Question 2 of Act 2-Othello

In Act 2 of the play we get a few hints that Othello might have actually converted from Muslim to Christian. Othello is a great general for the Venetian Army fighting the Ottoman Turks, who were Muslims. This suggest that during that period there’s no way the Venetian Army would allow a Muslim, their enemies, control the army. Although Othello is a great general, he is clearly an outsider for Venetian culture as he is a Moor. Moors during the time were predominately Muslim but Iago may suggest that Othello had to be converted to Christianity “And then for her To win the Moor, were’t to renounce his baptism, All seals and symbols of redeemed sin…”(2.3.332-333). With Iago stating this it tells us that Othello indeed did get baptized and converted to Christianity.

Another example one can see that Othello is Christian is that when he broke up the brawl “Are we turn’d Turks, and to ourselves do that Which Heaven hath forbid the Ottomites? For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl” (2.3.163-165). In this scene Othello is not only referring to his people as Christians but also including himself in it by adding the “we” thus identifying himself as a Christian while also insulting the Muslim Turks for being barbarous. We see that Othello indeed is an outsider from Venetian culture as he is a Moor and had converted from Islam to Christianity. Othello identifies himself as a Christian and not a Muslim, but also as an outsider from Venetian culture.

-Matias Hernandez