Examples Of Femininity In Othello

Women were viewed merely as possessions. After the Duke allows Desdemona to accompany Othello to Cyprus, Othello says 'To my conveyance I assign my wife' (I.3.283), this statement implies that Desdemona and a possession to be transported and guarded. The first Senators phrase 'use Desdemona well' (I.3.288) may suggest he hopes Othello will look after Desdemona, but is more likely to support the the expectations Venetian women had in the 1600s. They were

Feminist critical lens examines certain texts with a primary focus on both gender’s relationship with each other and how such relationships demonstrate effects towards beliefs, behaviors, and values. This critical lens also examines a patriarchal-centered society and how such society define and interact with women with an emphasis on stereotypes of both genders that are present and evident in the text being analyzed. William Shakespeare’s Othello can be scrutinized through the feminist critical lens. A deep analysis focused on feminism of the play Othello paves way for the judgement of different societal status of women in the period when the play took place, the Elizabethan society. Othello is a best fit that demonstrates how men were

The basis of Shakespeare’s plays appears to focus mainly around the dominant male character and his conflicts, which tend to deal with a woman. There are only three women in the play Othello; Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca. The way in which these women behave and present themselves strongly reflects the ideological expectations of women within Shakespeare’s imagined Venetian society as well as the Elizabethan society in which he lived. This patriarchal Venetian society presented in the play depicts women as possessions of men who should remain submissive and meek at all times. The women are expected to unselfishly and unreservedly devote their lives to serve their fathers until they are of age to do so, their husbands. All three women love

Desdemona is portrayed as a very inquisitive women, whom loves to explore the things and people outside of her class. She fell in love with Othello because of her curious nature and being attracted to his acts of bravado. Her intentions are sincere; however her curiosity in this act is seen as folly. She asks her cousin Lodovico about his arrival and informs him of Cassio’s dismissal. This angers Othello as she is praising another man, taking a persona of being proactive about him. For Othello this concludes that she is disobedient and has dishonored him - to put her in place, he resorts to violence:

   Throughout the length of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello there is a steady undercurrent of sexism. It is originating from not one, but rather various male characters in the play, who manifest prejudicial, discriminatory attitudes toward women.

Despite being a wife and loyally loving her husband, Desdemona isn’t as officious as the stereotypical “loving woman” character is made to be. A strange problem with “loving woman” characters is how consistently apologetic they’re made to be, but how it’s “only out of love.” Desdemona doesn’t fall to Othello’s feet to pick up after him and act like he isn’t responsible for himself, they instead speak as equals.

   Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello features sexism as regular fare – initially from Brabantio and Iago, and finally from Othello. Let us in this essay explore the occurrences and severity of sexism in the drama.

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the role of women is greatly emphasized. The important characters of the play, Othello, Iago, and Cassio, each have a women that stands behind him. These women each have an obligation to remain loyal and respect their husband's wishes, especially Desdemona and Emilia.

Women in the sixteenth century were commonly dominated by a patriarchal society. Meaning their loyalty and respect lay amongst the men in their lives with little choice for opposition. In Othello by William Shakespeare, he portrays the role of women in a way typical to their representation in Elizabethan and Venetian society. While the women may be presented as mentally stronger than their male counterparts, the language given to these female characters suggest that they have internalized society 's expectation of them. Apart from moments of private conversation and Emilia 's reaction to Desdemona 's death, the women behave in a submission that is expected of them, believing it to be the natural way, as the men continue to downgrade and treat them as secondary citizens. Shakespeare represents this status of women through the traditional views of the male characters, moments of submission from the females, and how the women internalize this society.

Women who attempt to or do initiate sexual contact are often labelled in derogatory terms, or are labelled in these terms if their actions or opinions do not meet the social conditioning that is befitted females.

Feminism is and has always been a prominent focus in society. Specifically during the Renaissance, when Shakespeare’s Othello was written, were women thought of as subordinate to men. Shakespeare portrays women as merely FOIL characters to their male counterparts throughout the play. They help shed light on the men’s dark sides as well as their true faults. Their roles include wives, prostitutes, and even messengers. The women in the play are disrespected and treated as lesser beings. Although there are imperative female characters in Shakespeare’s Othello, many of them are treated as tools or objects and are disrespected by the men, specifically Iago, Othello and Cassio.

Society pressures deeply on the shoulders of these women. They feel that they must support the men and comply with them, even if the actions of the men are doubtful. Brabantio’s thoughts of women seem to signify Venetian philosophy. Speaking of Desdemona before she stumbled, he defines her as ‘perfection’, ‘A maiden never bold…Of spirit still and quiet’ (Othello: Act 1. Sc. 3). Qualities of women in the masculine area of the Venetian council, Brabantio mixes and grows the traditional expectations of women in a patriarchal society. Moreover, when Desdemona weds Othello she turns her back on her father’s wishes and subsequently the ideal cast of a woman, he describes her as fall, ‘against all rules of nature’ (Othello: Act 1. Sc. 3. 5). Venetian civilisation grants its own social beliefs as the absolute laws of nature. It is normal for women to be feminine and to do as their males tell them. It is not normal for them to do anything else. This Venetian idea was likewise an Elizabethan and pre-Elizabethan belief and was broadly understood by Shakespeare’s spectators. Today, some feminists would argue that it is not ‘normal’ for women to be feminine, that the past has attempted to conceal its social prospects of women as part of the laws of nature. The females in Othello are formerly

She is then disowned by Barbantio with no further words directed to her by him but is referenced as a liar and should be kept on watch for her conniving ways by him towards Othello. Which then begins Shakespeare’s in depth writing on Othello and Desdemona’s relationship where she is as “a child to chiding” (4.2.119-120). Not even a moment after her father leaves Othello commands Iago to tell his wife, Emilia, to tend to Desdemona as a babysitter. Irony occurs within (2.1.169-171) where Desdemona challenges Iago and stands as an independent woman for Emilia objecting to his conclusion, that women no matter how beautiful or intelligent play the same “foul pranks”. However, as Othello’s jealousy and rage arises throughout the play it seems as her character has to fight even harder to breathe under his control; symbolic for her death of suffocation. Desdemona is a gentle women living under her love’s control with no power to object even if she had opposed this type of controlling relationship. As a higher class woman she had more power and respect over other women characters such as Emilia or Bianca, but is this dominance enough to feel in control of oneself? It is believed that Shakespeare added the 2 other

These women are treated as possessions. Desdemona the main woman character herself states that “I am obedient” (III.3.89) by showing all her love to Othello, and choosing his stories, that made her feel pity for him, and his power over her father’s will. In number of occasions, when Othello is convinced of Desdemona’s betrayal with Cassio, he breaks out into abusive words. He refers to her as “whore” (III.3.356), a “subtle whore” (IV.2.20) and a “cunning whore” (IV.2.88).

In the play Othello, written by Shakespeare, women do not get to enjoy the same freedom that women do today.(major topics in the text). Women were responsible for keeping the image of their families good, men were considered the head of the household. Women had to uphold the perfect image when in a marriage, society had its own standards for women and there were different social values of women in the Elizabethan society.