Role Of Race In Othello

Let me start off by saying that I’ve never thought about the concept of what exactly race is, but with the material that we have gone over in class and the comments made by other students I've realize there are many different idea of what races mean to each individual, but for me I view race through the lens of biological genetics. I’ll start off with philosophical and biological definition of race. The concept of race has historically signified the division of humanity into a small number of groups based upon five criteria: (1) Races reflect some type of biological foundation, be it Aristotelian essences or modern genes; (2) This biological foundation generates discrete racial groupings, such that all and only all members of one race …show more content…
A black man from North Africa, Othello has traveled the world, been sold into slavery, escaped, and ended up as the military commander of the Venetian military, guard to a powerful Italian city-state. Othello's status in Venice is pretty complicated he's both an insider and an outsider. On the one hand, he is an experienced military leader, commanding respect and admiration from the Duke, the Senate, and many Venetian citizens. On the other hand, being a black Moor and a foreigner in Venice also subjects Othello to some shockingly overt racism, especially by his wife's father who believes Desdemona's interracial marriage can only be the result of Othello's …show more content…
In this analysis a person is allowed to gain greater wealth in that culture and still remain an outsider within that culture because of the complexion of there skin. The reason why I believe Othello and Desdemona relationship was more cultural then race is because of the role of women in the 16th century Venice, Women were widely viewed as emblems of Catholic morality, serving primarily as matriarchs of the domestic household. They were instructed and expected to become devoted mothers, and to rear and raise their children as proper Christians. Religious and social changes gradually turned women’s education into a Christian training in obedient wifehood and devout motherhood. These major objectives are emphasized in much of Counter-Reformatory literature, particularly women’s acquisition of strong religious morals aimed at preserving chastity until matrimony as well as the pursuit of the practical skills of “preserving” and managing their husbands’ property and wealth. Little to no value was placed upon the pursuit of knowledge for aesthetic and intellectual