First, a reader must understand the way gender was understood in Shakespeare’s time. “If we are going to insist in understanding the Elizabethan dramatic artifice, let us also insist in examining Othello according to the traditional values which Shakespeare has injected implicitly and explicitly into the play (Kirschbaum, 284).” This quote given by another author shows the importance of understanding the original texts. The original text, while maybe outdated, is still vital in understanding the culture and history behind the play. A student must understand the implications that Shakespeare originally intended to be understood by the audience. There are three main characters in the play. These women are Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca. These women all show true, strong affection to the main men in their lives.…
Shakespeare first explores Elizabethan attitudes towards women when Desdemona is first mentioned in scene one. Iago calls to Brabantio to ‘look to your house, your daughter, and your bags’ claiming ‘you’re robbed’ by ‘thieves’. This immediately implies Desdemona is her father’s physical possession, much the same as Brabantio owns his ‘bags’ or his ‘house’. This identification is supported by Brabantio’s exclamation ‘how got she out?’, suggesting that women are objects that belong and are controlled by men. Similarly, Iago states to Cassio that ‘[Othello] hath boarded a land carrack’, stressing the sexual connotations associated with Desdemona being presented as an object that Othello can just ‘board’. However, Desdemona then contradicts this classification when her true self is revealed later in the play through Othello’s account of their initial meetings and the beginning of their courtship, whereby Desdemona would listen to Othello’s tales ‘with a…
Othello is a Shakespearean tragedy, set in Elizabethan Times that present the relationship between, Othello, a ‘moor’ who’s an official in the Venetian army and Desdemona, the daughter of a noble Venetian Senator, Brabantio, and how despite their different experiences in love, a strong relationship can occur, without any initial external input. Desdemona’s assertive behaviour towards romantically pursing Othello, demonstrates her confidence and power, which she maintains throughout the play. Most significantly, the fact that Othello did not ask for Brabantio’s permission to marry Desdemona, demonstrates how Othello did not consider the traditional values of Elizabeth society. However as they play develops, Iago’s manipulation of Othello’s insecurities, leads to the relationship between Othello and Desdemona falling apart.…
In Othello, Shakespeare adheres to some of but ignores some of the rules set from A Discourse of Marriage and Wiving, while he creates conflicts in Othello’s marriage to Desdemona. While everything starts out great with Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, things slowly unravel when Iago, the villain of the play, begins to fill the heads of his ‘friends’ with lies. Othello is boastful of the beauty and gentleness of his wife, causing the work for Iago to be minimal. Othello allows his sweet Desdemona to be around his friends more often than he should and by doing this Iago finds it that much easier to make his plan fall in place. Othello grows very jealous as Iago fills his head with lies of his sweet Desdemona and from there everything goes spiraling downward into an awful fate.…
Women have more rights and freedoms in today's society than in previous eras. The lines between social classes are more relaxed, expectations have been lowered, and a woman speaking out has become more accepted. Today, women are allowed to do whatever men are. This, however, was not always the case. Take, for example, William Shakespeare's play Othello. There are two main female characters in the play: Desdemona, Othello's wife; and Emilia, Iago's wife. Both of these women fit into a certain social category from the time, each category with its own specific expectations and requirements. Throughout Othello, whether or not these women take action to break through the societal expectations has a great effect on their ends.…
Shakespeare's plays are one of the most successful literatures of all time. His plays addressed many important issues in the world. Othello is a play that successfully brings together critical themes of love, appearances, racism and jealousy and most importantly role of women in the Elizabethan era. Through the exploration of the role of women in Othello and plays written by Shakespeare, this essay will argue that literature is most successful when dealing with a global issues like gender role.…
In William Shakespeare’s drama “Othello” the vast differences in gender perception is highlighted in the characters of Othello and Desdemona. Being a moor Othello should be part of the lowest social class yet because of his position in the military his men need to show him respect while inwardly they despise him, this two faced behaviour can be seen in Iago. Desdemona on the other hand has been naturally born to high society but when she chooses to marry Othello she is ostracized and marked as a social outcast. Because of Desdemona’s gender she is abandoned by those in her own class while because he is a man Othello is given respect…
When a person thinks of a devoted female character, Desdemona from Othello is the first that should pop into mind. While Desdemona is perceived as a one of Shakespeare’s brightest and most loyal female characters, she is also a clear victim of the gender stereotypes of the time. One of the first things that we know about Desdemona and Othello’s relationship was that they were not brought together necessarily her sexuality, but by Othello’s interest in her mind. In fact, the first time that Desdemona is introduced in Act 1, scene 3, she is presented as strong, independent, and capable of making her own decisions. In her first lines of the play, she says;…
Finally, near the end of the play, Emilia realizes “we must think men are not gods” (3.4.144). Although she knows her correct role in society in order to be accepted, she has come to see the lack of equality between men and women. She understands that in order to be presented to society, they must put on an act for their husbands. They do not need to think of them as gods, but must treat them as they are. She now believes that a woman being referred to as “whore” (4.3.74) is not tolerable. When something goes wrong, the men should not have the power to put the blame on the women. Emilia comes to this realization when she speaks her mind to Desdemona and says “But I do think it is their husbands’ faults / If wives do fall” (4.3.87-88). This is foreshadowing the fate of both woman’s lives in the play. They both die by “faults” of their husbands. “The ultimate irony in the play’s representation of male-female relations is the fact that two women accused by their husbands of “falling” morally, actually fall not morally but physically, before [their] eyes” (Vanita 352). In a…
Desdemona is Othello’s wife and the daughter of Brabantio. Desdemona secretly married Othello, against her father’s wishes. Throughout the play, Desdemona’s power is not clearly conveyed to the audience, but her presence has an effect. Roderigo is in love with her and her presence has an effect on him- he wants Othello out of the way, so to speak, so he can once again attempt to win Desdemona’s love. As the play unfolds, different aspects of Desdemona’s character are revealed, and blend into a unique personality. Throughout the play, Desdemona is loyal to her husband, but once again, her presence (with Cassio) leads Othello to believe that she is disloyal to him. Her handkerchief plays a pivotal role in the play- by Desdemona dropping it, Emilia gives it to Iago, who then stealthily gives it to Cassio. Othello sees Cassio with the handkerchief and believes Desdemona gave it to…
Desdemona is trapped by societal boundaries and expectations of women in the Elizabethan Era, supposedly assuming the role of a dependent, innocent and honest wife. However, despite this expectation, Desdemona is rare in that she openly voices her opinions about her circumstances, being shown as a flawed character from Act I, Scene I; eloping secretly without her father’s knowledge. Desdemona’s flaws are apparent from her first presence in Othello, clearly overthrowing her prior image of perfection and purity; when Brabantio is told of Desdemona’s deception replies with “Have you lost your wits?” in disbelief of Desdemona’s betrayal.…
While the role of women in society is a very controversial topic, we can all agree that the theme of “a perfect wife” is one that goes back centuries, but over time it has changed a great deal. During William Shakespeare's time, also known as the 16th century, women did not have the same freedoms they do today. The “perfect wife” was one who was soft-spoken, obedient, and knew that their main purpose in life was to serve men. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, Shakespeare criticizes the unjust standards that were set for women, and their devotion and perceived inferiority to men.…
“Look at her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father, and may thee.” Othello is a play written by Shakespeare that presents a gendered society in which women are inferior to men. Unmarried women are regarded as their fathers’ property, while when married, continuously have allegations made towards them due to the jealousy of their husbands. The women in Othello end up betraying their husbands, without actually being at fault. In Othello, women are always assumed as promiscuous while the men are shown as heroic, but are both victims in this gendered society. Gender roles and the way the gendered society is set up is a prominent issue displayed throughout Othello.…
Based on the situations that the three female characters of Othello endure it is clear that Shakespearean society viewed women as lesser beings who existed only to serve the men in their lives, and who were supposed to subservient, submissive, pure and above all else obedient. Obedient to their husbands, father, brothers and all men. Patriarchal rule justified women's subordination as the natural order because women were thought to be physiologically and psychologically inferior to men. Although the women in Othello are measured against these ideals and in this society. Shakespeare is not inviting the audience to accept these standards, but rather to assess them with a critical eye. This is shown through his representation of the women and…
“Domestic tragedies” (Vanita para 1) are events that can be explained as private and that usually involved familial relationships and are intended to show justice through punishment. Many of these justices involve women who are killed, beaten or tortured because of being accused of unfaithfulness or adultery. In the play Othello, the main cause of Desdemona and Emilia’s death was the failure of forgiving hatred and disapproval and due to the position of the role women play in a relationship or marriage. Many view Othello’s jealous actions as stereotypical manly and alpha male, which was supported by the actions of Othello when he was blinded by jealousy and said that the wife was the possession of the husband in a marriage. Critics explain that Othello’s actions…