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Historical criticism:

Othello was written the year James I ascended the throne and was perfomed for the first time at Whitehill palace for the royal family on November4, 1604. Shakespeare's plays during this time focused around the political events around their creation (Source C). Othello presents a reversal of his century's stereotypes of black people being evil instinctive creatures, while white men represent reason and good. Othello represents an honest, proud, dignified general, whereas Iago is the diabolic villian. In Shakespeare's time blacks were thought of as dangerous, threatening figures, sexually unrestrained, and primitive.Shakespeare was ahead of his time as far as his openmindedness. His work shows that deplored slavery and religious bigotry, he respected women, he was sympathetic even to criminals, and he was respectful toward members of other races, as in the case of Othello (Source C).

Moral philosophical:

Othello struggles with whether justice should be carried out by man or by God. He has been led to believe that Desdemona has broken the marriage covenant. This betrayal has revealed Othello's tragic flaw of jealousy. His jealousy causes him to become more like Iago in his cruelty and punishment for what he believes Desdemona has done. The theme of the play is the chaos that jealousy creates and mindset that it causes. He feels betrayed by the one he loves, yet he does not realize that she is innocent of every accusation. The jealousy has made him fulfill the stereotype for blacks at his time. He has become primalistic in instincts to kill that which has offended him. In his soliloquoy he realizes his act will be permanent, and while he still loves Desdemona, he feels he must kill her in order to atone her sins and his pride.