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.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 The Role of Othello and Its Historical Context

This paragraph discusses the author's initial resistance to the role of Othello, citing concerns about racial stereotypes perpetuated by the character's portrayal. It delves into the historical and literary traditions that influenced the character's depiction, including the Elizabethan stage's use of 'moors' as symbols of menace. The author also examines Shakespeare's adaptation of the story from a short story by Cinthio, noting the introduction of racial epithets and questioning whether Shakespeare's portrayal was influenced by personal bias or the conventions of his time. The paragraph concludes with a consideration of whether Shakespeare was aware of the black community in Elizabethan England and whether his work reflects a lack of personal interaction with them.

05:02

🤔 The Complexity of Othello's Character and Racism in Literature

The second paragraph explores the transformation of Othello's character from a wise and experienced leader to a jealous and violent murderer, questioning the rapidity and plausibility of this change. It suggests that the character's swift descent may be influenced by prevailing stereotypes of 'moors' as irrational and prone to violence. The discussion also touches on the broader themes of racism in literature, defining it as the attribution of character traits based on ethnicity. The author critiques casual racism, exemplified by a reference to a controversial comment, and emphasizes the need for greater sensitivity and accuracy in representing diverse characters.

10:05

🎨 Reinterpreting Othello to Challenge Racist Stereotypes

In this paragraph, the author reflects on the production choices made to challenge the traditional racist interpretations of Othello. They argue that Shakespeare's lack of interest in Othello's psychology and the character's limited direct engagement with the audience contribute to a superficial understanding of his motivations. The author discusses efforts to present a more nuanced portrayal of Othello, avoiding simplistic racial assumptions and providing a more complex understanding of his actions. The paragraph concludes with a critique of the play's portrayal of Othello as a victim of his ethnicity, suggesting that the play is racist by omission rather than commission.

Keywords

💡Racial Epithets

Racial epithets are derogatory terms or phrases used to demean or insult individuals based on their race or ethnicity. In the script, the speaker discusses how Shakespeare introduced racial epithets in 'Othello,' such as references to 'thick lips' and 'bosom,' which were not present in the original short story by Cinthio. These epithets contribute to the play's racist undertones by reinforcing negative stereotypes about black people.

💡Stereotypes

Stereotypes are widely held but fixed and oversimplified ideas or beliefs about a particular type of person or group. The script mentions that the role of the Moor in Elizabethan plays often signaled a menacing or threatening presence, which is a stereotype. The speaker argues that Shakespeare's portrayal of Othello may have reinforced such stereotypes, particularly in the character's later actions, which are seen as a regression to a 'typical' Moorish nature.

💡Othello

Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, which is central to the script's discussion on racism in literature. The play's protagonist, Othello, is a Moorish general in the Venetian army. The speaker explores the character's development and the implications of his portrayal, questioning whether Shakespeare's depiction of Othello's descent into jealousy and violence is inherently racist.

💡Cinthio

Cinthio, or Giovanni Battista Giraldi, was an Italian Renaissance writer. The script notes that Shakespeare adapted a short story by Cinthio for 'Othello.' The speaker points out that while the plot structure was inherited from Cinthio, Shakespeare added racial language and elements, which were not present in the original story, thus contributing to the play's racial themes.

💡Moor

In the context of the script, a Moor refers to a person of mixed African and Arab ancestry, particularly those from the region of North Africa known historically as the Barbary Coast. The term is used to describe Othello's character and is significant as it reflects the racial and ethnic identity of the character, which is a focal point in the discussion of the play's racial implications.

💡Racism by Omission

Racism by omission is a concept where racism is present not through explicit actions or words but through the lack of representation, understanding, or consideration of a racial group's experiences and perspectives. The speaker suggests that 'Othello' is racist by omission because Shakespeare does not delve deeply into Othello's psychology, which might have countered the prevailing stereotypes of Moors at the time.

💡Iago

Iago is a character in 'Othello' who manipulates Othello into believing his wife is unfaithful, leading to tragic consequences. The script discusses the imbalance between Iago's and Othello's soliloquies, suggesting that Iago's character is more developed and that he has a closer relationship with the audience, which contrasts with Othello's more passive role.

💡Soliloquy

A soliloquy is a dramatic device where a character speaks their thoughts aloud, usually when they are alone on stage. The script notes that Othello has fewer soliloquies than Iago, which limits the audience's insight into Othello's mind. This is significant as it affects how the audience perceives and understands Othello's character and motivations.

💡Jealousy

Jealousy is a complex emotion often associated with insecurity and suspicion of a rival. In the script, the speaker discusses how Othello's rapid transition into a jealous and violent character might be influenced by the stereotype of Moors being prone to such emotions. This is a key point in the argument that the play may perpetuate racist assumptions.

💡Cultural Representation

Cultural representation refers to how a culture or group is portrayed in various forms of media, including literature and theater. The script explores the cultural representation of black people in 'Othello' and questions whether Shakespeare's portrayal was informed by genuine understanding or by prevailing stereotypes of the time.

💡Racial Assumptions

Racial assumptions are preconceived notions or beliefs about the characteristics, behaviors, or abilities of individuals based on their race. The speaker in the script is concerned with the racial assumptions inherent in the portrayal of Othello and the implications of these assumptions for the character's actions and the overall message of the play.

Highlights

The speaker resisted playing Othello for years due to the problematic portrayal of black people based on literary and theatrical conventions.

Shakespeare's adaptation of Giraldi Cinthio's short story includes significant changes, particularly the introduction of racial epithets and a focus on Othello's appearance.

The speaker questions whether Shakespeare was reinforcing racial stereotypes by making Othello's transformation into a violent character happen so quickly.

Shakespeare might have known black people in Elizabethan England, as evidenced by records and ambassadorial visits from North African states.

The speaker critiques Shakespeare for possibly not understanding or caring to understand black people, questioning if he was lazy or bigoted in his portrayal of Othello.

The transition of Othello from a wise, experienced leader to a jealous, violent character happens very rapidly, raising questions about racial stereotyping.

Shakespeare's use of racial epithets and the portrayal of Moors as prone to jealousy and irrationality is seen as problematic by the speaker.

The speaker suggests that Shakespeare might have relied on existing stereotypes about Moors, leading to a rapid and extreme character change in Othello.

Shakespeare is accused of not exploring Othello's psychology deeply, instead focusing on the emotional turmoil and dramatic elements of the plot.

Iago's numerous soliloquies allow him to engage with the audience more deeply than Othello, highlighting Shakespeare's potential lack of interest in Othello's inner life.

The speaker believes that Shakespeare could have provided more insight into Othello's character instead of relying on stereotypes about Moors.

The production aimed to avoid suggesting that Othello's actions were solely due to his ethnicity, attempting to present a more nuanced portrayal.

The reinterpretation of Othello's fit as a transient ischemic attack instead of an epileptic fit was an effort to distance the play from racial stereotypes.

The speaker concludes that 'Othello' is racist more by omission than commission, suggesting that Shakespeare did not fully explore the complexities of Othello's character.

The production's effort to challenge the play's potential racism includes making Iago's manipulation of Othello more difficult and less dependent on Othello's ethnicity.

Transcripts

I resisted the role of a fella for years

because it seemed to me that it was

problematic in that the assumptions

contained in the short story of which

the players based the conventions and

the traditions both literary and

theatrical just reinforced the notion

that the shakespeare and chin Theo the

short story writer were suggesting that

black people behave as they do because

of their ethnicity for the white man and

black makeup wouldn't have any issues

with that that was just a given you'll

be following the convention and then

actually if you departed from the

convention you wouldn't you'd be denying

the audience a little bit like the Red

Indians of John Ford westerns you know

whenever you saw a red engine relating

around the circle wagons you knew that

that was that was what you want to see a

Western for the shootout between the the

engines and the white settlers and it

seemed to me that the convention of the

more innale is Elizabethan England on

the stage not just in Shakespeare's

plays but not in other players like the

Battle of Alcazar lasts two million the

stutely plays whenever a more appeared

that usually signaled something menacing

or a threat to the social moral and

sexual order of society so when a

genuinely black actor comes to play the

role then it just seemed to me that it

was important to be aware of the

possible implications of the role and

resist any attempt to endorse what I

thought might be racist assumptions but

let me that was just to give the

background to that that particular essay

but let me try to address the the the

the issue here is is a fellow a racist

play to be fair to Shakespeare we have

to remember that he did not invent his

plot he adapted a short story by Joe

Girardi chin Theo a Renaissance writer

whoo this is one of the short story and

his Glee haircut almighty I believe in

them the the interesting thing is you

have to remember in other words that

Shakespeare was committed to the same

plot structure as chin Theo's in other

words the black general ends up

murdering his white wife the interesting

thing is the changes that Shakespeare

made to that that short story in order

to get from A to Z so to speak and the

one of the interesting things is because

he invented certain things like the

character of Roderigo he invited a storm

invited the Turkish fleet invited the

fit but what he also invented or

introduced was the racial epithets and

the rather fierce racial epithets thick

lips bosom what she feared to look

upon the constant references to a

fellow's appearance so it's arguable

then that although he was constrained by

the original short story in plot terms

he was liberated when it came to

introducing the the racial language now

I know of course it's it's a mistake to

attribute the views of a character to

the author necessarily but when

Shakespeare says when he actually have

as Iago say these Moors

are changeable in their wills and then

goes on to demonstrate precisely that

then I think it's fair to to ask well

what Shakespeare being a bit of a bigot

here the question arises also did did

Shakespeare know any black people could

he have known any black people and the

answer is yes he could have there were I

think it's been established she probably

know your colleague Don

dr. Miranda Coffman who's written a book

called black tutors and who might I

introduce rebut a fellow and she's

established through parish records that

there were several hundred what she has

some records of between two and three

hundred black people on parish records

but that implies that there was a much

larger black population in Elizabethan

England there were three ambassadorial

visits from ambassadors from the the

Barbary Coast states because of course

they had a common enemy in philip ii of

spain so the the north african states it

was in their interest to form an

alliance with Elizabeth the first

so yes Shakespeare could have known some

black people the question in my mind is

then did he do his homework did he

bother to get to know any black people

if he didn't was he being lazy if he did

get to know some black people and still

wrote the Othello of the second half who

does become an obsessive murderous honor

killer was he being a bigot because he

the FL o of the first half is certainly

magnanimous he was astute he's mature

he's experienced his wise and then in

the space of a single scene the so

called temptation scene at 3 scene 3

which is admittedly a long scene he is

persuaded that his wife has been

unfaithful and not simply that but that

he should then murder her Oh execute her

and certain but they're only although

it's long scene there are only about 300

lines in the text as written between a

fellow saying perdition catch my soul

but I do love thee and when I love thee

not chaos is come again to his saying

barely 300 lines later now do I see it

is true look here Yaga all my fond love

thus do I blow to heaven it is gone now

the worry in my mind is

that happens very quickly and perhaps

that because of the convention of the

Moors being perceived to be prone to

jealousy to irrationality to violence

that somehow was the the subtext well

those Moors are like that aren't there

that explains the rapidity of this

transition and there again that's that

when that gave of gave me pause for

thought

so the the idea to that just going back

to the idea that Shakespeare checks

would do his research and it's widely

thought that he read John pora's

translation of the geographical history

of Africa by my court Leo africanus in

which he did make the point that no

nation is so subject unto jealousy

talked about the Blamey I the men whose

heads do grow beneath their shoulders

but the more interesting thing is that

he picked up a sensational bit to the

story but the more interesting thing was

the author of that story Hassan Al Hasan

was his real original then a man who had

been expelled from under Lucia and I

think 1492 had traveled extensively

through Africa before being kidnapped by

pirates and given as a as a hostage or a

gift to Pope Leo the tenth who then

baptized him as Leo Giovanni africanus

so but that arguably was he argued was a

more interesting

template rather than the sensational

stuff that he wrote for his European

audience now we have to credit

Shakespeare with sufficient imagination

and intelligence to know that what he

read wasn't necessarily true and

certainly the Othello of the first part

goes against the grain of the the moor

as established on the Elizabethan stage

but then it is as if Shakespeare

stretches the the

very totally and said that when he

releases it the arrow flies very fast

and very violent it violently to its

target you know in other words he heum

goes against the grain of

characterization but only to how a

fellow revert violently to type in the

second part I would chop it into messes

cuckold me and and so forth as you know

we replayed it but so and the the more

altom utley that the question is what do

we mean by racist and to my mind it's

it's very simple that where race becomes

the prime if not the sole determinant of

character a value of moral value and the

suggestion any suggestion that a

character behaves as it does because of

his ethnicity is by definition racist

any suggestion that a character favors

as she does because of her agenda is by

definition sexist and so on you you you

get the point but I think there are

degrees of racism you know I think

sometimes you have to try a little

harder not to be racist I think come on

Jeremy Clarkson you could have tried a

bit harder when you said eenie meenie

miney moe catch any and buy his toe you

know that I think was lazy casual racism

it seems to me that there's racism by

commission and racism by omission and I

would I think my conclusion would be

that a fella is racist by omission and I

say this because it seems to me that

Shakespeare ultimately isn't that

interested in a fellow's psychology I

think he went the point that he wants to

get to quite quickly is the seismic

eruptions of emotion the the your fellow

music what's become known as the Othello

music the the elaborate verse like to

the Pontic sea and you know his his

great speeches and why do I say he's not

that interested in Othello psychology

because Iago has twice the number of

soliloquies that Othello does Iago

soliloquies enable him to engage

directly with an audience in a way

that'll fellow symmetries don't put out

the light and then put out the light if

I quench these are flaming minister I

can again that former light restore

should I repent me he's not talking to

the audience he's talking to a light but

once put out thy light without Cunnings

pattern of excelling nature he's not

talking to the audience he's talking to

the sleeping form of Desdemona in other

words a fellow's soliloquies don't

reveal very much about him he doesn't

isn't allowed to develop the same kind

of relationship with the audience as

Iago does a fellow is if you like one of

the the victims one of if Yago is the

cause then a fellow is the effect it

seems to me that Shakespeare could try

it have tried a little harder to to

allow us to enter into the mind of our

fellow but he didn't and I think he

resorted to a kind of comfortable

complacent attitude well I don't have to

explain very much about about this mores

because everybody knows what the

characteristic of the Moors are which is

why in our production we have attempted

quite assiduously to avoid any

conclusion that our fellow behaves as he

does because of his ethnicity

not simply because of the casting of a

black Iago but also Iago is subjected to

those of you who saw the production to a

fairly harsh interrogation and it's at

every point it's made very hard for Iago

to persuade Authority to put his plot

into effect and and by the way the fit

in our production was not an epileptic

fit but for those who aren't familiar

with medical terminology it was a

transient ischemic attack

a mini-stroke which can often change the

brain structure and the personality so

we were at we went to some lengths to

try to pull the playback from suggesting

that our fellow is gullible because of

his ethnicity we tried to make it much

harder for a yarder to persuade him and

therefore to make a fellow less of a

fool and to make the play less racist

but so yes in conclusion it's it's a

play that's racist by omission rather

than commission