In history, women have always be looked down on and had very much say to most topics. Women weren’t seen as a human as men but rather were seen as more of an object to a man rather than his wife. Feminist criticism best explains William Shakespeare’s Othello because Desdemona is treated as if she is Othello’s property instead of his soulmate by other characters, the female characters were portrayed as prostitutes, but in different ways by Iago, and Iago talks down to women as if they are worthless.
In the William Shakespeare’s “Othello”, Othello ‘assigns’ his wife to be taken to Cyprus by Iago as if she is some cargo. He also describes Desdemona as ‘the purchase made’ (Act 2 Scene 3). This shows that she is not being treated as special as a wife should be treated but She is similar to a trained puppy, who does whatever their owner tells them to do. Which brings up another example when Desdemona says “I am obedient”. (I. 3. 283). Desdemona is treated like she is Othello’s personal possession.
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For examples, Iago States “You evil whore!” (295) and Iago claiming women talk too much(71). This shows Iago views and beliefs on women. It is clear to the reader that the women in the story do not have any choice. Iago states he wished that “he would have evened with his, wife for wife.”(II. I. 290) It seems as if Iago was going to force Desdemona to sleep with him because she is nothing more than a toy or object and that's all she good for. If he slept with Desdemona, then Othello and him would be considered equal. This implies that he thinks that every decision his wife makes is not a smart or any woman for that
In the novel Othello, written by William Shakespeare, there are a variety of ways in which women are portrayed. There are strong willed women such as Emilia, who stands up to the men, especially to her husband. If he is wrong she would openly admit that he is incorrect. There are also women who are thought to be a possession as well as extremely submissive to their husbands such as Desdemona. She is the type of woman that will obey her husband to the day she dies. Desdemona believes that her husband is always right and he will never do anything that will lead her into the wrong direction. Many of the women in this time thought the same way. They are viewed as house workers, cooks, and teachers to the children. In addition to those qualities women obtain, having no authority in marriages is also added to the list. In this novel, there is judgment against women because they are “unequal” to men. They are not allowed to do the same as men for the reason that they do not possess the same qualities as men. Men were considered to be superior to women. Women were treated as their “slaves.” In contrast, today’s time women now have power. They have the right to vote, run for office, and even work outside their homes. Women now play the part as the male and female figure in the households. They are considered independent women, not relying on a male figure. Even if they are married now, they do not listen to everything that their husbands tell them to do. It states in the Bible that a male figure is the head of the households; however women today have strayed away from that view that they had back then. They want to be the dominate figure. Times have really changed from the past to the present. W...
The Shakespearean drama Othello renders less to the female gender than it does to the male gender. All the women characters are victims – unjustly so. Let’s talk about the obvious sexism throughout the play.
While any of these interpretations no doubt helps to inform fuller discussion of the play, I would like to focus the question of the cause of this tragedy in another area: the realm of gender. I will argue that the tragedy occurs as a result of the protagonists’ overwhelming adherence to their society’s stereotyped gender roles and that Iago further encourages and manipulates these gender roles to his own ends. In this essay, I use the word “gender” to describe those physical, biological, behavioral, verbal, textual, mythic, and power dynamic cues that signal to others in the society, specifically the society of this play, that one is perceived as belonging or not belonging to a specific category of masculine or feminine (Bornstein 26-30). I will also use Kate Bornstein’s definition of “gender roles”: the “positions and actions specific to a given gender as defined by a culture” (26). Iago is a gender trickster, subtly and subver...
During the Elizabethan era women had a status of subordination towards men. They had a role to marry and oblige to their husband’s wishes. Shakespearean literature, especially illustrates how a woman is psychologically and physically lesser to their male counterpart. The play, Othello, uses that aspect in many different ways. From a Feminist lens others are able to vividly examine how women were subjected to blatant inferiority. Being displayed as tools for men to abuse, women were characterized as possessions and submissive; only during the last portion of the play did the power of women take heed.
Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello is an unfortunate example of gender bias, of sexism which takes advantage of women. The three women characters in the drama are all, in their own ways, victims of men’s skewed attitudes regarding women. Let us delve into this topic in this essay.
Iago proceeds to tell the news of Desdemona and Othello's marriage to a shocked Brabantio. He uses offensive imagery, showing the extent to which he will go to win Brabantio's support against Othello. While not in the company of either Othello or Brabantio, Iago debases the marria...
One of the themes of the play is prejudice. The reader gets a taste of Iago’s prejudice against women and sexist ways when Desdemona and Cassio first arrive on Cyprus. Iago says to Desdemona “You are pictures out of door/ Bells in your parlors/ Wild-cats in your kitchens/ Saints in your injuries, devils being offended/ players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.” (2.1.109- 112). He thinks that all women have two sides to them; a pleasant public side and an irritating private side and he sees Desdemona as a lesser person simply because she is female. Iago looks down on Cassio because Cassio is “a great arithmetician … a Florentine … That never set a squadron in the field” (1.119,20,22). He is a mathematician, not an army man, which makes Iago feel that he is more qualified for the job of lieutenant. Othello is older, from Africa, and Iago often calls him “the Moor” (1.2.58) and “an old black ram” (1.1.88). Iago does not want to follow him as he tells Roderigo “I follow him to serve my turn upon him/ we cannot all be masters, nor all masters/ cannot be truly followed.” (1.1.42-44). By this, Iago is saying that he only follows Othello to take advantage of him and does not think he deserves to be followed. This prejudice drives Iago’s malicious actions through a yearning to be seen in the superior way the way he feels he deserves to be
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.
Iago’s opinion on women is that he detests women in all kinds and shapes, and finds faults even when they have little or no faults. It is evident that Iago refers to Desdemona as a piece of property, when He wakes up Brabantio (Desdemona’s Father) and tells him about the marriage to Othello. In Act 1 Scene 1 Line 80 he states, “ Thieves, thieves! Look to your house, your daughter and your bags! ”
In his novel, Othello, he uses the courage of the women in his literature to depict how women should be treated, and to contrast from how little respect they once obtained. The society in Shakespeare’s Othello is strongly dominated by men who were the political and military leaders of their homeland during the Elizabethan era. These men are expected to stay loyal to their reputations and to uphold the strong sense of character that earned them their positions in the first place. In contrast, during the Elizabethan period of time women were viewed as weak second-class citizens and inferior to males, with their only job being to serve their men.
In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello there are numerous instances of obvious sexism aimed at the three women in the drama -- Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca – and aimed at womankind generally. Let us delve into this subject in this paper.
Iago uses the implications of gender roles throughout the play. He creates doubt about Othello’s masculinity, and feeds off of the anxiety these observations create. Iago is not immune to the negative impact of gender standards that cannot be fulfilled. Mark Breitenberg describes these feelings as “…male, heterosexual jealousy – the anxiety and violence engendered in men by a patriarchal economy that constructs masculine identity” and explains these anxieties are “…dependent on the coercive and symbolic regulation of women’s sexuality” (377). Iago’s hatred of Othello is due to the insecurity he feels about his own masculinity and it causes him to feel jealousy towards Othello. As Karen Newman opines, “Othello both figures monstrosity and at the same time represents the white male norms the play encodes through Iago” (153). He is as a brutish, savage monster, but these negative traits can be warped into desirable ones by means of masculine stereotypes. Othello is large, strong, and a warrior. ...
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 meant to be wives and to obey their husbands. Furthermore the act of marriage was described as a purchase, as seen in Act II when Othello says to Desdemona 'The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue' (II.3.8-9), A woman is purchased by her husband and in turn is expected to fulfill his desires as payment for the privilege of being married to him.
During the Shakespearean time women were treated as inferiors. The three women in Othello, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca encountered many degrading and unfortunate situations. They were to be obedient. The women had to comply with the commands, orders, and the instructions of the men. Women were made to believe that they had no rights. The men would publicly humiliate the three women. It was difficult for the women to stand up for themselves due to that time in society. In Shakespeare’s play Othello, he portrayed the three women to be viewed as obedient, loyal, and submissive to their husbands.
Desdemona is portrayed as the highest class a female could accomplish. She is elegant, honest and loyal to her husband as any other good Elizabethan married woman would be. She is presented as the ideal woman. Desdemona symbolizes innocence and helplessness against men. Shakespeare presents Desdemona as a mature and knowledgeable woman for her age as she defends her love for Othello to her father, Brabantio. However this is seen differently in the eye's of the society. Brabantio declares her as "Against all rules of nature"(scene.. line...). This statement reveals what the society believes what is natural and what is unnatural. To the society, "natural" is when a women complies to their husbands and fathers wishes, but it's unnatural for a women to do anything else. Women are referred to as property, clearly stated when Desdemona's father angrily calls Othello a "theif" (scene...line..). Here, Brabantio addresses Desde...