Essay On The Role Of Women In Othello

1533 Words4 Pages

The role of the women in Othello has exceptionally changed from 1603 to today. Women now have more rights than what they were offered in the 1600s. During the duration of this play, the prominent group of people are the men. The men believe they own women as their property, even the father’s own them. Women not supposed to cheat on men but men may have an unlimited number of mistresses and wives. The women in the play, Desdemona, Bianca, and Emilia, have known of this treatment and even talk of such. But, the women are still faithful and loyal to their husband, and if they were to be disloyal, there would be serious consequences. There are many examples of the specific gender roles throughout this play that describe the treatment women received during the 1600s and so on. Women are submissive and are often referred to as possessions in the play. Shakespeare has given each of these characters a role to play as a victim, as in a woman, or a dominant male.
This is different with the men in the play. When Emilia and Desdemona are having a conversation about cheating, Desdemona does not understand why any woman would do such a thing as cheat on their husbands. Differentiated from the women, men easily trust the word of another man. This is often shown in Iago and Othello. Throughout the play, Iago is planning revenge against Othello. Since Othello considers Iago as an honest and wise man he believes Iago when he says Desdemona has cheated on him with Cassio. This is important in the play because Shakespeare informs the audience of how men were dominated over the women and if the women seemed the slightest bit of unfaithful, even if this information is coming from a man, the husband still believes the man rather than his wife. Othello never thought to ask Desdemona if she were unfaithful to him, his jealousy wins the best of him so he believed that all Iago states is

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