Exploration of the theme of race in 'Othello'

Race cannot be considered a theme in the same way that jealousy and love are themes but it must be considered. Othello's racial identity is undefined but being an outsider makes him vulnerable to Iago's machinations. Before Othello, Black characters in Elizabethan drama were often villains; the presentation of a noble Moor was new. Imagery of black and white, light and dark is regular, suggesting colour is important in the play.