Question
In Act 1 of Othello, how is the theme 'deception' presented in the play?

Race

What was the Elizabethan attitude towards foreigners in general and non-Christians in particular?

• In Elizabethan England the ideas and images of racism were only partially developed. This is reflected in Shakespeare's rather ambivalent attitude toward race. In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock, the Jewish usurer, is treated as a villain. Othello, a black Moor, is portrayed sympathetically as an articulate, intelligent and introspective human being.

• A man of African heritage is typically portrayed in Elizabethan literature in a negative light, yet is allowed to shine in Othello. From the onset of this story, Othello is depicted as a true hero. He is a great general and a great man. Like any Elizabethan hero, he is flawed; his nobility and honesty permits Iago to use his deceitful ways. Whereas a black person would normally be used in Elizabethan literature to represent the darkness, Iago’s absolute evil takes on that role.

Were there any laws to support these "attributes"? Give examples.

• Foreign people had a time curfew of 8pm.
• Initially, under Elizabeth I, the Strangers were allowed to hold their services at Blackfriars' Hall and St Mary the Less in relative freedom, but in the 1630s they suffered under Archbishop Laud, who ordered them to attend only English services.
• In the 16th Century, Moors and foreigners were perceived to have practiced witchcraft, voodoo and other perverted practices by the British. The British were sceptical of the differences between the two cultures.

Witchcraft Practices

Sources Cited:

• http://www.essortment.com/all/racisminothell_rmeq.htm
• http://www.bolshevik.org/1917/no12/no12capitalismandracism.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/england/norfolk/article_3.shtml

Moors

What are they?
Where did they come from?

"A Moor is one of the Muslim people of North Africa; they are of mixed Arab and Berber descent."

What were the Moors doing in Europe in the 16th Century?
The migration of the Moor took place in Europe in the 16th Century. The reason for the transportation of them was because the majority had lost their land and they did not have the power to rule any countries.


What religious or cultural practices are associated with them?
After migrating to Europe, the Moors were in fact compelled to conceal their religious beliefs and identities. Thus, they eventually implemented new beliefs, however these did not reflect their true religious practices of their Muslim religion.


What roles did they play in society?
The Catholic Church in Rome strongly viewed the Moors' civilization and potential witchcraft as an abomination. However, the Moors were able to provide some sort of advancement among Europe; they assisted with the production and development of plumbing systems and canals.

Images depicting Othello


It is apparent in the above image that the character Othello is not a Moor, but a person of European descent.



The Othello above is illustrated to have their face painted black; the man under the paint is of white skin colour. To validate this statement, black people in the 16th Century were not entitled to appear in plays, so it would be safe to say this man is white.



This is the famous portrayal of Othello from Laurence Fishburne. I believe he is not a prime example of a Moor, as he is an African American.

Cyprus

Where is it, and what was its importance in the 16th Century?


Cyprus Map


Today



"Cyprus is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean. It is south of Turkey, north of Egypt and west of Syria and Lebanon."

• The geographical position of Cyprus has greatly influenced the island’s destiny and the formation of its people’s identity throughout the centuries.
• The island is located in the eastern corner of the Mediterranean, a sea that has been a meeting place for different cultures and religions and a crossroads between the areas that are conventionally considered as having created the civilisations of East and West.

Historic Map of Cyprus- 16th Century

• It is on the most important sea trade routes in the Mediterranean and has always experienced a constant flow of people.
  
• They remained on the island for different periods of time and, in one way or another, left their mark on its cultural character.
  
• In this way, the Cypriots were linked to the process of intercultural communion between the peoples of the Mediterranean area.

Sources Cited:

• http://www.humanrights-observatory.net/revista5/articulos3/EVANGELIA%20SKOUFARI.pdf
• http://www.mapsorama.com/historic-map-of-cyprus/

Venice

1. Where is it, and what was it like in the 16th Century?

Venice, today.

Location

• Venice is a city in northern Italy and the capital of the region Veneto. It has a population of 271,367 (census estimate January 1, 2004).
  

Life in the 16th Century

• Venice in the 16th Century was one of the most powerful trading cities in the world, thus making it an extremely wealthy city.
• Venice controlled trade on the Mediterranean Sea, which the inclusion of the manufacturing of silk and woollen textiles, Venetian glass, sugar, soap, metal work and printing.
• The trading power soon diminished, although Venice remained an important economic and cultural centre.

A map of the Venetian city, 16th Century:
(sorry about the fuzziness)

Sources Cited:

• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_Venice_like_in_the_sixteenth_century
• http://ancientworldmaps.blogspot.com/search/label/16th%20century
• http://maps.commons.yale.edu/venice/test-gallery-page/gastaldi_giacomo/