The Themes of Gender and Race in ‘Othello’
Themes and ideas are the big concepts that underpin any narrative. They generally are described in terms of abstract nouns, which represent important and relevant topics that affect us, or the world around us - such as love, death, goodness, war or human nature. Themes are important to learn and understand because they form the foundation of most exam questions - even when a question seems character-based, there will almost always be a theme attached to it. Look at the following questions and see if you can identify the themes in each one:
‘Despite his suffering, Othello learns nothing.’ In light of this statement, explore Shakespeare’s presentation of Othello in the play.
‘Othello’s foolishness, as much as Iago’s cleverness, is responsible for the tragedy that unfolds.’ In light of this statement, explore where responsibility for the tragedy might lie.
‘Irony is a powerful device that Shakespeare uses to heighten the tragedy of Othello.’ In light of this statement, discuss Shakespeare’s use of irony in the play.
‘The settings in Othello are not just times and places in which action happens: they are deeply symbolic and add greatly to the meaning of the play as a whole.’ In light of this statement, explore Shakespeare’s use of settings in the play.
If you’re looking for more help with the text, click the ‘Learn More’ button for the complete breakdown of the themes throughout the play!
GENDER
Gender in the Jacobean era was a fairly rigid construct; women and men mostly were expected to conform to established gender roles - although there were some exceptions to this too.
Masculinity in Shakespeare’s day: Men were patriarchal - in charge of their families and household. They assumed financial responsibility for their families, and had to work to support their wife and children. Upper and middle class men were educated, allowing them to develop faculties of logic and reason - these became typically ‘masculine’ traits that were considered strong and intelligent. They were also often involved in political matters, and had influence in the wider world. Though Othello is a self-educated man, he has risen through the ranks to become part of the upper class society of Venice - although he is an outsider to this world. He attempts to assume the position of a patriarchal Venetian male in his relationship with Desdemona.
Femininity in Shakespeare’s day: Women were expected to be loyal, dutiful wives, their primary roles were to bear and raise children, and to support their husbands. They almost never had their own financial support, having to rely on their fathers and then their husbands for money and being for the most part unable to own property - in Jacobean law, a woman passed in ownership from her father to her husband once married. Women were associated with emotionality rather than logic and reason, which was sometimes interpreted as weakness by Jacobean people. They were by and large uneducated, and expected to assume a domestic role within the family. Though they held power within the domestic sphere, they mostly had little influence over the wider world - though there were notable exceptions to this in the Early Modern era, including Queen Elizabeth I herself and other noblewomen such as Bess of Hardwick who had essentially taken on the role of a man and built a property empire.
It is important to note that Shakespeare’s women also do not always conform to the generally accepted gender roles of his time - many of his plays contain strong, independent women and weak, emotional men. He comments on and plays around with established gender stereotypes in his work - including in Othello.
In Shakespeare’s time, women were not allowed to be actors; all the female roles in the play would have been performed by young men.
TASK: Emilia says of men that “They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; To eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us.” (3.4) Discuss the presentation of gender dynamics within the play in relation to this comment.
TASK: Consider the following statements. Write a paragraph for each discussing your thoughts on them and their relation to the play. Remember to make use of relevant quotations to back up your thoughts.
“Desdemona is a perfect portrayal of Jacobean femininity.”
“Othello’s hamartia is his jealousy.”
RACE
The theme of race has a strong influence over the play, mainly due to the presence of Othello as a representative of an African ‘other’ - someone who is an outsider to Venetian society.
This idea of the ‘other’ was common in Jacobean England. The world was still largely unexplored and unmapped to the Europeans of Shakespeare’s day, leaving room for uncertainty and myths in unknown parts of the globe.
There is a contrast in the play between supposed Venetian acceptance of those like Othello, with the Duke of Venice calling Othello ‘noble’ in the first act, and those who exhibit racial prejudices, such as Iago’s earlier descriptions of Othello as an ‘old black ram’ and ‘Barbary horse’.
The Jacobean image of Africans was complicated. Africa was very distant to England before the era of Colonialism, and there was some level of respect for the native populations there as potential allies against traditional English enemies like Spain. However, by the 1550s, the African slave trade had begun to grow, and English ships took African slaves to be sold in the New World. Here we see the shift in English perceptions, from seeing Africa as a distant continent of potential allies, to an accessible source of wealth through cruel acts like slavery.
This juxtaposing view of Africa emerges in Othello’s character. He is very genuine, as well as having clear skills in military activities. Yet, these aspects are contrasted by a naivety that comes from this genuine nature, and a tendency for violence that links to his martial prowess.
A common question has been “why does Shakespeare have a non-white character in his play, at a time when such representations were uncommon?” It is possible he is following trends like another playwright, Marlowe in his work Tamerlane, followed. The tendency to focus on the ‘exotic’ to get the attention of the English public.
TASK: Consider the following statements, write a paragraph for each discussing your thoughts on them. Remember to make use of relevant quotations to back up your thoughts.
In previous works like The Merchant of Venice, those seen as ‘exotic’ (like the Jewish merchant) were vilified, whereas the portrayal Othello is more complex. To what extent do you think we are meant to see him as a heroic figure?
How far do you think that the racial issue would have been a concern for the Jacobeans? And to what extent do you think that this is a more modern concern? You may wish to research the theme of race further before answering these questions.
You might be interested: The Theme of Jealousy in ‘Othello’
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