desdemona and reefers to him as a "noble Moor, whom our full senate/Call all-in-all sufficient" (IV.i.266-7). His sarcasm reveals that there is no noble thing about the man. Emilia reflects the same sentiments when she calls Othello "the Moor" (IV.ii.147) even when she is speaking to Desdemona and after he kills her, Emilia exclaims, "The Moor hath killed my mistress!" (V.ii.166). There can be no doubt that Othello is aware of the fact that he is different and while this does not appear to bother him at the beginning of the play, it does begin to affect him as he begins to loose his grip on reality.

Gender becomes a significant player in Othello because it serves as a catalyst for Othello's eventual breakdown. Iago brings the matter of sex into the play during the first scene as well. He is quick to tell Roderigo that he will win the affection of Desdemona - eventually when she suffers disappointment from Othello. Iago and Brabantio establish a perception about women that is unflattering. Women are seen as little more than objects and property - notions that establish male dominance. An example of how women are disparaged early in the play occurs when Desdemona's father experiences difficulty believing that she could ever make a wise decisions regarding marriage. Her elopement, he says, is the result of "spells and medicines bought of mountebanks" (I. iii. 61), obviously employed by Othello. When mentioning Brabantio and Iago, we cannot overlook the scene where Iago uses the image of the marriage bed to provoke Desdemona's father, stating, "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tipping your white ewe" (I.i.89-90). It is significant to recognize how the role of women is juxtaposed through the character of Emilia. Emilia is aware of her place in society but she is more shrewd about it than her Desdemona. In her response to Desdemona's question regarding faithfulness, she asks, "who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch?" (IV.iii.73-4). However, she realizes her place in a world of men, noting, "They are all but stomachs and we all but food; / They eat us hungerly, and when they are full / They belch us" (III iv 100-2). In this passage, the gender role in Othello is summed up. While Othello cannot change what he looks like, he can change how he responds the certain ideologies of the society in which he lives but he does not. He views women as things that cannot be trusted - the only explanation for his outrageous behavior and tendency to believe Iago before even approaching his wife for any kind clarification for the events that have unfolded. Iago has no real proof but it does not matter because he is a man. Iago has earned Othello's trust already by feigning to care for him and this outweighs anything Desdemona might say.