Race

Quote

Act/Scene

Analysis

“An old black ram / is tupping your white ewe” (Iago)

Act 1 Scene 1

Animal imagery; juxtaposition of “black” and “white” and pejorative (racist) language

“You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, you’ll have your neighbours neigh to you.” (Iago)

Act 1 Scene 1

Implies that Desdemona’s union with Othello is the equivalent of bestiality

“More fair than black” (Duke of Venice)

Act 1 Scene 3

Dichotomises fair/goodness in opposition to “black”

“Thou has enchanted her” and “Chains of magic” (Brabantio)

Act 1 Scene 2

Motif of dark magic links to contextual racial prejudice

“Haply for I am black, And have not those soft parts of conversation” (Othello)

Act 3 Scene 3

Othello’s self-identification and internalised racism

“As Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black As mine own face.” (Othello)

Act 3 Scene 3

Allusion to Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, fertility, and childbirth – elements of nature that Iago has corrupted

“O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil!” (Emilia)

Act 5 Scene 2

Posits that it was Othello’s actions that made him a “devil” as opposed to his race