The Relationship Between Othello and Desdemona

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The Relationship Between Othello and Desdemona

We first learn of there being a relationship between Othello and

Desdemona when Iago and Roderigo are telling Roderigo (Desdemona's

Father), that ''an old black ram is tupping your white ewe''. This is

referring to Othello and Desdemona having sexual intercourse, and

shortly after hearing this, we become informed that Desdemona is ''Tying

her duty, Beauty, Wit, and Fortunes In an extravagant and wheeling

stranger''. This suggests to us that Desdemona is considering the idea

of marrying Othello. This thought is confirmed at the beginning of Act

one Scene Two, during a conversation between Othello and Iago, and

then further on in the scene when Iago informs Cassio that Othello ''hath

boarded a land carack:'' We meet Othello on the night of their

wedding, which they are spending in an inn called the 'Sagittary'. On

this same night, we learn that Othello and Desdemona's Marriage is not

approved of by Brabantio, and that Desdemona has had many possible

suitors but has turned them down. In general, when we look at the

scene, which is set for us, many people may have feel that this is an

unnatural marriage. There are a couple of reasons for this:

(a) The fact that their marriage was in secret - Othello had no right

to marry Desdemona without getting Brabantio's permission. Othello and

Desdemona should have known that Brabantio would be angry at the

marriage because he had not been asked for it's permission, and had no

idea of it's possibility. In the time of this play being written,

Othello had no right to choose her own husband, and from what we learn

her father had turned down many suitor's ...

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... healthy relationship, both sexually and mentally. They

have an active sex life, but do not depend on this aspect of their

relationship to hold them together, as they also both enjoy the

company of each other as well. The relationship between Desdemona and

Othello is a good one, which in theory should last. Sadly, there are

many aspects from the people around them, which in the end begin to

ruin this happy, and relationship. As I have mentioned before, the

fact that Othello is black, and that he so much older than Desdemona

both affect the reactions of other people towards their relationship.

The aspect that Iago is angry at Othello for selecting Cassio as his

lieutenant instead of himself, causes Iago to place doubt in Othello's

mind, which in the end results in the tragic downfall of this

perfectly good relationship.

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