In Shakespeare’s Othello, race is a concept that is only...

In Shakespeare’s Othello, race is a concept that is only minimally explored. Characters in the play assume that, since they are English, they are superior and foreign characters (like Othello the Moor) are inferior. This is not questioned much at all, and in fact it is assumed outright that Othello is indeed a lesser man because of his skin color and the ways in which characters like Iago and Roderigo treat him. While an early modern audience would accept this concept without hesitation, an audience of today’s age is left to question whether Othello is actually acting out because of the societal pressures, beliefs, and actions put upon him, or because he is inherently different as a person who is not white. While Shakespeare seems to think†¦show more content†¦All of these insults are packed into only the first scene of the play—there are dozens more sprinkled throughout, used commonly by Iago and Roderigo, most often behind Othello’s back than to his face. This ever-constant presence of racism when regarding Othello is proof of Iago’s plot: to degrade and insult and trick Othello into believing that he is subpar, and therefore trusting in Iago’s accusations of Desdemona’s infidelity. But why does Iago despise Othello so much? The answer is in the text, both explicitly and implicitly. When Roderigo mentions Othello in the opening scene, Iago states that he is angered by the appointment of Othello as general, and the appointment of Cassio as his officer. He states that â€Å"by the faith of man†¦I am worth no worse of a price† suggesting that he believes he should have been honored with a similar military position (1.1.10-11). He goes on then to suggest that Cassio is not a fit officer, as he is â€Å"a great arithmetician†¦a Florentine†¦that never set a squadron in the field†Ã¢â‚¬â€in short, Cassio is too theoretical and inexperienced to be of any use as an officer (1.1.18-2 1). In addition to his jealousy of Othello’s power, Iago must also be jealous of Othello’s wife Desdemona. While waking up her father Brabanzio to warn him of his daughter’s so-called treachery in marrying and