Truth In Oroonoko

In the last half of the Oroonoko reading, I noticed there was some emphasis on the dishonesty of white Christian men he encountered in the New World at the Parham plantation. From his previous lifestyle Oroonoko brought with him already instilled ideas of truth and trust.  He trusted others as he would trust others. His maxim that advises him to trust men of wit goes astray with  men like Trefy and Byam who both make empty promises.  However, after experience this notion did not survive after experiencing the white Christian men and their ideas of truth and trust

The key word characterizing the dishonest men is Christian. I think it is worthwhile to note Oroonoko's take on Christianity on p. 41.. Behn relates, "But of all the discourses (stories of nuns, knowledge of God) Caesar liked that the worst, wou'd never be reconcil'd to our notions of Trinity of which he ever made a jest."  Their are several interesting passages in which Oroonoko connects Christianity with dishonesty. On page 56, Oroonoko asserts that invalidity of the Christian religion saying that "the Gods they Ador'd who; instructed them in principles so false, that honest men cou'd not live amongst'em." However, once he comes to some kind of treaty with Byam, then does Byam further confirm Oroonoko's view of Christians and their false religion that guide their false natures.  

Shakespeare's View of Turning Turk

I thought it was interesting that European Christian viewed Islamic peoples as promiscuous.  The phrase "turning Turk" according to the passage possessed sexual connotation.  Yet, Shakespeare depicts Othello as the opposite.  Othello is the opposite of promiscuous.  Maybe he is making a solid effort to identify with the virtue of the European Christians.  Either way he's in a loving and fruitful marriage in which he remains faithful to Desdemona.  However, his downfall may be Shakespeare's commentary on Othello's background.  Perhaps according to Shakespeare, Othello suffers because this lifestyle is not meant for a Moor. His respectability as a husband did follow the norm for a Turk so it had to be destroyed. This could be really stretching the term but I found it interesting to ponder.

Climate Theory-Racial/Ethnic Distinctions According to Climate

Following the play, I skimmed a reading called race and religion and found some very interesting ideas.  The author talked about the Climate Theory and how it permeates the play of Othello.  The theory asserts that a person's character, appearance, and temperament are based upon their climate or region.  Hot climates were of particular notice when describing Othello.  The author describes those in hotter climates as short, black or tawny with frizzled.  They possessed superstitious, wise and jealous characters.  Othello definitely embodies the wise and jealous characteristics.  From the very beginning, he's known for his mild but wise tendencies.  However his jealousy gets the best of his former sagacity completely taking over his senses.  In addition, the play of Othello associates the hot climate with lechery, unruly sexuality and other types of disorder.  Thus, Othello's complete loss of sense in the last few acts would not seem unusual to the audience for his race.  

Othello's Racial Identity

Determining for sure what race Othello belonged to is no simple task.  During the Elizabethan era there were no clear distinctions between Moors and Negroes.  Shakespeare's description of Othello as black cannot be accepted without some examination.  This characteristic could refer to the villainous nature of the character or merely the character's brunette complexion.  Passages that refer to Othello's physical appearance in Book 1 and 2 include:

"the thick lips" (I.i.66)

Iago calls Othello an "old black ram" (I.i.88)

Brabantio refers to Othello's "sooty bosom" (I.ii. 70)

Iago to Cassio refers to Othello as "black Othello" (II.iii.33)

Other passages that do not describe Othello's physical appearance are also important in understanding Othello's identity.  In I.i.90) Iago calls Othello the devil. Elizabethan superstition believed that evil spirits sometimes took the form of Negroes or peoples from Africa.  The suggestion that Othello used charms to seduce Desdemona also points to his Moorish heritage since they associated witchcraft with the Moors.

Perspective on Barbarism

I found the idea Montaigne presented concerning the European view of "Barbarians" quite interesting and similar to the viewpoints of other authors like De Bry and Bacon.  Montaigne explains how we judge other cultures based upon our own culture.  In De Bry's description of the natives he utilizes European standards to describe the differences in physical appearance.  Both Montaigne and Bacon seem interested in their lifestyle and don't judge the natives as barbarous. Rather, they find the natives differences fascinating and their simplicity endearing.