Women In The Jacobean Era

In the beginning of the play, Othello and Desdemona have a strong relationship. When others interfere with their marriage, Othello

In Othello’s Act 1, Shakespeare displays the first of many examples of Desdemona’s strength and courage during her clandestine marriage with Othello. Critics must keep in mind that during the time Othello was written, the Church had rules against performing a marriage behind closed doors. Here Desdemona defiantly goes against the Church’s mandate and boldly elopes with Othello. She

Shakespeare’s Othello illustrates the tragic relationship of Desdemona, a tragedy brought on by her gender. Throughout the play, it is made clear that Desdemona’s own wants do not matter. As a woman, he opinion holds no weight. In this society, Desdemona is not more than a piece of property to be own by her father or her husband; males truly hold the power. Initially, the play begins as Desdemona’s father is alerted that she is not in her room. He is informed that she is away with her husband. Desdemona’s father, upon discovering she is truly absent, goes into a panic. He expressed his disappointment that his own daughter would betray him by getting married and leaving without his knowledge. Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, expresses his disdain in her choice of husband. He is

Race. Women. Men. Class. Poor. Rich. Royalty. In Shakespeare’s play, Othello, many issues are explored through a tragedy. The rights of women are being put to the test. There are three women, Bianca, Desdemona, and Emilia that play a major role in Othello. In the Elizabethan Era women were neither very respected, nor considered to be intelligent. Yet, the women hold most of the power in the Tragedy of Othello. The women are also the only characters that are able to maintain the trust among themselves and with others in the play. From being submissive to standing up for them, Othello holds understanding for women’s abilities in England during the 16th century. Shakespeare introduces and explores the issues of women’s rights, for better understanding, through the art of acting.

Women played a role of low society classed humans in the play Othello. The plight of women in the play can be a good example of how women and men were treated differently throughout the story. Woman was treated as an object or even a commodity during that period; Desdemona can be a perfect example of this idea. Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, treated

In Shakespeare’s play Othello, Desdemona is initially characterized as an independent and strong individual, but develops throughout the play into a subservient and obedient character as she loses sight of her value of autonomy over social expectation. Desdemona’s strength is demonstrated through her desire for adventure and open opposition of male authority figures in the play. When Desdemona is given her first opportunity to speak, she delivers her divided duty speech, wherein she explains to her father that she has an equal obligation to both her father and her new husband. Additionally Desdemona courageously cites her mother’s example as the reason she defends Othello, as her mother “[preferred Barbantio] before her father” as well (1.3.178-186).

In Shakespeare's drama, Othello, there are many different relationships among the main characters. The way that Shakespeare portrays these relationships sets the stage for the pain and deceit that unfolds within the play. Relations between the men of the play, Othello, Roderigo, Iago, and Cassio, undoubtedly form the main theme. Furthermore, each of the men, except Roderigo, also has woman that stands behind and cares for him. But the manor in which these women are treated is why the story ends on such a tragic note. After a careful analysis of the women, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca, one can see that much of the tragedy could have been avoided if only the men would have given them a chance

Othello and Desdemona’s once loving relationship quickly fell due to the false rumors rooted by Iago with the help of the “green eyed monster” of jealousy and Othello’s gullibility. Shakespeare illustrates the gender inequality in the quote, “I will chop her into messes! Cuckold me?” (4.1.219), where Othello is angry that Desdemona supposedly cheated on him. Othello is unable to accept the fact that he, a man with renowned honor and respect due to his military reputation, has been cheated on by a woman.

The Anti-Feminist Perspective of Shakespeare It is believed that many women do not speak, they do not have a voice because they are taught to respect the beliefs of society more than themselves. Whether reading a play or novel the reader is introduced to many female characters that portray this belief. In Shakespeare’s Othello this belief is represented through the three female characters in this play, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca.

Desdemona shows confidence and is forthright when she gives her speech, she is the only female character, surrounded by powerful men who include the duke, her husband, and her father, but she is not ashamed to assert her belief in the validity of her desires and actions. But not only did she defy her father, she must show that she is a loyal wife by convincing Othello that she is, her contradictory actions cast doubt upon her character. Without these actions, there would be no controversy for Iago to lay his doubts upon a frustrating thought for the audience. The desire for Desdemona to succeed in proving Othello’s doubts wrong and her inability to do so may cause resentment of her character to some. Her failure to save something so beautiful is disheartening and frustrating.

Despite Othello’s repeated offenses, Desdemona continues to love her husband. Alone with Desdemona, Emilia reflects that it would have been better if Desdemona had never seen Othello, but Desdemona rejects this idea, saying that Othello seems noble and graceful to her, even in his

In Shakespeare’s Othello, we see the many layers of power men have towards women, and how women in the play are portrayed as victims due to men determining social organization during that time period. Shakespeare’s representation of women illustrates how he has certain expectations towards them. He sets the tone of the play by examining two locations, Venice which is designed to have order. Than there’s The Cyprus Island which is a site of anarchy and disorder.

Moreover, to continue in the second point of view of Desdemona’s lack of morality, one must also examine Desdemona as the wife of Othello. It would not be truthful to say that Desdemona is a terrible wife; in fact, Desdemona withholds a number of ideal virtues that a wife in Elizabethan society would have. Desdemona was a fairly good mistress in the household, she evidently did not wear extraordinary apparel or jewelry. She genuinely loved Othello, honored Othello, and she obediently submitted to Othello's unpredictable changes of mood as a wife was expected to

Women are an integral part of society and the role of women has greatly improved since the days of Shakespeare. But in Elizabethan society, women held supportive and subservient roles to men. William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Othello centers on conflicting male characters, but the women of Othello reveal the time period’s views on women and marriage. The women in Othello are synonymous with Venetian societal standards and represent different social classes. There are three women in this play: Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca.

According to Brett’s article Representation of Gender within Othello, women are always victims because it is men who determine social organization (2). Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece Othello shows how the women are portrayed as victims due to men determining social organization. This conception is supported throughout the play through the representation of women. The play Othello by Shakespeare presents the readers with a male dominant society where women are faced with a rough time. The manner in which women are perceived is a dominant social issue that affects people in the society. Desdemona, Bianca, and Emilia, the female characters in this play, show genuine love and affection to their partners but they are still rejected and hence become symbols of suspicion within the society. Whereas the play Othello contains numerous complex social issues, the victimization of women in a male dominant society is amongst the most significant issues, and this notion is supported all through the play.