Racial Othering in Othello: Colonial Gaze and Racial Anxiety in the Venetian Society

Abstract

This paper analyses the theme of racial othering in Shakespeare's Othello, and focuses on the ways in which the colonial gaze and racial anxiety have shaped the representation of the Moor in Venetian society. The language and attitudes of the dominant white people consistently degrade Othello and reduce him to a racial outcast, despite the elevation as a military hero.  Through an analysis of Othello’s identity crisis and final downfall, argument is that the play reveals deep-rooted fears and contradictions within a society that relies on colonial subjects while simultaneously rejecting them. Drawing on postcolonial theory, especially the works of Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Ania Loomba, the analysis shows how Othello anticipates modern discourses on race, identity, and cultural exclusion.