Othello: Prejudice Theme is Still Relevant Today

Many authors write novels, plays, and stories in the hopes of gaining the attention of one specific audience. Many pieces are dated and are only relevant in a specific time period. However, the works of William Shakespeare rise above this stereotype. Othello and other works by William Shakespeare are timeless and universal of their era. The play Othello incorporates many common themes expressed in society today. One common theme demonstrated in this play is prejudice. For instance, Othello begins the story as a kind-hearted man. He works diligently to be treated as an equal, but some people simply dislike him because he is a Moor. Many people deal with acts of prejudice every day. Arthur “Boo” Radley dealt with prejudice in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  Martin Luther King Junior also struggled against this common hardship in society. Othello, Arthur, and Martin may all seem different from an outsider’s point of view, but the three men have more in common than one would think.

            In To Kill a Mockingbird, Arthur “Boo” Radley is bogged down by the prejudices of society. Many people think that he is a dangerous man simply because he looks frightening. Rumors around the town spread that “inside the house lived a malevolent phantom” (Lee, 8). Here, Radley is not even classified as a human; he is classified as a phantom. People automatically thought that Radley was evil because he stayed inside of his house all day. This is similar to Othello. Many people disliked Othello simply because he was a Moor. Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, was furious when he found out that his daughter married a Moor. Brabantio did not even take the time to get to know Othello, but he simply disliked him for his background. (Perrine, I.ii.62-81).  This is why Othello and Radley are similar, for both men are disliked before people even get to know them. Iago does not like Othello either simply because of his race. At the end of the novel, Iago still does not even have a reason for explaining his motives. This prejudice is completely unjust. Both men are treated unfairly simply because they are different from others.

          Martin Luther King, Jr. also dealt with issues of prejudice of his time. He referenced it in his famous speech, “I Have A Dream.” Dr. King was upset that he has previously been judged by the color of his skin, but his dream was to have the nation rise above this prejudice. He said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” (King). Here is a link to his speech: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm Above is a video of Martin Luther King Junior giving his speech, "I Have a Dream." Othello is kind of the same way. He is aware that his race sets him apart, but this causes him to work harder. Even though Othello is a Moor, he still set aside what people said in order to gain a high position in the military. Othello was constantly tormented for his race, but he still was named “valiant Othello” (Perrine, I.iii.48) by the Duke. Throughout all of his torment, Othello chose to focus on his hard work and his wife Desdemona instead of focusing on prejudice. Similarly, Martin Luther disregards the prejudice and says, “I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain” (Tames). Both Othello and Martin Luther King worked diligently to try allow others to view themselves as equals.

            Even though Othello was written during the time of William Shakespeare, the themes still apply today. Both Arthur “Boo” Radley and Martin Luther King, Jr were bogged down by a similar prejudice that Othello suffered. However, all three men were able to show others that there was more to each of them than meets the eye. All three were good and righteous men (Othello was in the beginning, at least). They broke the stereotypes of their societies to prove that looks do not determine a person’s character. They each did what was right and just for their communities in order to make the world a better place. Othello truly is a universal and timeless work, and the themes of this play will continue to be used until the end of time.

Works Cited

"American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream." American Rhetoric: The Power  of  Oratory in the United States. Web. 13 Feb. 2012.              <http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm>.

"In Search of Shakespeare . "Othello" | PBS." Image. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web.   13 Feb. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/works/work161.html>.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.

"Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement." The Seattle Times. Image. Web. 13          Feb. 2012.       <PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web.  13 Feb. 2012. .>.

"Martin Luther King - I Have A Dream Speech - August 28, 1963 - YouTube." YouTube -            Broadcast Yourself. Web. 13 Feb. 2012.   <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs>.

Perrine, Laurence. “Othello.” Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. Fort Worth.      Harcourt College. 2002. 1361-1462. Print.

Tames, George. "Martin Luther King Junior." Editorial. The New York Times [New York City].        Web.

"What's Wrong with To Kill a Mockingbird." Jezebel: Image. Web. 13 Feb. 2012.   <http://jezebel.com/5572047/re+evaluating-to-kill-a-mockingbird>.