Hugh Quarshie: Is Othello a racist play? | Debates | Royal Shakespeare Company

Summary

The speaker reflects on the portrayal of Othello in Shakespeare's play, questioning whether it perpetuates racial stereotypes. They explore the historical context of 'the Moor' in Elizabethan England and Shakespeare's potential exposure to black individuals. The speaker suggests that while Shakespeare may have had the opportunity to understand black people better, his play leans towards racism by omission, as it fails to delve into Othello's psychology, instead focusing on his emotional outbursts and Iago's manipulations, thus reinforcing preconceived notions about the character's ethnicity.

Takeaways

• 🎭 The speaker resisted playing the role of 'Othello' due to concerns about reinforcing racial stereotypes based on the character's ethnicity.
• 📚 Shakespeare adapted 'Othello' from a short story by Cinthio, but introduced racial epithets and stereotypes not present in the original plot.
• 🤔 The speaker questions whether Shakespeare's portrayal of Othello was influenced by personal bias or a lack of understanding of black people, despite the presence of black individuals in Elizabethan England.
• 🕵️‍♂️ It's suggested that Shakespeare might have read John Pory's translation of 'The Geographical History of Africa', which could have influenced his depiction of Othello's character.
• 🎭 The speaker believes that Shakespeare could have portrayed Othello's psychology more deeply but chose to focus on the dramatic and emotional aspects of the character.
• 🧐 The speaker argues that 'Othello' is racist by omission, as it does not delve into the character's psyche and instead relies on racial stereotypes for dramatic effect.
• 👥 The speaker discusses the importance of challenging the traditional portrayal of Othello and Iago, emphasizing the need to resist reinforcing racist assumptions.
• 🎨 In their production, the speaker's team attempted to avoid portraying Othello as gullible due to his ethnicity, making it more difficult for Iago to manipulate him.
• 🏥 The fit in their production was depicted as a transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke), suggesting a medical rather than racial explanation for Othello's behavior.
• 🤝 The speaker emphasizes the need for more effort in avoiding racism in portrayals of 'Othello', both in terms of commission and omission.
• 📖 The script reflects on the degrees of racism, distinguishing between casual racism and more deliberate acts, and the importance of being conscious of these in artistic representations.

Q & A

What is the speaker's initial stance on playing the role of Othello?

The speaker resisted playing the role of Othello for years because they believed it reinforced problematic assumptions about black people based on their ethnicity.

What historical context does the speaker provide about the portrayal of Moors in Elizabethan England?

In Elizabethan England, Moors were often portrayed as menacing threats to the social, moral, and sexual order, not just in Shakespeare's plays but also in others like 'The Battle of Alcazar.'

How does the speaker describe Shakespeare's adaptation of Cinthio's short story?

Shakespeare adapted Cinthio's short story by adding characters like Roderigo, a storm, and a Turkish fleet, and introducing racial epithets to emphasize Othello's appearance.

Does the speaker believe Shakespeare was being a bigot by including racial language in Othello?

The speaker questions whether Shakespeare's inclusion of racial epithets and Iago's comments about Moors being changeable indicates bigotry, as it seems to reinforce negative stereotypes.

Did Shakespeare know any black people, according to the speaker?

Yes, Shakespeare could have known black people as there were several hundred black individuals in Elizabethan England, and there were three ambassadorial visits from North African states.

What is the significance of John Pory's translation of Leo Africanus' work for Shakespeare?

Shakespeare likely read John Pory's translation of Leo Africanus' 'Geographical History of Africa,' which included sensational and stereotypical views about jealousy in Moors.

How does the speaker view Othello's rapid transformation in Act 3, Scene 3?

The speaker finds Othello's rapid transformation from loving husband to murderous honor killer in a single scene problematic, suggesting it may reflect stereotypes about Moors being prone to jealousy and violence.

What distinction does the speaker make between different types of racism in literature?

The speaker distinguishes between racism by commission (active inclusion of racist ideas) and racism by omission (failure to fully explore or challenge stereotypes), suggesting Othello is an example of the latter.

Why does the speaker believe Shakespeare wasn't very interested in Othello's psychology?

The speaker argues that Shakespeare didn't delve deeply into Othello's psychology because Iago has more soliloquies, which engage the audience more directly than Othello's speeches.

How does the speaker's production of Othello address the issue of racism?

The speaker's production avoids suggesting Othello's actions are due to his ethnicity by casting a black Iago, making it harder for Iago to manipulate Othello, and depicting Othello's fit as a transient ischemic attack rather than an epileptic fit.