certain characters seem to exhibit a racist attitude towards O - especially when looking at the play through a modern lens

according to Ogude, Shakespeare may have "shared some of the deep-seated fears of his contemporaries about black people ... Othello expresses as well as confirms that prejudices behind Elizabeth's decree banishing 'negars' from England". This motion, allowing the deportation of black people, was passed in 1601

Queen Elizabeth is said to have complained about the number if black people living in England from around 1596

Jordan said the word black was a "symbol of baseness and evil, a sign of danger and repulsion."

according to Jordan, the pre-sixteenth century Oxford English Dictionary associated the word black with meanings such as 'deeply stained with dirt ... having deadly purposes ... horrible, wicked.'

so the idea of ''blacknes' in O is not just connected to physical skin colour; but also ideas of dark/evil nature

the word 'black' also carried particular connotations in Shakespeare's time that are shocking and appalling in a modern context

some people see O as a racist play because the black protagonist and the only black character, is portrayed as irrational, muderous, violent and gullible

some critics have highlighted that O's jealous and violent nature, as well as his very sexual nature (implied by Roderigo and Iago), adhere to sixteenth-century stereotypes

Roderigo calls Othello 'thick lips', seeming to mock Othello's physical appearance in a racially loaded way

Iago refers to Othello as the 'Moor'. the term alludes to Othello's North African heritage. the word seems to be racially loaded

some argue the very positive presentation of Othello (at least initially) as a great military leader, loving husband and eloquent speaker subverts any negative stereotypes about black people that Shakespeare's contemporaries may have subscribed to.

however, the fact that Shakespeare includes these racial slurs does not necessarily mean that the play is racist in its outlook

men under O, such as Montano, Cassio and Lodovico, admire and respect him. the duke and senate of Venice also admire him

indeed, O is given enormous respect as a military leader and strategist

many characters, include Desdemona, repeatedly refer to Othello as "the Moor". the repetition and nature if this term highlight the fact that O is foreign and ethnically 'other' to other characters in. the play

reigned fro a long time and her tenure was very stable, even though many of her contemporaries doubted that a female monarch could lead as effectively as a male and she was constantly having to prove hersef

in the Spanish Armada, she is quoted as saying: 'I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king'

women were expected to be obedient, silent and passive in the face of male authority. Sermons held during this period promoted these values

marriage reinforced the patriarchy. fathers effectl=ivley married off their daughters when they wanted and to whom they wanted. husbands would then become 'legal masters' of their wives. this meant they could punish their wives as they chose, especially when it came to things like adultery

however, the idea of the 'shrew' woman (the very assertive and outspoken woman) also emerged in the literature of this time. this type of woman beckoned the red for husbands to exert more control over their wives - reinforcing patriarchy

significantly never married. some people that women were inspired by her string example to try and gain greater freedoms in marriage and other aspects of life. indeed, marriage separations rose greatly from 1595-1620

O easily believes that D is being unfaithful and feels 'cuckolded' (which means being the husband of an unfaithful wife) this leads to his cruel and vicious treatment of D)

he implies that he thinks women are deceitful: 'You are pictures out of doors, bells/ in your parlous, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in/ your injuries, devils being offended, players in your / housewifery, and housewives in your beds' 2.1

although O speaks highly of D at the beginning of the play, Iago's language rubs off on him. he later called both Desdemona and Emilia 'whores'

Iago speaks disdainfully of women and appears to have a misogynistic attitude

you could argue some of Emila's comments seem to rebel against the patriarchy eg she tells D that men selfishly exploit women: "Tis not a year or two shows us a man. / they are all but stomachs, , and we all but food; / they eat us hungerly, and, when they are full, / they belch us" 3.4