Othello's Interracial Love and the Views of Shakespearean Society

The stigma behind interracial relationships is as old as relationships themselves. This exhibit explores the ideas behind the stigma and how it was developed due to ignorance and societal norms. The object of this exhibit is William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, a tragedy of an African general’s love with a Venetian woman that is destroyed by the jealously as manipulation of his inferior officer. This play gives us an insight into the taboo of interracial relationships in the 17th century. The evidence behind this insight is found in the pages of rare books created by renown scholars that were available to educate Shakespeare during the creation of his work and the rest of the population during the time period. Specific topics include the science behind skin color, the fable, Washing the Ethiopian White, and enslavement of the mind and body. Each topic is relevant to 17th century society, and creates a vision of how and why this stigma was created and practiced among populations. In today’s society, people are becoming more aware of the ignorance behind this taboo, and moving forward to accept love between people of different races, sexes, and social classes. This exhibit serves as a portrayal of how this stigma was born in the idea of ignorance, and through education of the science behind variations in skin color, people can become aware of the equality of emotional happiness that was all should share with our significant other, regardless of their race.