Essay On Stereotypes In Othello And Going To Meet The Man
568 Words3 Pages
Throughout the years, the issue of race has been a constant theme in our societies. Individuals have created stereotypes about specific groups of people, based on the color of their skin. In William Shakespeare’s play Othello and James Baldwin’s short-story “Going to Meet the Man,” both authors depict the stereotypes against individuals of darker skin complexion. Through the use of vocabulary, repetition, imagery and metaphors, William Shakespeare and James Baldwin create distinct racial separations between characters. James Baldwin’s 1965 short-story “Going to Meet the Man,” provides the readers with an insight into an American society that was dominated by racism. Baldwin tells the story from the perspective of a white male named Jesse, who experienced the public execution of an African-American man. In the story, the narrator’s vivid description of the African-American man’s genitals, directly referred to the stereotype of colored men having massive penises:
“In the cradle of the one white hand, the nigger’s privates seemed as remote as meat being weighed in the scales; but seemed heavier, too, much heavier, and Jesse felt his scrotum tighten; and huge, huge, much bigger than his father’s,…show more content… The repetition of the words “heavier” and “huge,” made it clear that the main character, Jesse, was somewhat fascinated by the tremendous size of the black man’s private parts. Interestingly, it is possible that Jesse could have also felt a sense of intimidation after witnessing the man’s penis; this is evident, as the narrator states that “Jesse felt his scrotum tighten.” Furthermore, the comparison between the black man’s penis and that of Jesse’s father, is key to the representation of race within the story, as it implies that there is a dramatic difference when it comes to black and