In other words, they used racist language to label Othello as an outsider and as less human and thus less deserving of respect. Most of the time, biased characters refer to Othello as an ugly creature: “turn thy complexion there, Patience, thou young and rose-lipped cherubin, Ay, there look grim as hell” (Othello 4.2.72-74). Rodrigo and Iago disparage Othello’s apparent race in the first scene, calling him “Thick Lips” and “Barbary Horse,” among other things (Othello 1.1.72). In Europe, white people were the majority, and all other races were considered inferior and unimportant. It depicts European society’s attitude toward racial, ethnic, and linguistic differences. Racism is a prominent theme in William Shakespeare’s Othello. Hence, the mentioned play corresponds with most of these characteristics, which makes it a true Aristotle’s drama.Īpart from the abovementioned elements, Aristotle’s tragedy normally discloses the most heinous problems such as racial prejudice.

In addition, the tragedy consists of floral elements, because it tells about good and evil and shows how they lead a person to despair. The tragic hero suffers as much from his actions as from those of his fellows. To be classified as an Aristotelian tragedy, a film or story must be complex and include a situation in which a respectable person suffers a complete reversal of fortunes due to a fatal mistake and the discovery of it. Primarily, Aristotle’s tragedy has several specific characteristics, including the presence of a fatal error, the admission of the error, and the epiphany, in which people imagine various ways to avoid undesirable consequences. Shakespeare’s Othello can be referred to as a tragedy for several reasons.

Othello novel by william shakespeare