Cultural Context 2013

“In any cultural context, deeply embedded values and attitudes can be difficult to change.” Compare the extent to which the above statement is valid in relation to your understanding of the cultural context of at least two texts on your comparative course.

Throughout the text of Othello, we see a variety of power plays against many of the characters that do not assume the social standard position regarding race, sex and class of the elite of the time. Shakespeare’s characters often reveal elements of themselves that have been tainted by the deeply embedded values and attitudes regarding the culture of the time that can be difficult to change and resultingly continuously interfere with the characters lives and are the root of many conflicts.

From the very beginning of the play in Act 1 Scene 1, we are introduced to Iago’s distain for Othello which presents itself in the form of racist snarky remarks. This is further reiterated when Brabantio learns that his daughter is married to a black man. Othello is referred to as things like a “Barbary horse” and a “Saggitary,” showing the animalistic view they had of black people. To push the point, Iago calls Othello a “black ram that is tupping your [Brabantio’s] white ewe” in reference to Desdemona. Brabantio takes the whole case to court which he proceeds to lose and in a weak attempt to comfort him, the Duke of Venice says “your son in law is far more fair than black” Even though he was not openly racist, these ingrained views of black people as lesser than their white counterparts show how difficult it is to change these attitudes. Not only does this scene present the deeply embedded racism in their culture, but it also shows the way in which they view women of the time, as they argue over Desdemona as if she were their property. This, and the consistent reference to Desdemona as a “jewel,” shows just how possessive they are over her and displays their apparent entitlement to her as a possession. Ironically, Iago’s distain for Othello doesn’t seem to be solely based on his race but yet by the fact that Othello chose to promote Cassio as his lieutenant over himself. Being of a lower class, Iago felt inferior to Othello (ironic because he was a black man and in a social context Iago was above Othello) and Cassio and took this feeling out on them by plotting a full-fledged revenge plan. As we can see, it was the deeply embedded racism that reared its ugly head as Iago did not want to be at the bottom of the societal pyramid, below a black man. Though, it was also the classist way that they viewed society at the time, that made him feel so inferior in the first place. Iago internalized the deeply embedded view which was very hard to change and ultimately used another vice taught to him to hurt Othello and could perhaps be said to be the root cause of all the conflict.

Following on, in Act 3 Scene 3, we see a more in-depth view as to how they recognized women at the time. Othello, though not high on the societal ladder himself, still viewed Desdemona as lesser due to her being a woman. He depicts her as someone who “sings, plays and dances well” when he is describing his wife. Seeing as she is supposed to be the apple of his eye, why is this the only thing he has to say about her? Even though he loved her, the deeply embedded value that women are only relevant for a purpose – to entertain their husbands and act as a trophy – made it almost impossible for him to change his attitude, in spite of the image he has of her in his own mind. As Simone de Beauvoir wrote, ‘humanity is male and man defines woman not in herself, but as relative to him…He is the Subject, he is the Absolute – she is the Other.’ This view of women as the ‘Other’ is also shown in the way Iago speaks of women. In the same scene, he hatefully describes the so called ‘Venetian woman’ “who is known to take many lovers” and is unfaithful to her husband. Again, and again, he berates the way that women act and depicts himself as a higher being. But it is not only his fault for doing so, as Othello is extremely quick to take his word for everything. Why would Othello trust “Honest” Iago who he has no ultimate relationship with and who has never proven himself loyal, over his own wife? The same wife who defied her father and secretly eloped with him, proving her loyalty? As well, Othello and Iago both later use the fact that she was loyal to Othello to prove that she was disloyal to her father. Othello places his trust in Iago because of the deeply embedded lesser view that he has of women, and specifically his wife. It is the battle of his anger that fights against his own consciousness to change his ingrained attitude, that he eventually loses and ends up killing his wife. It was these values that were the root of all the conflict that prevailed.

At the end of the play, we see Othello’s anger play out when he feels that he is just to kill his wife to prevent other men from being deceived and even goes as far as to call her a “sacrifice.” This is what he convinces himself in an attempt to disguise his lust for personal revenge. Ultimately the deeply embedded value of sexism and misogyny allows him to do so and Desdemona is killed without a voice. Othello has an internal debate over this decision but he cannot change his values and thus these ingrained attitudes are once again the root of the conflict. When Emilia finds out about the killing, she is in a heightened state of emotion and calls him many names, including a “black devil.” The word black in this phrase is completely unnecessary yet she cannot help the words that escape when she is so upset. It’s clear that the deeply embedded value of racism has crept out from the heart of Emilia that she cannot seem to change as Othello cannot be seen as any identity that doesn’t include his blackness. Even though he arguably does deserve the beratement, it is obvious that Othello can’t even be removed from his race when the more pressing issue is that of his act of homicide. Even he himself struggles with these deeply embedded values that manifest themselves in the form of internalized racism, as he calls himself a “cursed slave” due to his heinous acts. He cannot seem to change his attitudes that were embedded in him so long ago. Once again, Iago chimes in with his deeply embedded views of misogyny as he tries to silence Emilia when she tries to out his guilty acts. Yet, Emilia knows her value and refuses to be silenced and speaks her mind. Unfortunately, it is this act that gets her killed in the end. When Emilia speaks out against her husband, she dies but when Desdemona doesn’t, she dies too. How does one win? Again, women are the “Other” that men easily dispose of in their lives thanks to the deeply embedded attitudes of seeing women as subsidiary.

Throughout this play, we see numerous examples of how race, sex and class play a huge role in the minds of the society and are deeply embedded values and attitudes that are very hard to change. Even those who are not at the top of the totem pole themselves have these ingrained ideas that either they themselves or the others who fit into this narrative are lesser than those who do not and will ultimately treat them differently because of such. It is the general distaste for women and people of colour as well as those of a lower class that can be seen as the spark to many fires of conflict that lead to the death and suffering of masses in this play.