Masculinity In Othello

536 Words2 Pages

During the late sixteenth century a war broke out between Venice and Turkey, leaving the town desperate of war hungry, racist, and bitter men. In this state of disaster, the men take hold leading Cyprus to a male dominated society, seeing women as ‘second-class.’ Throughout Othello, the evident theme of social class and value system existed through the consistent support of the victimization of females in the mindset of a male dominated society.

Shakespeare during this time was claimed to be a feminist. Shapiro claims that Shakespeare was 'the noblest feminist of them all'. Shakespeare as a guru of human behavior, necessarily in the virtue of woman in their specific classes. Women of the Elizabethan era were portrayed as being loyal to their husbands, doing the chores, and taking care of the mens daily life and desires. …show more content…

Power, job occupation, and ethics of a person were what made them into a certain social class. Woman were seen as insignificant and helpless. Overall, woman in Othello were treated with such little respect and social expectancy they could be compared to other possessions such as animals or objects. Marriage was not about love, but about power and possession. Women in this century were often referred to as trophies as Iago rants about Othello “'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carack: If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever “(1.2. 60). This quotation exhibits Iago’s view on Othello’s marriage, he sees Desdemona as a trophy, he does not love her for who she

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