othello race and society Flashcards
Loomba “whereas female openness was dangerous and immoral”
lago’s machinations are effective because Othello is predisposed to believing his pronouncements about the inherent duplicity of women, and the necessary fragility of an ‘unnatural relationship between a young, white, well-born woman and an older black soldier.
Loomba explains why Othello is so prone to jealousy. The unconventional nature of his relationship with Desdemona, and his position not as a suitable lover, but as a black soldier, create a feeling of inadequacy which breeds jealousy.
Both blacks and Muslims were regarded as given to unnatural sexual and domestic practices, as highly emotional and even irrational, and prone to anger and jealousy; above all, both existed outside the Christian fold.
The lethargy must have his quiet course. If not, he foams at mouth; and by and by
Breaks out to savage madness.
-Rather than referring to Othello’s jealousy and anger as an emotional outburst, lago describes it as ‘savage madness’. This reduces Othello to little more than the 17th century stereotype of the Moor. By doing this, lago makes Othello’s jealousy appear as though it is a madness within, caused by his race
Loomba notes the stereotypes which black people faced in Shakespeare’s time. Their foreign-ness meant that many traits were attributed to them which upset the traditional order and convention of the period, such as being ‘highly emotional and even irrational. This idea of heightened emotions plays a key part in Othello’s downfall.
Because Othello is needed in order to combat the Turks, the Senate is willing to regard him as “more fair than black” but for Desdemona’s father such colour-blindness is not possible. Here we see a tension between the state and the family.
Loomba notes here the conflict within Venetian society, with regards to its attitude towards Othello. On the one hand, the wealth and prosperity of Venice are dependent on its multiculturalism, and yet this multiculturalism - with its uncertainty and complete difference in customs and values - also threatens that same prosperity. Venetians (and English audiences) may well have feared that these differences of values and ideals would corrupt the order in society.
Loomba says that “Othello is both a fantasy of interracial love and social tolerance, and a nightmare of racial hatred and male violence”
okri comments on the play itslef is the white men’s myth of the black man
