Othello as an outsider Essay - 768 Words

Set in 16th century Venice, Othello, by William Shakespeare, explores the idea of an outsider from the very beginning of the play. Shakespeare uses Othello, a black army general, to explore the relationship of an outsider in high Venetian society using a variety of approaches. The reader sees characters consistently referring to Othello in derogatory and demeaning terms, as well as frequent implications that Othello is scarcely human. Further exploration of an outsider in society comes from Othello himself, as he outlines a few of the major differences that set him and the community apart. Throughout the first act, a host of disparaging and select terms are used to describe Othello by a number of different characters. Referred to as†¦show more content†¦Another suggestion that Othello is not a normal being comes when Brabantio accuses him of bewitching his daughter: (to Othello) ‘That thou hast practised on her with foul charms/ Abused her delicate youth with drugs and minerals.† Indicating that Othello dabbles in supernatural forces, the implication appears again that he belongs to a very different race to which he lives among. The relationship of an outsider to society is also explored through Othello himself, as he recognises the differences between him and those around him. While describing his and Desdemona’s love, Othello tells (about himself): â€Å"Rude am I in speech/ And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace.† In these words, Othello is able convey that he is a little awkward in speech, and not a smooth talker, with the unspoken understanding that others in the room are. Othello goes on, â€Å"For since these arms of mine had seven years pith/ Till now some nine moons wasted/ †¦in the tented field/ †¦ little of this great world can I speak.† Here the reader learns that Othello, unlike the assortment of senators and the Duke, has spent most of his life in battle, and therefore has not had a lot of lifeShow MoreRelated Othello the Outsider Essay1233 Words   |  5 PagesOthello the Outsider   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeares tragic hero, Othello, was a man whose gifts far outnumbered his weaknesses. On the battlefield, he was accomplished; in his profession, he was highly ranked; and, in his life, he was blissfully married. Despite these great advantages, however, Othellos destiny was ruin. Everything he had so carefully made for himself would be destroyed by one flaw: his fear of remaining an outsider. 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