Africanism in Othello

"These speculations have led me to wonder whether the major and championed characteristics of our national literature--individualism, masculinity, social engagement, versus historical isolation; acute and ambigious moral problematics; the thematics of innocence coupled with an obsession with figurations of death and hell-- are not in fact responses to a dark, abiding, signing Africanist presence. "

Toni Morrison, Playing in the Dark

"Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sin put on,
They do suggest with heavenly shows,
As I do now."

-William Shakespeare, Othello p. 49

How do these characteristics listed by Morrison function in Othello, in terms of theme? 

Most of the characteristics that Morrison mentioned in the paragraph above are seen in Shakespeare's Othello; the moral problematics, the masculinity, social engagement, etc. However, the obsession with demons, monsters, and hell is quite apparent in Othello and can be seen on almost every page. The quote that I used was spoken by Iago in Act 2 Scene 3. This particular quote is representative of many Iago's language regarding Othello and even Othello's language himself, as he uses a lot of cursing and talk of hell, death, and revenge. There is a lot of mysticism and superstition used in this play and all of that content is surrounding Othello. There are many references to the fact that Othello is black, "blackness" itself, and the superstition surrounding the idea, framing him as an "Africanist" character. The talk of demons and hell constantly surrounding him enforce this idea of Africansim in literature.