Throughout history women have always been treated differently. Some were not always accepted by society, when others were expected to be something. It is demonstrated in William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, that women are not treated as an equal during his time period. In society, women were expected to be mothers and to treat their husband if he was royalty. The women in the play, Othello, are the characters, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca. These women went through many different events throughout the play that involved their loved ones. Not only their husbands, but also the rest of the men in the play treated each of these women in different ways. In Shakespeare’s time, women were expected to be loyal and take care of their loved ones. In
Bianca is a woman that would do anything for her loved one. She is so in love with Cassio, that no matter how he speaks with her, she would still be willing to make him happy in any way possible. It is typical that in society around Shakespeare’s time period that a woman would be willing to do anything to make her loved on happy. Bianca expresses her love to Cassio very openly and passionately while Cassio does the same. When Cassio describes to Bianca how he found a handkerchief by his bedside, Bianca assumes Cassio has found a newer woman friend that causes her to be jealous. Cassio proclaims, “Go to, woman!/ Throw your vile guesses in the devil’s teeth,/ From whence you have them. You are jealous now/ That is from some mistress, some/ remembrance.” (3.4.209-213). This shows that even though this may be another woman’s handkerchief, just because Cassio told Bianca to take the thread out of the handkerchief and sew it again, she did it anyways. Bianca then goes against society and realizes what Cassio had wanted from her. Bianca acknowledges what Cassio has apparently done by stating, “Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did/ you mean by that same handkerchief you gave me/ even now? I was a fine fool to take it!” (4.1.166-169). But when Cassio became hurt she was there for him because she does love him. This proves that this woman, Bianca, can also stick up for
The similarities that are proven are that the women in the play are under the power of their husbands and loved ones. Desdemona was a woman that had a great amount of pride but was still under Othello’s rule. She was obedient when it came to Othello’s rules and listened to him no matter what. After Othello strikes Desdemona, she showed no remorse and only bowed in his existence. She thought that something was wrong but did not question him further than asking him what she had done to deserve that. Emilia was a strong woman that could stand up for herself but knew she would do anything for Iago, even going behind Desdemona’s honor to make Iago happy. When Cassio gave Bianca the handkerchief of another woman’s, she questioned it no further than asking whose it was when Cassio scolded her for jealousy. Bianca was going to do as what she was told to do by Cassio even if she did not know where the handkerchief had came from. Each of these women portrays traits that were expected in society during the time period. The women were affected by these expectations of women’s behavior by having their loved one rule them. The women could not disobey their husbands and had to stay under their power. Even if they did something to upset their loved ones, they would do anything to make them happy. Each of the women accept society’s
Stereotypes are commonly held beliefs that most are all individuals sharing a given trait also should or do share other attributes to be associated with aspects such as race, religion, and physical qualities. In Shakespeare’s “Othello” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, he uses stereotypes to embody the characteristics of the stereotypical female according to society’s liking. The women in both “Othello” and “A Midsummer NIght’s Dream” are loyal and faithful. Women are bound by respect and loyalty to the men they love. Shakespeare has drawn a line concerning gender roles and the consequences of violating these positions (Bevington, 2014). Women seem to be victimized by society’s influence as they yield to these stereotypes that shape the
While these differences alter the experiences felt by each character due to their respective cultures, each aspect that differs between the two societies still adds to the overall oppression of women. Othello was set in the late 16th century in a hierarchical, status oriented society. The effects of a culture focused on rank and class level are reflected by the reactions that Othello, Brabantio, Iago and Cassio had throughout the play when their status was threatened. Iago’s ability to so easily manipulate these men by threatening their position shows the importance honour had in this society. Brabantio’s reaction to Othello’s and Desdemona’s marriage, Cassio’s anguish over his lost title, and Othello’s ease in being influenced by Iago are examples of this. The society in The Yellow Wallpaper differs in this way because while John did put himself as superior to Jane, he did not harm Jane in the name of his status, but rather a misguided medical belief that she was sick due to her gender’s pathology. The actions of the men in Othello were motivated by honour, while it was John’s arrogance that instead caused him to mistreat Jane. In The Yellow Wallpaper, the oppression towards women was led by the belief that women were pathologically inferior to men, where in Othello, as explained by Hammons, “[a]ccording to The Lawes Resolutions, because Eve’s transgression
Many may say Emilia was not aware of how she is supposed to treat by her husband conversely, a comment made by her states otherwise. “Tis proper I obey him, but not now’ (Shakespeare V.ii.195). Towards the end of the story she explains to Othello how her husband asked her to steal the handkerchief from Desdemona She clearly states she know it is the right to obey her husband, but she was not going to support him in his wrong. She is one of the few in this time period to disobey their husband. Emilia is not the type of wife to support him in his wrong-doing. She stands up to her husband.
Emilia displays to Desdemona a helping hand and says to leave Othello if she is so hurt by his “understandings”. “…Having the world for your labor, ‘tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right” She is basically explaining to Desdemona to leave Othello for his ludicrous antics.
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.
Emilia is a realistic woman. She does not always do what is right, but does things to make life easier for herself. When Emilia steals Desdemona’s handkerchief she says,
Emilia, while lying next to her best friend on her deathbed, began to suppress her passive nature and attempts persecute the murderer. Nonetheless, the only woman who stood up for herself got killed in the end by her own husband. Othello and Iago’s wives were thought to be disloyal to their husband, while only one of them was correct in this accusation, Desdemona and Emilia were both murdered by the people they pledged their allegiance to. But, Emilia was the only woman who denounced the authority men had over women and compares the qualities of both men and women. She is fully aware of the gender
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 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.
First, in order to defend Desdemona's chastity, Emilia challenges the societal norm of silence. Recall the incident when Othello calls Desdemona a "whore" for cheating. In response, Emilia protests loudly against Othello and attempts to disprove his belief that Desdemona is not chaste: "A halter pardon him [Othello]! And hell gnaw his bones! / Why should he call her [Desdemona] whore? (4.2. 143,144). Instead of Emilia conforming to the attribute of Renaissance women as silent, she condemns Othello for his false accusations against her mistress, Desdemona. Later in the play, after finding Desdemona killed, Emilia challenges silence again: "As ignorant as dirt! Thou hast done a deed-... / The Moor hath killed my mistress!" (5.2. 171,174). Although Othello tells Emilia that it would be "best" for her to remain silent, she ignores his request and ridicules him for killing "sweet" Desdemona (5.2. 169).
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.
...of Elizabethan England and put women in their place. Men view women as possessions, who are to remain obedient and submissive all the time. The only power over men women have is their sexuality, which is seen as evil and is to be resisted my men. Men are free to call women whores and accuse them of lewd acts with no substantial evidence. However there is a suggestion that women are starting to question the male authority society has set, this is evident when Desdemona is conversing with Emilia: 'Nay, we must think men are not gods" (III.4.144). This suggests that Desdemona had viewed men as god like in the past, but perhaps her experiences with Othello have changed her mind. The language and actions of the three women in Othello, while they seem to follow the expectations and standards of society, also seems to take a big step towards a more egalitarian society.
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 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.
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.