Power, Race and Women in Othello by Shakespear and Sax

Race Shakespeare †¢ A fear of foreigners during Elizabethan times fostered misogynistic and racist values, which is evident in the way Othello’s blackness becomes a symbol of alienation to which all characters in the play must respond. †¢ Using grotesque animal imagery, Iago voices an explicitly stereotypical view of Othello, as a â€Å"Barbary horse,† depicting him as an animalistic outsider. Through the image of conflict in black and white, Iago emphasises on the racial demarcation between Othello and Desdemona, that â€Å"an old black ram is tupping your white ewe,† associating Othello with uncontrolled animalistic sexuality. Iago’s overt and vicious racism becomes representative of the reigning stereotype of the African on the†¦show more content†¦However, similar to the play, John indirectly refers Dessie to â€Å"other men’s leavings† which suggests the subordinate position of women, objectified as a part of male honour. †¢ Sax explores parallelism between Desdemona, who is anxious to present herself as a â€Å"vessel†, and Dessie who depicts herself as chaste, â€Å"I was like a blank sheet waiting for you to write your name on me†. This reflects the expectation of women of the contemporary context, untainted and pure, like a â€Å"blank sheet†, which significantly displays tendencies that resemble Elizabethan female attributes. †¢ Sax directly contrasts Lulu’s silence to Emilia’s strength. â€Å"Tis proper I obey him but not now†, declares Emilia, who defies her husband’s authority and social conventions. †¢ Both texts depict patriarchal societies, Shakespeare makes a powerful statement regarding the role of women in the 16th century and their potential strength, whereas Sax portrays women as ironically weaker in the democratic modern society Power: Both texts examine the corrupting and unstable influence of power. Shakespeare †¢ Shakespeare’s idea of the tenuous and transitory nature of power is shaped by a context where the nation was anxious due to the unexpected death of Elizabeth. †¢ It is the notion of the corruptive nature of power which Shakespeare draws on