Shakespeare wrote Othello during the Elizabethan era and was written in the last year of Queen Elizabeth I reign. It is seen as a Jacobean play but the context that it was made was Elizabethan. During this time period, it was set for Shakespeare to write in a way that appraises the Queen. Othello is a reflection of Elizabethan times but with universal themes. The culture of this time included a clear hierarchy, more barbaric in nature and a male dominance leaving women in a submissive role. During Shakespeare’s time, appearance was meant to indicate the lies within good and evil. Shakespeare uses the male characters in his play to show the contrast in how men treat women. All the men portrayed have a different social hierarchy. This idea is clearly shown throughout the characters of Iago, Othello, and Cassio. The three women in the play also play a similar idea of all having different societal roles and different hierarchy status.
Iago is a working- class military who defames women by claiming their only role is “to suckle fools and chronicle small beer” and only uses his wife, Emilia, for his sexual pleasure and takes advantage of the women’s somewhat unassertive nature using Emilia to steal for him without saying anything to be against Iago’s actions. Shakespeare undermines Iago’s view of
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As soon as Desdemona defies him he strikes her in a public manner and his view is left unquestioned even through death. When Othello becomes overruled by Iago’s statements about Desdemona, Othello will only listen to his own view and refuses to hear Desdemona which eventually led to her inevitable death. The playwright does critique this notion by portraying Othello’s crime as a suicide-murder due to the fact of Othello dying as he can’t live with his
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.
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 portrayal of gender roles in William Shakespeare’s play Othello, demonstrates the inferior treatment of women and the certain stereotypes of men placed on them by society. Both the male and female characters in the play have these certain gender expectations placed on them. In a society dominated by men, it is understood that the women are to be seen rather than heard. The women are referred to and treated much like property. If indeed they do speak up, they are quickly silenced. One woman’s attempt to be the perfect wife is what ultimately led to her demise. The expectations of men are equally stereotypical. Men are to be leaders and to be in control and dominant especially over the women. The male characters compete for position and use the female characters in the play as leverage to manipulate each other. Shakespeare provides insight in understanding the outcomes of the men and women who are faced with the pressures of trying to live up to society’s expectations, not only in the workplace, but also in the home. The pressure creates jealousy issues amongst the men and they become blind to the voice of reason and are overtaken by jealous rage, leads to the death of many of the characters.
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.
Beginning with the lowest rank of women, Emilia and Desdemona, Iago insults them with misogynistic and commanding comments to reveal the stark dichotomy of power between men and women in Shakespearian times. Targeting pathos, Iago uses controlling and degrading remarks to put Emilia down and to gain spousal dominance. In two scenes where Emilia expresses her true feelings, Iago snaps at her by first stating, “You are a fool, go to”, and then later orders, “Go to, charm your tongue” (4.2. 147, 5.2. 182). By telling Emilia that she is a “fool”, not only does Iago abruptly insult her, but he does so publicly, thereby reinforcing male superiority over women in their society (4.2. 147). This type of rhetoric serves Iago strategically as Iago’s public
While there have been a great number of changes in the world since Shakespeare wrote Othello, there are a few truths about humanity and society that remain true. Othello is notorious for it’s examination of race, but is not given enough credit for its observations of gender. Iago embodies masculine gender roles in a severe and exaggerated way, allowing his desire for proving his masculinity to corrupt him morally. Iago then turns and uses his own fears of inadequacy against Othello as the root of his revenge and to improve his own self-image. Desdemona is hurt most by the need for gender roles, which ultimately ends up in her death. The characters in Othello are severely harmed by the gender roles they feel the need to adhere to.
In order to get what he wants, Iago will do anything. This includes insulting Desdemona, an innocent young woman who does not intend to harm anyone. Her sorrow at her divided loyalties shows this. Like her husband, Desdemona deals with situations carefully. Othello is the opposite of Iago in that he does not pride himself on killing people.
The Tragic Treatment of Women in Othello 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.
Shakespeare has written some of the most outstanding pieces of literature throughout history that have lasted through out the ages. But, critics often criticize Shakespeare as being sexist towards women in his work. He often portrays them as weak minded, evil, or as sexual objects. Ophelia, Queen Gertrude, Lady Macbeth, and Juliet Capulet are just a few female heroines that are accused of being feeble or heinous. Shakespeare's Othello represents Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca as weak characters that do not become triumphant by the end of the play.
In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the status of women at the time, exemplified by Othello’s belief that Desdemona belongs to him, leads Othello to trust Iago more than he trusts his own wife. In many of Shakespeare’s plays, women lack social agency, and therefore their lives are run by men. Although Desdemona is a strong character, the fact that she is a woman creates room for Othello to doubt her. Othello begins to trust what Iago tells him more than he trusts Desdemona, which shows how little he trusted her in the first place. Othello even starts to believe that Desdemona may be unfaithful because he is black. Finally, because of his anger and the general attitude towards women at the time, Othello objectifies Desdemona. All of these factors
Statement of intent: The role of women in William Shakespeare’s play Othello is portrayed through the behaviors and actions of Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca. William Shakespeare integrates his Elizabethan society to create the patriarchal Venetian society in the play. Women in his society were seen as inferior to the men. The three women play a significant role in different social stratification. How are women submissive, possessions, bold, and degraded to sex objects and whores? How have they displayed unconventional acts and boldness?
The Women of Othello All through history, the role of women and their place in the general public has tremendously changed. William Shakespeare’s Othello was established during a time period where the role of women and their collective value were downgraded in the Venetian and Elizabethan era. During the Venetian era, women were dominated by their sexual orientation. The Venetian era had a patriarchal society.
The play Othello is presented as a male-dominated society where women are only recognized as property; objects to own and to bear children. Women in the Elizabethan society and in Shakespeare society were not seen as equal to men and were expected to be loyal to their husbands, be respectful, and to not go against their husbands judgements or actions. Shakespeare presents Desdemona, Emilia , and Bianca as women in the Elizabethan time where they were judged based on their class, mortality, and intelligence. Shakespeare makes his female characters act the way they would be expected to act in an Elizabethan society. The role of these women in Othello is crucial because they show how women were treated and how unhealthy their relationships between men really were in both Elizabethan and Shakespeare's society.
Juxtaposing an elevation of Emilia with a punch line diminishing females, Shakespeare explores Iago’s ability to appease those around him to accept his sexism without quarrel. Iago references Emilia’s tongue twice, once negatively, once positively, suggesting Iago changes his public personality with fluidity, but returns to his unconscious belief in female inferiority. Directing the negative mention toward a man and the positive toward Emilia, Iago succeeds at maintaining his masculinity among his peers by reinforcing traditional gender roles, but pacifies Emelia by complimenting her. Shakespeare builds Iago’s joke with phrases such as “She that could think” and “She that in wisdom,” representing a break from traditional thought of women as purely domestic workers without a male’s mental capacity.
“Othello,” the tragic play written by William Shakespeare in 1601, has given a new outlook to women’s rights during the time period when they had no voice to call their own. A tragic play about a jealous and manipulative man named Iago who does everything in his power to pursue and destroy the life of the protagonist, Othello. In the belief that Othello had wrongfully promoted someone else to the position that he claims to be rightfully his. In this play, unsure if this was the intention of Shakespeare, but Shakespeare’s two main female characters each embodies a completely different bias about women and feminism during the Elizabethan time period. Shakespeare encircles “Othello’s” plot and themes around its male characters all the while concurrently but indirectly shedding light on the hidden anti-parallel dynamic among the livelihood of women.