Throughout Shakespeare's "Othello", one of the most poignant themes is that of race and racial prejudice. Various critics are of the view that "Othello" was written as a social commentary, depicting the discrimination present in formal Venetian society. These ideas of racial prejudice are portrayed through Othello, the protagonist, who is referred to as "the Moor", an African or a black man.

With the benefit of contextual material, it is easier to understand the attitudes towards race at the time that "Othello" was written, as well as this we also gain a deeper understanding of the social situation, and get many different interpretations of certain parts, which help us to see why it may have been written the way it was. A clear example of this is the main theme in "Othello", critics argue that it is race, whereas others disagree, and believe that it is the roles...