Analysing Race in William Shakespeares Plays

Analysing Race in William Shakespe atomic number 18s PlaysThis dissertation issues a critical discussion of the imports of run awaytrack in over practic eithery(prenominal) William Shakespe atomic number 18s finds as The Tempest, Titus Andronicus and Othello. Analysing the context, in which these trifles are created, and applying to such theoretical tools as the qualitative question method and the fond constructionist approach, the look into evaluates contrary perceptions of course done the principal voices of the tomboys and investigates in depth discordant critical views. The have forces fail that William Shakespeare interprets the issues of subspecies in a close connection with phantasmal beliefs, politics and friendly all the samets in Elizabethan period. Although few findings of the research are consistent with the previous studies, early(a) results provide new interpretations and rea tidings competent info as to the racial issues in Shakespeares p lays.The issues of bleed constitute wholeness of the most important themes in world-wide literature. Although in Elizabethan England the ideas of race were much ignored due to the confusion and lack of knowledge in suppose to foreigners, William Shakespeare usually applied to the issues of race and racialism in his plays. On the derriere of such characterisation, it is clear that masses of unalike races lived in England in those quantify, and that Shakespeare was aware of the composite dealings between side sight and foreigners. Through his characters, the playwright reveals the negative aspects of Elizabethan amicable ideologies that created a gap among races, alienating foreigners from otherwise members of incline ordination and contri aloneing to their death. However, even today the researchers continue to broil about the implications of race in Shakespeares plays. Some scholars maintain the flavor that the passings in religions and assimilations aggravated the alienation of versatile races in England, while other researchers oppose to this viewpoint, claiming that the colour of skin influenced the abstruse dealings between positionmen and foreigners.Thus, the issue of race is kind of controversial and it should be discussed by means of with(predicate) spectral, heathen, fond, political and ethnical contexts in the plays of William Shakespeare. To some extent, such statement digest be explained by the situation that the race has al representations been utilised to substitute the established social systems for new social hierarchies that reflected their birth norms and principles. In this regard, in Elizabethan times deal were socially divided into one or a nonher race, pickings into account the colour of skin, ghostly beliefs and cultural traditions of various individuals. A nonher controversy concerns the strain of the word race that usually dates back to 18-19th centuries therefore, Shakespeares researchers favor to substitute the term race for the term otherness in their essays of Shakespeares plays. However, such shift from one term to some other term is not able to eliminate Shakespeares unique interpretation of racial issues in the selected plays.William Shakespeare wrote m any(prenominal) of his plays in Elizabethan period, the era when, contrary to the commonly trus tworthy view, great deal of various races began to arrive to England. Some recent findings provide valid evidence as to the existence of calamitous populate in the 16th- degree Celsius London. In this regard, the issues of race, to which the playwright applies in such plays as Titus Andronicus, The Tempest and Othello, provide a new vision on the impact of these races on cultural and social life of English community. At the beginning, black sight were taken by force and brought to England as exotic creatures that possessed no rights, but at long last they became the members of English decree who were called as th e fastens. However, such racial integrating in brief resulted in rather complex tensions among antithetical races, and Shakespeare reflected these transaction in his sounds. As Bernard Harris puts it, To Elizabethan Londoners the appearance and conduct of the trusss was a spectacle and an outrage, emphasising the nature of the deep inconsistency between themselves and their visitors, between their Queen and this erring Barbarian1.Thus, English people could rarely distinguish one race from another race. However, Shakespeare, who took an active sort out in public life and visited various cultural and public-service institutions, had an opportunity to find out foreigners and emplacement of the English towards them, depicting his observations in his literary work. In addition, Margo Hendricks claims that various economic and social changes occurred in England in the middle of the 16th century2. In particular, England established constant dealing with Morocco. As a result, various merchants and troops people of different races began to arrive to the country and acquire certain(a) positions among the members of English society. All these non-English people, who arrived from Africa, Israel, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and some other places, were called as aliens or outsiders. in spite of this integration, many Englishmen revealed racial biases towards these foreigners.According to Ania Loomba, Jews, berths and Christians were never simply religious categories, but variably articulated with nationality, and ethnicity, and often colour3. Thus, on the one hand, English people accepted foreigners in their country, but, on the other hand, they comprehended them as outsiders, if these foreigners acquired much(prenominal)(prenominal) power and knowledge in comparison with native citizens. Various unwarranted attacks were initiated by English people against these foreigners such hostility was intensified by Church that pointed at the poverty of Englishmen as a result of foreigners integration into social, political, economical, religious and cultural life of English people. In this regard, English society either rejected these foreigners or forced to assimilate to them, paving the way for racism. This pile be explained by the situation that Englishmen were afraid of acquiring culture and traditions of foreigners, as they became engaged in economic relations with them. As Margo Hendricks claims, seed in the middle ages, the English engagement with foreigners often functioned on two levels spiritual and material4. Although Englishmen realised that they could receive material profits from their interactions with people of different races, they made everything to preserve their superior position. It was in this environment of racial tensions and complex relations that William Shakespeare created such plays as The Tempest, Titus Andronicus and Othello.The aim of this dissertation is to analyse the representation of race in the selecte d Shakespeares plays on the dry land of different perceptions and viewpoints. The research is divided into sections. Chapter 1 presents a statement of the problem that reveals the mall of the abstract. Chapter 2 provides a general overview of the issue, observing the context, in which the plays are produced. Chapter 3 offers a survey of the works that have been written on the issues of race in Shakespeares plays. Chapter 4 points at the research methods that constitute a theoretical basis for the conducted analysis. Drawing upon earlier findings and evidence, Chapter 5 observes in degree the issues of race in such plays as The Tempest, Titus Andronicus and Othello. Chapter 6 posits a summarisation of the results, while Chapter 7 stresses on the limitations of the dissertation and provides some suggestions for further research. callable to various controversies and ambiguities that emerge during the analysis of William Shakespeares plays, the researchers provide different inter pretations of the dramatists drawal of race. For instance, huntsman points at the impact of the quick religious and cultural norms on the berth of Englishmen towards foreigners in Elizabethan times5. Thus, the researcher considers that Shakespeares plays reflect the spirit of that period and relations among various races. Although some viewpoints of Hunter are of considerable inte inhabit to understanding of Shakespeares presentation of race, his analysis is limited only to the religious explanation of racial differences. Hunter pays no attention to social and cultural changes that occurred in England in the 16-17th century, shaping the relations between Englishmen and foreigners. In his analysis Hunter suggests that Elisabeth had rare contacts with foreigners, but this is not really true, if taken into account her edicts that she issued at the end of the 16th century, correspond to which foreigners had to be expelled from England. This fact points at Elisabeths awareness of fo reigners and her fear of them however, on the other hand, the Queen continued to admit black people to her courtroom and, to some extent, supported the spread of slavery.More contradictory findings are presented in regard to individual Shakespeares plays. Discussing the moorishness of Shakespeares play Othello, Barbara Everett provides a contend to our perhaps too childly Afri posterior sense of Othello6. Everett claims that the dramatist destinys to uncover racial tensions in the 16-century England, and then Othello is, in short, the colour the fiction dictatesthe Moor whitethorn be quite as much Spanish as African7. In this regard, Everett applies to the discussion of political, religious and social contexts of Elizabethan period in her interpretation of racial issues. Virginia Mason Vaughn regards Othellos blackness as the reflection of his otherness, as she states, The effect of Othello depends on the essential fact of the submarines darkness, the visual signifies of his Ot herness8.While Arthur Little points out that Othellos tragedy can be explained not only by his different race, but also by his marriage to Desdemona, a tweed egg-producing(prenominal), and by his jealousy9. Davison goes further in his analysis of Shakespeares play, in particular, he suggests that Othello is not about race, or colour, or even jealousy. It dramatises the way actions are order by locations, fears, and delusions that rule the subconscious than by evident facts10. Analysing Shakespeares play The Tempest, Curt Breight points out that in this work the dramatists portrayal of race reveals colonialism and terror of James I, thus Prosperos exploit to get the superior position over other people is a simple reflection of Kings actions11. Paul Brget expresses the alike(p) assent in regard to the play, claiming that The Tempest interferes into colonialism, and this intervention takes the form of a coercive and pleasurable narrative which seeks at once to harmonize disjun ction, to transcend repugnant contradictions and to mystify the political wrong which demand colonialist discourse12. Further, Brown points at the fact that Calibans rape and assault are explained by his intensified sex that was considered to be a characteristic feature of Indians and other races, except white people. Thus, Prosperos control over Caliban reveals the suppression of Calibans sexuality as well.William Shakespeares play Titus Andronicus has been considered as his most unsuccessful literary work for a long time however, the inability of researchers to understand this play can be explained by the fact that Titus Andronicus is rather ambiguous and doesnt correct to a particular classification. Here, Shakespeare interprets the racial issues in their connections with religious beliefs of Romans and provides two-f overaged vision on morality of both civilised people and skinflints. Charles Martindale and Michelle Martindale point at Senecas influence on this play, uncov ering the dramatists utilisation of true sources and claiming that Seneca was the closest Shakespeare ever got to Greek tragedy13. Although all these critical works provide different interpretations of Shakespeares plays, taken in integrity, they generate rather accurate data.This dissertation applies to two research methods a qualitative research method and a social constructionist approach. As authoritative theoretical research tools, these methods provide an opportunity to discuss the issues of race in Shakespeares plays through various perceptions and viewpoints. The qualitative method is aimed at analysing different interpretations of race, generating valid data that have been rarely mentioned in the earlier studies. According to Taylor, Interpretation is an strain to make sense of an object of study. This object moldiness, therefore, be a text, which in some way is confused, incomplete, cloudy, seemingly contradictory14. Drawing upon certain qualitative data, the research uncovers controversial arguments in regard to the discussed issue and evaluates cultural and social events in Elizabethan times. The principal sources are taken from various literary texts and critical researches on Shakespeare. The social constructionist approach suspends to investigate social, cultural and diachronic contexts of the period, in which Shakespeares plays are created. This approach is especially appropriate for this research, as the term race is regarded as a social construction phenomenon. This meaning that the social constructionist approach challenges the conventional biological interpretation of race, evaluating race through the social perspective. Thus, the method provides a basis for analysing the unity between race and social environment in Elizabethan era.5.1. The issue of Moorishness in Shakespeares play OthelloAlthough many contemporary critics and playwrights make enterprises to disregard the issue of race in Shakespeares play Othello, the dramatist him self considers this aspect to be crucial for understanding his characters. The principal protagonist Othello belongs to the race of the Moors, and as Everett points out, moorishness was a condition that had a meaning, for Shakespeare and his audiences once casually familiar though long incapacitated to us15.According to Barbara Everett, the word Moor is panorama to originate from mauri who lived in Mauritania province in North Africa16, but English people pet to apply this term to all foreigners who differed from them either in race or religious beliefs. As Emily Bartels claims, the Moor was usually associated with in addition ambiguous terms as African, Ethiopian, Negro and even Indian17, because the origin of the Moors was rather ambiguous, either the mixture of Berber and Arab or Muslim. In this regard, when Shakespeare calls Othello a bare Moor, he accentuates the blackness of the principal hero, because the Moors were both white and black. By presenting the black character , the dramatist uncovers the existence of racism in the 16-century England and reveals his awareness of the complex relations between black and white people. According to Harris, When Shakespeare chose, for this audience, to present a Moor as his hero, he was simply more aware than his contemporaries of the complex pattern made by white and black18. Othello demonstrates the biases of English people, in general, and Queen Elizabeth, in particular, towards the Moors. For them, black colour of these people typeised evil and disaster.Thus, as Margo Hendricks claims, In the writing of the day, the Moors were described as subtle, stubborn, stolid and intolerant19. Othellos blackness emerges as a result of his relations with other people who reveal certain biases towards this protagonist. Roderigo claims him a wheeling odd20 with thick lips, gross clasps of a lascivious Moor21. Iago evaluates Othello through his racial biases, pointing out that jealousy and sexuality are characteristic features of the Moors. As Edward Berry states, Othellos moorishness is not only a mark of his somatic alienation but a symbol, to which every character in the play, himself included, must respond22. Brabantio also expresses his negative attitude towards Othello, claiming that he is disappointed with Desdemona who advert in love with what she feard to look on23. Desdemona herself seems to reveal certain racial biases to the nous she loves. Othellos voice communication admire Desdemona, but she is not physically attracted to him. such prejudices prevent her from understanding Othello who is obsessed with peach of Desdemona.By contrasting black and white, the dramatist simultaneously uncovers the complex relations between two races, revealing that cultural differences may result in tragedy. On the other hand, such shift from whiteness to blackness or vice versa reflects the elements of racial attitude of Venetian people towards Othello. This can be explained by the fact that the Queen was obsessed with white colour, proclaiming it as a colour of goodness and virginity, while black colour was considered as a colour of evil and dirt. Such attitude resulted in the creation of the complex racial tensions between Englishmen and black people. For instance, almost all characters of Shakespeares play avoid calling Othello by name instead they constantly overlay him as the Moor, implicitly rejecting him as the member of their society. Thus, Othello is treated as an object because of the racial differences between him and other members of Venetian society. This viewpoint can be explained by the social constructionist approach, according to which society initially establishes some norms and principles, and further it applies these rules towards certain personalities.Othello makes constant attempts to integrate into this society, but it turns away from him. Despite the fact that he possesses some values and the rank of a general, society is not able to overcome its r acial prejudices. As Everett puts it, Othello is almost any colour one pleases, so long as it permits his easier isolation and destruction by his enemies and by himself24. In this regard, interpreting the racial issues of the play, Everett points at political and social situations in the country in the 16th century. In particular, moorishness of Othello may reveal his position as a foreigner, a person who differs from the rest of population and who is regarded as a damnable creature. According to Hunter, Elizabethans awareness of foreigners was closely conditioned by a traditional religious outlook on the world25. Therefore, the attempts were made to reduce the position of these people in society. In fact, Othello excels many respectable members of society, and he sincerely believes in the beginning that My parts, my title, and my perfect soul / Shall manifest me rightly26. however racial prejudices appear too virile, destroying Othellos intentions to achieve an appropriate place. Iago is the first person who rises against Othello, trying to conjure that such people are dangerous for the existing social norms. As he claims to Desdemonas father, Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe27. As a result, Brabantios initial attitude towards Othello is greatly changed under such racialist words. He tries to prove that Othello has utilised some spell to make his daughter marry him. Such action reveals that in those times the Moors were regarded as people engaged in mysterious and awful affairs. Thus, the only reason for Brabantios accusation is Othellos blackness. Although Othello seems to initially win the respect of Brabantio, Desdemona and some other people by protecting Venice society from Turks invasion, such racial prejudices do not allow them to accept Othello as equal to them. Despite the fact that they admire his heroism and romantic nature, they are unable to admire him when society reveals its rejection towards Othello.As a result, racism, inspired by Iago, destroys both Othello and Desdemona. Their racial differences appear too powerful and they prevent these characters from understanding each other. In this regard, Shakespeare seems to oppose to the existing social system and ideologies that are based on the principles of superiority. Othello, who is only racially different from other members of society, is regarded as small to them, and it is racism of these people that causes the characters destruction. The ideologies of Elizabethan England were aimed at establishing such social norms that regarded other races as inhuman. Othellos alienation occurs because of these social standards that shape the attitude of society towards certain individuals. The qualitative research method demonstrates that a literary text usually reflects cultural and social contexts of a certain period28 this is just the case with Shakespeares play, in which the dramatist portrays his characters of different races through spe cific contexts. Shakespeare reveals that, on the one hand, Othellos military achievements allow him to socialise with the members of the upper berth class, but, on the other hand, the characters blackness disinvests him of the possibility to belong to this society. Such racial attitude of people negatively influences Othello who starts to experience uncertainty about his social stand.This uncertainty is aggravated when he decides to marry a white female who belongs to the upper class. Gradually, Othello becomes obsessed with jealousy and doubts and acts like a real animal, forgetting his noble tact. Therefore, racism gradually destroys the protagonist and reveals the hate of such people as Iago to people of other races. Iago makes everything to alienate Othello from Desdemona, Brabantio and other members of the upper class, changing peoples attitude towards Othello with his racist words. Although at the beginning of the play, Iagos wife genus Emilia doesnt express her attitude t o Othello, she explicitly reveals her racist views after Desdemonas murder when she claims O, the more angel she, / And you the blacker devil29. Further Emilia calls Othello as ignorant as dirt30 this comparison allows Shakespeare to show the attitude of white people towards the black race. Like Othello, dirt is black, and dirt is thrown away, because it is nasty. Many people in Shakespeares play have the similar opinion of Othello, alienating from him and implicitly revealing their xenophobic nature. They even provide Othello with hot temper and increased sexuality. To some extent, such viewpoint is explained by the fact that Englishmen identified black people with the son of Noah who was punished for see his father naked and with Islamic religious traditions of polygamy. In this regard, William Shakespeare manages to realistically portray society of his time that rejects any person who belongs to a different race or adheres to different religious beliefs.5.2. Racism and social d omination in The TempestAlthough Caliban, the character of Shakespeares play The Tempest, is not really black, he also experiences alienation because of his race. His mother comes from North Africa and is considered of Berber origin, thats why many white people, who appear on the Caribbean island, express racial attitude towards Caliban. As a result, this protagonist is usually regarded as a devil and outclassed to other characters. For instance, Prospero teaches Caliban the ways to live in the island however, then he starts to treat Caliban as a poisonous slave and devil31, considering this vulgar barbarian as a threat to Miranda.In this regard, Prospero implicitly reveals the existing stereotypes of the 16th-century when people with black colour of skin were thought to possess intensified sexuality, thus marriages between a black male and a white female were rarely accepted in European society. It is clear that such pattern is greatly exaggerated, but Christian laws and moral pr inciples of those times were rather strict, oppose to each display of otherness. Due to the fact that Calibans origin is not clearly identified in the play, the character falls under the division of otherness, performing a subordinate role throughout Shakespeares narration.On the other hand, Caliban is important to Prospero who mentions to Miranda that they cannot miss him. He does make our fire, / experience in our wood, and serves in offices / That profit us32. These words prove that liquidation initiated by English people and utilisation of black population for their own benefits were crucial for England. Colonisation allowed the country to overcome many economic difficulties, such as unemployment and hunger, increasing Englands power among other European countries. Therefore, English colonisers utilised various measures to control these black people however, Shakespeare reveals that Caliban doesnt want to accept such treatment, he considers himself as the original owner of t his place. forrader the arrival of Prospero and Miranda to the island, Caliban is really perceived as a king, but the attempt of Prospero to civilise Caliban transforms the character into a slave. As Caliban states, Thou strokst me and make much of me / and then I lovd thee, / And showd thee all the qualities othisle / For I am all the force fields you have, which first was exploit own king33. Prospero makes an attempt to create a hierarchical social organisation in the island, according to which people are divided into superior and inferior on the basis of their race and position. Such behaviour of Prospero proves that the involvement of English people in slavery began in the middle of the 16th century when Englishmen realised the benefits of slavery, failing to understand the negative impact of this superiority on black people. For instance, finding himself in close relations with white people, Caliban starts to scent alienation in the place he lives.According to Ric Allsopp, Prosperos ascendence over Caliban reveals the social structure that existed in England in that period and that deprive foreigners of the possibility to lead normal lives under racial prejudices34. Colonisation of the island aggravates these biases and provides Prospero with an opportunity to receive power over the islanders. As MacDonald puts it, representations of racial identity and difference, similarly matter and show in early modern English literature, are itself the carrefour of an age of slavery and colonial displacement35. By applying to such claims as Providence Divine36, Prospero implicitly points at the fact that he has a control over the island and its inhabitants37. However, Caliban states that it is his mother who controlled the island and further transferred this right to Caliban. In this regard, Prospero, utilising various magic tricks, takes a control over the islanders by brute force, putt its inhabitants into positions of slaves38. In order to avert peoples at tention from this control, Prospero claims that Caliban has tested to rape his daughter, simultaneously revealing the stereotypic vision on barbarians. and some critics consider this accusation as Prosperos attempt to hold back his violent actions in regard to Caliban and other native people39. Thus, it is no wonderment that Caliban rises against Prospero and his control however, finally Prospero suppresses this assault, proving that white people are superior and more powerful than people of other races. Society is considered to exist on the basis of two ways of interaction subjugation and mutual interchange of profits. In the case of Shakespeares play The Tempest, the relations between two races are based on subjugation that allows Prospero, as the member of a more powerful racial group, to enslave Caliban and other native inhabitants and utilise them for his own benefits. As a result, a race of white people appears in a more advantageous position than a race of the annex black people. It is clear that their relations are not based on mutual interchange, thats why the members of the second group are divest of their freedom, former life and cultural roots.However, by the end of the play Prospero realises that on a long-term basis such kind of relations can result in many negative consequences for both interacted groups. Therefore, despite the fact that Caliban usually acts as a barbarian black savage, Shakespeare reveals that, to some extent, Calibans actions are justified. When white people arrive to the island, where he lives and where he is thought to be a king, and deprive him of his rights and freedom, he rises against such subordinate position. Caliban, who collides with another culture and another race for the first time, is unable to understand the difference between these white people and native inhabitants. exclusively for Prospero the difference is lucid Prospero, Trinculo and other white people regard Caliban as a monster, and Trinculo even t hinks of taking this beast to England and demonstrating him in specific shows. These shows were rather popular and full for the countrys economy in the 16th century, as people of different races, mainly Indians or the Moors, were shown to English audience for a certain fee. As Caliban understands that Prospero transforms him into a slave, he opposes him by claiming I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island40.As Prospero makes an attempt to civilise Caliban, his major aim is to suppress Calibans nature and make the character serve him. Such dominance over wild inhabitants reflects the attitude of Europeans towards these people of different race. This attitude is especially obvious from the following words of Miranda, Prosperos daughter Thy vile race / Though thou didst scam had that int which good natures / Could not abide to be with therefore wast thou / Deservedly confined into this rock, / Who hadst deserved more than a prison house 41. Such judgement reveals serious racial prejudices it is clear that Caliban is not able to withstand such attitude, and his rape of Miranda and his assault against Prospero are direct consequences of this racist treatment. However, Prospero manages to stifle a rebellion and change his attitude towards these black people. He leaves the island and releases Caliban. Such actions reveal Shakespeares views on colonisation and race the dramatist proves that the relations among different races should be based on mutual benefits and freedom.But if one race suppresses another race, this suppression will finally result in the destruction of both races. Despite the fact that Caliban acquires the language and manners of the colonisers, they do not change his nature, because racial attitude, suppression and enslavement deprive Caliban of adopting these norms. Simultaneously, these actions deprive Prospero of establishing good relations with native inhabitants, instead inspiring wickedness in them. But as Prospero provides freedom to Caliban, he also achieves informal freedom and understanding of other people.5.3. Interpretation of race in Titus Andronicus mistakable to Othello, Aaron, one of the characters of Shakespeares play Titus Andronicus, also belongs to the race of the Moors and is portrayed as a black person. But, unlike Othello, this protagonist confirms to the stereotypic representation of a black villain who claims that If one good deed in all my life I did / I do repent it to my very soul42. Being the lover of Queen of the Goths, Aaron manages to ruin the Andronicii, as well as Titus Andronicus. Like Othello, he is also regarded as a devil, a symbol of evil and destruction. However, Aaron differs from Othello in many ways above all, Aaron, this barbarous Moor43, applies to various actions and tricks in order to intensify his social position. But as Bartels puts it, although Aaron has the freedom and ability to manipulate and maneuver close to the court circ le, he is still an underlying servant with no possible avenue for proficiency44. Aaron himself understands that his appearance and race are serious obstacles to his acceptance in society, thats why he wants to seclude himself from others and to bring his son up / To be a warrior and command a camp45. As a result, Aarons son manages to survive, while Aaron is murdered by Lucious, because Aaron is considered to be an absolute evil that deserves death. In this regard, Othello appears to perform a certain role in society, while Aarons position comes to simple adjustment to the existing environment. Therefore, contrary to Othello, the Moors in this play are presented as false and unfaithful. Both Aaron and his Moor lover tell on Titus and make him apply to cruelty in regard to his own family.But the charac