Treatment Of Women In 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
Alternatively Desdemona is revealed to be the ideal woman, Cassio even admits“She is indeed perfection.” Othello often makes remarks on her beauty and her wit. Even when he thinks she has betrayed him, he cannot help himself from looking upon her fondly even stating that she is “so delicate with her needle: an admirable musician: O! she will sing the savageness out of a bear: of so high and plenteous wit and invention:—“ despite Desdemona’s perfection Othello lets himself be manipulated into thinking she is unfaithful to him, and he kills her. Emilia, while not as perfect as Desdemona appears to be an obedient wife to Iago. She even gives him Desdemona’s handkerchief without knowing the reason he wants it, when stealing the handkerchief she says “what he will do with it Heaven knows, not I; I nothing but to please his fantasy.” In the end of the play however, she chooses to honour Desdemona and she exposes her husband's treachery as opposed to supporting it. Iago kills her due to this one moment of disobedience. Through the killing of Emilia and Desdemona at the hands of their husbands and the fact that Bianca lives, Shakespeare reveals what he thinks of the relationships husbands have with their wives. He is exhibiting how women are never good enough for their husbands. Desdemona and Emilia are honest women, but in Desdemona’s case Othello believes she is having an affair and to him this is inexcusable. Emilia is killed because Iago sees it as a fit punishment for her disobedience and her lack of support of his dishonesty. Bianca on the other hand has no husband and thus she appears to follow no rules but her own and suffers no dire consequences because she has no one ruling over her. Shakespeare is showcasing the oppression that husbands had over their wives. On top of that Shakespeare is suggesting