Othello Essays (953 words) - Othello, Iago, Michael Cassio, Roderigo

Othello Othello - A Racist Play? Although there are lots of things to suggest this is a racist play I don't think that racism actually dominates the play, even though it has a racist theme. There is a romantic union between black and white which gets destroyed because most people think the relationship is wrong. At the time the play was written, 1604, even the Queen of England was racist so there must have been a strong hatred of blacks around that time. Most racist comments in the play are said by people that are angry or upset. For example, when Emilia found out that Othello had killed Desdemona she was extremely mad and she called Othello a Blacker devil, this was the only time in the play that she had said anything racist about Othello. The main characters that have racist attitudes are Iago, Brabantio, Roderigo and Emilia, with the hatred of Othello as the basis for their racist actions and comments towards him. Iago is the most racist character in the book as he has it in for Othello right from the start. What sparks off Iago's hate towards him is the fact that when Othello chose his lieutenant , it was Cassio who was chosen instead of Iago. What made Iago angry was the fact that Cassio had no experience in war when he did and Cassio was chosen instead of him. Iago does not say anything racist to Othello's face but he has a lot to say against him behind his back. He schemes to destroy Othello and anything in his way including Cassio and Desdemona. The first time we hear one of his racist comments is when he's talking to Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona, Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Iago says this to try and turn Brabantio against Othello. Iago uses racist comments all the way through the play, as he tries to turn people against Othello, for example calling him a Barbary Horse. He never says anything racist to Othello's face because in his plot he had to be his best friend, so as not to make him suspicious that Iago was causing all the trouble for him. Iago is jealous of Othello for many reasons, one being that Othello has higher ranking in the army than him, and also he has a good marriage with Desdemona which Iago does not have himself with Emilia. These are the main causes of his hatred for Othello and the reason he adopts such a racist attitude. Roderigo is another one of the racist characters in the play, being so right from the start. He is Iago's accomplice and will do anything that Iago wants him to. I think he does this because of the way Iago can twist a situation to make it sound as if Roderigo would get something good from it but in the end he doesn't. One of the racist names he calls Othello behind his back is Thick-lips . He hates Othello because he's jealous of him as he also loves Desdemona but cannot have her. I don't think he views Othello in a very bad, racist way but uses the racism against Othello because he's jealous of him. Neither Roderigo or Iago would say anything racist to Othello's face as he is the general of the army. Brabantio is also a racist character, and is enraged when he finds out that his daughter, Desdemona, has been seeing the moor behind his back. Brabantio is so mad he sends out his guards to catch Othello and put him in prison. Brabantio views Othello as a foul and dirty no good black, I think this racist view of his is because he's angry when he finds out that his daughter has been seeing this moor. Unlike Iago and Roderigo, Brabantio will openly make racist comments about Othello to his face such as, lascivious moor, Wheeling stranger. Brabantio can do this because he is the Senator of Venice and is higher in rank than Othello. The other character who is racist towards Othello is Emilia, the lady in waiting to Desdemona. Emilia is disgusted with Othello when she finds out that Othello had killed Desdemona this is the

How to Meet a Member of Congress Face-To-Face

How to Meet a Member of Congress Face-To-Face While more difficult than sending them a letter, visiting your Members of Congress, or their staff, face-to-face is the most effective way to actually influence them. According to the 2011 Congressional Management Foundation’s report Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill, personal visits by constituents to the Washington or district or state offices of members of Congress have â€Å"some† or â€Å"a lot† of influence on undecided legislators, more than any other strategy for communicating with them.  A 2013 CMF survey found that 95% of the Representatives surveyed rated â€Å"staying in touch with constituents† as the most critical aspect of being effective legislators. Identify Your Members of Congress It is always best to meet with the Senators and Representatives who represent your state or local congressional district.Find your U.S. Representative based on your zip code.Find your U.S. Senators based on your state. Individuals and groups can arrange personal meetings with Senators and Representatives either in their Washington offices or in their local offices at various times during the year. To find out when your Senator or Representative will be in their local office, you can: call their local office, check their website (House) (Senate), get on their mailing list. Whether you arrange to meet with your elected officials in Washington or their local offices, here are some rules to follow: Make an Appointment This is just common sense and courtesy. All Congressional offices in Washington require a written appointment request. Some Members do offer walk-in meeting times in their local offices, but an appointment request is still highly recommended. Appointment requests can be mailed, but faxing them will get a faster response. Members contact information, phone and fax numbers can be found on their websites   The appointment request should be short and simple. Consider using the following template: [Your Address] [Date]The Honorable [full name] U.S. Senate (or U.S. House of Representatives) Washington, DC 20510 (20515 for House)Dear Senator (or Representative) [last name]:I am writing to request an appointment with you on [date]. I am a member of the [your group, if any] in [your city], and Im concerned about [issue].I realize that your schedule is difficult to project at this point, but it would be ideal if we could meet between [time] and [time].I believe [issue] is important because [1-2 sentences].My home address is [address]. I can also be reached by phone at [phone number] or email at [email address]. I will contact your office during the week of [1-2 weeks before the visit] to confirm the details of the appointment.Thank you for considering my request to meet with you.Sincerely,[name] Prepare for the Meeting Plan to discuss no more than two issues. Meetings are scheduled to last from 15- to 45-minutes.Learn everything you can about your issue.Learn everything you can about points in opposition to your standpoint and be ready to argue against them.Identify and be ready to discuss any key data points that support your argument.If you have any supporting handouts, charts or graphics, bring them with you. Consider taking extra copies in case staff members request them. At the Meeting Arrive about 10 minutes before the appointment time. At least, be on time. Dress neatly and conservatively. Be courteous and respectful. Relax.Do not be upset if you end up meeting with the legislators staff. They are often more knowledgeable of individual issues than the legislators themselves, and they WILL inform the legislator of your views and requests.Introduce yourself to the legislator or their staff members: tell them who you are and where you live. Warm them up: Try to start by complimenting something the legislator has done recently; their vote on an issue, a bill they sponsored, etc. After a minute or two of such small talk, state your standpoint on the issue(s) you came to discuss. No matter how passionately you feel about the issue, do not rant-and-rave. Nothing diminishes your credibility more than an in your face demeanor. Tip: The lawmakers know you pay their salary.Be ready to answer questions and discuss your points in detail.In the conversation, focus exclusively on how the issues you are addressing affect your state or local congressional district. Explain how your issues will impact specific population groups, businesses, or the economy of your state or community. If the legislator disagrees with you, stand up for yourself, debate the issues, but do not become over-argumentative. Keep trying to emphasize the positives of your standpoint. Always try to end the conversation on a positive note.Close the meeting with a clear â€Å"Ask.† Members of Congress respond best to clear, specific requests. For example, you might ask that they vote for or against a piece of legislation or introduce legislation to address your issues.   General Meeting Tips Don’t be nervous. Speak naturally and confidently. Arrive on time and be considerate of your member’s time constraints and their staff’s time. Always be courteous and concise in presenting your points and request. After the Meeting Always send a follow-up letter or fax thanking your legislator or staff members. Also include any additional information you may have offered to provide in support of your issue. The follow-up message is important, because it confirms your commitment to your cause and helps build a valuable relationship between you and your representative. Town Halls In addition to individual meetings with their constituents, members of Congress hold local public â€Å"town hall† meetings at various times during the year. At these town halls, constituents can ask questions and give feedback to their members. Locations, dates, and times of town hall meetings can be found on the members’ websites.