2. Talk about Othello’s identity, specifically as it is defined in Act Two. We said in class that Moors are assumed, generally, to be Muslims. Is Othello a Muslim or not? How do you know? To what extent can we say, in Act Two, that Othello is or is not Venetian? Use quotes from the play in your answer.

By reading the play, we get an understanding that Othello is a noble, righteous soldier who leads the Venetian fight against the Muslim Turks. In this play, there’s no specific explanation of Othello’s religion. However, based on the word “Moor” that Othello continuously is being described, I came to a conclusion that Othello is not a Muslim, but a Christian. In Act II, Scene 3, Othello breaks up a fight between Cassio, Roderigo, and Montano, demanding, “Are we turned Turks, and to ourselves do that. Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites? For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl” (II.3.159-161). This passage is very important to understand how we can potentially define Othello as Christian. Othello is using the word “we”, including himself as well, and he says to them: “Why act like the Turks, and not act peacefully, because according to Christian religion this is a shame. However, this is an assumption I made, and there’s a possibility that Othello might have been converted to Christian at one point in his life.

Although Othello is a cultural and racial outsider in Venice, his skill as a soldier and leader is nevertheless valuable and necessary to the state, and he is an integral part of Venetian civic society. Othello sometimes makes a point of presenting himself as an outsider, whether because he recognizes his exotic appeal or because he is self-conscious of and defensive about his difference from other Venetians. Based on these details, I believe that Othello was not born in Venice. However, Othello is extremely important to Venice, because of his leadership skills as a great general. In this context, we can assume that Othello is a Venetian to a certain extent, but yet he considers himself as an outsider.