『오셀로』, <저녁 식사하러 누가 왔나 보세요>, <정글 피버>에 나타난 인종 차별적 이분법과 백인 남성의 집단 불안심리

The Racial Dichotomy and White Male's Collective Unconscious in Othello, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and Jungle Fever

This article analyzed Othello from the viewpoint of miscegenation and traced that element in the film Guess who's coming to Dinner and Jungle Fever. It is critically important to note the racial dynamics in the understanding of the identity of Othello. It is examined that Iago concealed his desire and jealousy for Othello's sexual energy through the negative representation of the black male's sexual power. Meanwhile Iago controlled the white male's collective unconscious in representing Moor's sexuality as negative and lustful in order to overcome his sexual complex. In other words, he emphasized his racial superiority as a method of releasing his sexual complex. In the process, he projected "white male superior discourse" and thoroughly isolated Othello as the other. It is a logical process to generate and reinforce a discourse which focuses Othello's identity as a stranger. Compared with Othello, John in Guess who's Coming to Dinner does not express his inferiority as a black male. This contrasts with Othello's comprehension of himself as darkness, evil, animal, and excessively sensual. John is so self-confident to Joey whereas Othello as an old black male could not overcome his anxiety about Desdemona's beauty and youth as a well-borne white female. At his first meeting with Joey's Parents, John projects his self confidence when he proclaims that he would not marry Joey if he could not acquire he parents' consent. John's social status is impeccable as a prominent medical doctor and he identifies himself as a mel rather than as a black male, whereas Othello's anxiety is embedded in the fact that he should face his limit as a stranger in the society of Venice and his negative identification of himself as a black male. In Jungle Fever, Flipper as a black male, intends to overcome his racial inferiority by having a sexual relationship with his white female secretary, Angie. However, Flipper himself internalized racial inferiority and hatred for his race as a black man like Othello. In addition, contempt for and fear about miscegenation are represented critically in th film by their family members and their friends and this social barrier wouldn't be overcome easily by their individual curiosity and interest in each other. Compared to Othello, in Jungle Fever Flipper's social status with his partner shows contrast with Othello's. Desdemona's social status could reinforce Othello's racial inferiority, but Angie's social status as a secretary is not threatening to Flipper's. The negative representation of his sexuality as a black was controlled and manipulated by Iago controlled the white male's collective unconscious by representing the Moor's sexuality as negative and lustful in order to overcome his own sexual complex. Racial dichotomy which defines black as darkness, evil, animal, extremely sexual vs. white as light, goodness, human being, virtuous is a discourse which was generated and reinforces by the white male's collective unconscious and this is closely interrelated with the white male's sexual anxiety and desire which intends to contain black male's erotic power.