In the play 'Othello' by William Shakespeare , we see the main character presented in both positive and negative terms. The positive depiction of Othello is both verbal and behavioral. We hear about his integrity and great bravery and heroism through the speeches of others and perceive it through Desdemonana's admiration. We see him behave towards her and others in a genteel, caring and courteous fashion. However we also see the split opinions of society towards the other relationships in the play. Some people are willing to accept change and integration such as Barbantio who has more modern and open minded views, Desdemona who could be said to be very Christian and charitable in her outlook, looking beyond class and colour to the nobility of the soul underneath (thereby showing her own purity of thought and nobility) and Cassio who sees nothing but honour in accepting authority from...
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a man of integrity whatever his colour. Others could be seen to be more narrow minded and racially prejudiced, for example Iago. But he is a complex character and there may be other forces at work besides racial prejudice. There may be envy, jealousy, revenge, pride, rejection and control issues at work which may dwarf the over-simplification of motives such as race alone. It is a good ideas to look for examples and quotes for these, rather than to focus on race alone as a theme in Othello.
How does Othello depict Othello positively and show society's differing views on the Other?
One way in which the otherness of Othello is brought under fire is through the deliberate presentation of Othello as being dangerous and a force for evil because of his otherness. This of course presents Othello as a man facing significant conflict, because for all of his attempts to fit in to society around him and to "act white," characters such as Iago and Brabantio refer directly to his black skin as a symbol of how dangerous and violent he can be. Note, for example, how Iago deliberately plays on such stereotypes, exploiting them for his own purposes, in the following quote:
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise;
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you.
Arise I say!
The rather provocative and disgusting sexual imagery plays on cultural stereotypes of black men being predatory sexual males who take and rape white women. Note how Iago describes Othello as "the devil," and stokes fears within Brabantio that he will pollute his descendants through his black skin. Such quotes reflect the narrow-minded prejudices of characters such as Iago and Brabantio, and also society in general, through the exploitation of cultural stereotypes that are already present. Such voices reflect the perspective of racist individuals who are unwillingness to accept Othello because of his otherness.