Minority Consciousness

Minorities, ironically, are often seen as threatening to the majority of society. The majority often have what is known as a "minority conscience," where they feel threatened by the minority, who are actually quite powerless. There are examples of this throughout history, such as persecution of the Jews before and during World War II. Jews were scapegoated for the problems plaguing Germany, problems that were obviously out of control of one particular group of people, the Jews were just convenient targets. Othello also illustrates this problem of "minority consciousness." Othello, a Moor, who is physically different than the rest of the society in Venice, is accused of witchcraft by Brabantio. Brabantio says to Othello, "...that thou hast practiced on her with foul charms,/Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals/That weakens motions" (74-75). How could Othello, a Moor, possibly woo the daughter of Brabantio without witchcraft? How could a perfect young women be attracted to an outcast like Othello? It must be witchcraft! In a way Brabantio held this "minority consciousness" because he could not even fathom the idea that is daughter would fall in love with a social outcast, so he resorted to the idea of witchcraft. The idea of minorities as threatening, and so different that they could not be assimilated into the society that they lived in, is not something new; clearly, this was an issue that dates back to the time of Shakespeare and further.