AP+2013+P2+Moor

Audience
 Cody Notbohm

William Shakespeare's //Othello, The Moor of Venice// opens with a directly violent portrayal of racial discrimination. Shakespeare through the character of Iago states, "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe!" (Shakespeare 1.1 89-90). Shakespeare's use of the word “black” can not only give insight into the prejudices and stereotypes of past history, but also provide answers to why these racial conflicts have persisted for so many years. Othello contains one of the most controversial representations of "blacks" in Elizabethan drama, depicting them as low souls and decrepit outsiders. The use of the word “black” to signify the relationship between a Moor and the formation of inherent evil informs readers of racial perceptions of not only the audience, but also the greater audience of England during the Elizabethan Era. The portrayal of a Moor in Othello, sometimes contradictory, reveals the strong racial attitudes of the time period, and has continued to provide insight into the shifting cultural conflicts during which the play was performed. According to Michael Cummings, “Shakespeare successfully fulfilled the final obligation in the creation of tragedy; to enthrall and impassion the audience in response to the actions of the tragic hero” (2). Shakespeare “enthrall”-ed his readers, an “audience” mainly consisted of racists, by the success of Othello and how he overcame the “actions” of others. The question of Othello's true race has never been decided, because Cummings suggests that the Venetian character was both a black and an Arab; but, it is ultimately his status as an outsider that truly instigates the racial repercussions of the play. The lowly state of being an outsider is evident in the subtitle of the play itself, //The Moor of Venice//, which defines the character not in terms of his social role but solely in terms of racial discrimination. Despite his background, Othello is initially considered honorable. It is only when race is joined with interracial unions that it becomes a heated issue for the Venetians and listening audience members.

Works Cited Cummings, Michael J. "Othello, Moor of Venice". Cummings Study Guides. 2003. Web. February 11 2012. Shakespeare, William. Othello. Middlesex: Penguin, 1968. Print.

History
 Austin Hammonds

The Moors were the Muslim, Berber, and Arab people who came over from Northern Africa into the Iberian Peninsula, whose name means "dark-skinned" (The Moors). Their main influence resided in Spain, where they ruled the majority of the peninsula for several centuries until the Roman conquests of Spain under men such as Julius Caesar. After the fall of Rome, the Visigoths ruled much of Spain until the 8th century, when Jabal Tariq crossed over the Straight of Gibraltar (Mount Tariq) with 10,000 soldiers and drove them out (The Moors). Charles Martel, also known as Charles “The Hammer”, checked them at the border between modern day France and Spain, stopping their conquests further into Western Europe. In the 10th century, however, the Moors invaded Sicily and other parts of South Italy. This connection allowed for the Moors, who had long fostered and nourished advanced ideas and concepts, to spread their knowledge to the Italians. Eventually, when the Renaissance occurred in the Italian city-states sometime after the Moors were expelled, many of their new ideas originated from the Moorish cultures that still permeated North Africa (Italianthro). By the time of Elizabethan England, Moors were held in contempt as barbaric races, mostly due to the actions of Barbary Corsairs, pirates originating from North Africa that raided European vessels.

Works Cited "Italianthro: Moors Expelled from Sicily and Southern Italy." Italianthro. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013. "The Moors." Mr. Dowling. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2013.

Aim
 Kelsey Thomas

Designating Othello as a Moor served to provide an element of distinctiveness. In the article “Race in Othello”, it states, “‘Moor’ is a name applied to the Arab and Berber peoples of North Africa who inhabited medieval Spain” (Kay 1). As the term applies to a wide area and people, Othello’s own is left ambiguous. However, whatever his exact ancestry, it is clear that he is meant to appear out-of-place. In the article “Othello’s Racial Identity” it states, “on the other hand, the playwright’s description of Othello as black cannot be accepted without examination. The designation is sometimes used in Elizabethan drama to refer to characters who are villainous in deed or merely brunette in complexion” (Butcher 1). His origins, his very appearance, mark him as someone who stands out in a place still largely comprised of lighter-skinned Europeans. His appearance, too, is one that often denotes dark intentions within literature. Shakespeare’s aim in designating Othello to be a Moor is to set Othello up as something ‘other.’

Works Cited Butcher, Phillip. "Othello's Racial Identity." Shakespeare Quarterly 3.3 (1952): n. pag. JSTOR. Web. 11 Feb. 2013. Kay, Karen. "Race in Othello." Study Tools. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2013. "Msp - Othello - Race, Place, and Identity." N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.

=Cultural= Alex Frank

The Moors brought the Renaissance to Europe. Prior to its exposure to outside influences, Medieval Europe existed in a dismal state of disrepair. They had filth in the streets, shoddy housing and, “had little that would resemble a commercial economy” (Derhak). The Moors, on the other hand, brought with them new technologies and culture. Improvements such as farming irrigation, brought over from Persia made their work easier, and the Moorish culture was one of the first whose citizens had leisure time. As a result, art, especially in the form of architecture, became a large part of Moorish society. As National Geographic describes, “ Although mosque s are the most common examples of Moorish architecture, motifs spread to the design of homes and places of businesses” (Moorish Architecture). Moorish art flourished and saturated their society. This emphasis on aesthetics and design, as well as their technological improvements, quickly spread throughout Europe. Much of the ideas of the Renaissance drew from this cultural advancement as its prime source.

Works Cited

Derhak, Dean. "Muslim Spain and European Culture." //Muslim Spain and European Culture//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.

"Moorish Architecture." //National Geographic Education//. Thinkfinity, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.