Brabantio - Critics

Question 1

Ania Loomba (1998):

Answer 1

“Brabantio represents the entrenched racial and patriarchal ideologies of Venetian society. His outrage at Desdemona’s marriage to Othello exposes the anxieties surrounding miscegenation and the subversion of traditional gender roles.”

Question 2

Amy Smith (2021):

Answer 2

“Through presenting the figure of Brabantio as racist and misogynistic, Shakespeare exposes the prejudices of Venetian society.”

Question 3

Emily C. Bartels (1990):

Answer 3

“Brabantio’s disapproval of Othello is couched in the language of paternal concern, but it is driven by an underlying racial animus. His rejection of Othello stems from a fear of the ‘other,’ which he projects onto his daughter’s defiance of his authority.”