Being the only different person in the room is difficult; constantly being judged and never truly fitting in; it can drive even the most normal person crazy. The tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare is a play about a different general: the only black one. No one else in Venice is from Africa, and with such a high position in the Venetian army, Othello's race is almost non-existent, he actually seems to fit in with the rest of the light-skinned people. In this play, Shakespeare develops the motif of racism as a seed that grows and eventually creates a hateful sociopath. Overall, racism is a viral disease that surrounds us and subconsciously controls our actions. The Venetians replace the awareness of Othello's race with the great respect they have for him, which shows how Othello's abilities far surpass any racist stereotypes. Even Othello's false ensign, Iago, says that he cannot seem to hate Othello, because he would do nothing to get rid of him. Later, the duke also says that his “opinion…gives a surer voice on [Othello]” (i.iii.223) than others in Cyprus. Othello is not a vile black devil in his professional environment. Instead, he is Iago's master, the rugged general, and the Duke even states that Othello "is much handsomer than black" (I.iii.286). The duke is still aware of Othello's color, black, but both Iago and the duke take into account Othello's physical strength and virtue which nullify both titles, at least in potentially damaging Othello's position as a general. Othello is not judged by his race in professional life, and Othello eventually opens up to Desdemona who does not see him as a general, nor does he feel like one in... middle of paper ......ed with The skin Desdemona's whiteness, "Yet I will not shed her blood, / Nor rub that skin of hers whiter than snow / And smooth as monumental alabaster" (81). Othello does not want to damage or stain Desdemona's skin, he instead wants to preserve it as it is, white. Overall, Shakespeare's use of race causes paranoia in Othello, which ultimately led to Desdemona's murder. Race still impacts society today and is still just as much of an issue as it was back then. Thousands of gangs, divided by race, kill each other mercilessly. Or even more subtle, an alienated Hispanic or Latino at a top-tier college. Being different has killed thousands of people and even caused genocide. During World War II, millions of Jews were killed by anti-Semitic Nazis. Works Cited Shakespeare, William and Jane Coles. Othello. Cambridge, England: Cambridge UP, 1992. Print.