Religion

Question 1

thesis

Answer 1

• Shakespeare incorporates religious contrasts and references to portray the deeply symbolic meanings behind dialogue
• counter- arguably some may view race as much more important than religion due to constant reference to black and white symbolism

Question 2

what derogatory word is used to refer to Othello in terms of his race and religion (part of counter and main)

Answer 2

‘Moor’

• Elizabethan shorthand for Muslim
• came from Europe to escape religious persecution from their homeland
• moors were linked to raids and battles
• more related to both race and religion

Question 3

what noun phrase does Iago use to describe Othello in terms of his race and religion

Answer 3

‘the black devil’ ‘the devil’ by iago

• black relates to his skin colour as a Arabic man
• noun ‘devil’ is the personification of evil within society which both Christians and Muslims believed in

Question 4

what does Brabantio state which relates to Othello’s religion

Answer 4

‘bondslaves and pagans’ ‘non chrsitian savage’
- pagan= someone outside their religion

• Brabantio says this is what will happen to society if they dont stop Othello and Desdemona being together
• the adjective ‘savage’ further reinforces the idea of religious steotypes as it suggests anyone who is not chrsitian is violent and uncontrolled (which to some extents is accurate considering events and the end of the play

Question 5

What does Othello proclaim about his past

Answer 5

‘and sold to slavery, of my redemption’

• redemption is a deliverance from sin or damnation but could also refer to him being freed from capture
• Othello converts to Christianity when he was captured by Venetian forces in Africa where he grew up ‘in the tented field’ as a Muslim warrior
• suggests that he himself views muslim religion negatively

Question 6

What does Desdemona fall back on

Answer 6

‘I am Christian…I shall be saved’

- she falls back on her religion as a security blanket against accusations of promiscuity with Casio

Question 7

How does Othello refer to his wife as the devil

Answer 7

Desdemon? Dead Desdeom! Dead!

- play on words demon is sin, that is what she is in his eyes

Question 8

new historicist reading of this theme

Answer 8

• looks at play in historical context
• race/ religion may not be a way of dicriminating Othello but to highlight how he is a self made man who represents the move away from the belief that we have fixed positions in society ‘General’

Question 9

Loomba critical view

Answer 9

The play is a ‘warning…to open societies who let outsiders in’

Question 10

Cultural materialistic reading

Answer 10

• racism was inherent in capitalist soicety rather than being in individuals
• Shakespeare saw race and religion as much less prominent way to modern audiences