Power Struggle In Shakespeare's Othello

The political power struggles in Shakespeare’s era undoubtedly influenced him in his writing. William Shakespeare lived between 1564 and 1616, during this period Queen Elizabeth I and James I ruled England. This means Shakespeare lived during the Elizabethan era, and the Jacobian era. During this period England underwent a series of changes. In 1585 England went to war with Spain under Elizabeth’s rule. Shakespeare would have recognised this event as another war, more taxes and a step in to foreign relations despite it having negative effects between the nations. Yet although this event will have appeared mundane in Shakespeare’s life (as he had very little to do with the military), it is clearly reflected in these texts. In Othello the Ottoman
But is this due to the sexism of the age, or is Shakespeare commenting on the potential power that women can yield over politics. The phrase “Behind every great man, stands a great woman” is of use to show that representations of women in Othello and Hamlet oppose this thought. Othello’s romantic counterpart- ditsy Desdemona- is a strong woman even in the first scene of Othello standing up to her father and proclaiming her love for “the moor” in front of the Doge and her father Brabantio. “I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband,” – Desdemona Act I scene iii, Desdemona shows will and determination; a feature that fades in the duration of the play. Similarly, in Hamlet, our anti-hero’s romantic counterpart Ophelia is contorted by the roles that men play in her life. Driven mad by her father Polonius’ death and later due to this, ending her own life; accidently or on purpose we do not know. During Shakespeare’s time an unmarried women must be entirely obedient to her father and once married (to a man of her father’s choosing) must be entirely compliant to her
When in Act II scene i Hamlet acts in a sexual manner towards Ophelia, Polonius and Claudius are alarmed. Polonius describes the actions as “this ecstasy of love” and fears for Ophelia’s honour, whereas Claudius’ first thought is that of lineage “How hath she received his love?” He fears that Hamlet’s so called feelings of love may be reciprocated creating risks of marriage and therefore children. With regard to politics, succession and monarchy this subject also holds immense strength. If a women – who was married into the monarchy- were to have an affair and fall pregnant, the child would hold the right to the throne should there be a failure to produce an heir.
This aspect of Hamlet reflects an uncertainty in the air and the heir during the Tudor period. Henry VIII had six wives – a claim to fame of his- but this claim raised issues in lineage. Henry had children with Catherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour and Anne Boleyn, only one of which was a boy; a male heir – Edward VI. Edward was the youngest of his half-siblings and therefore a series of proclamations were made relinquishing Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I from any form of succession rights – officially declaring them