Women In Othello Essay

750 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Elizabethan era women and gender

The patriarchal Venetian society presented in William Shakespeare's play Othello, expressed deeply on the idealistic values of the Elizabethan England standards of how a woman should be represented in society, seemingly to put women in their place by the men that surrounded them catering to their every want and need without any say in the regards of the situation. Throughout this time men considered women to be possessions, in which they were to remain submissive and obedient to their every command. Also, it is suggested that the only power that women do seem to gain control over men is being viewed as a temptress based solely on their sexual power and how it is considered to be evil which must be resisted by the men in this Elizabethan society.

For example, The women in the play Othello formally known as Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca were represented in society expected to be silent, chaste, and obedient to the men that surrounded them. Justifying a women's subordination because women were thought to be inferior to men which in many ways made these women differ from one another but remained fairly similar in other aspects as well. Therefore, the women in the play were viewed as being possessions to the men such as, Desdemona being married to Othello claims herself to be an obedient wife throughout the entire play even as his jealous antics and accusations of her infidelity play a huge part throughout the storyline, she continues to remain obedient to Othello’s orders from the early phases of their relationship being seemingly in love with one another to the later stages of the relationship which is practically bursting at the seams with the empty accusations of adultery and jealous ravings on Othello’s part. Throughout the enti...

... middle of paper ...

...lly guilty. When things go wrong male society thinks it’s socially acceptable to make slanderous accusations against females labeling them and putting the blame on them like the storyline in the play. The women in Othello are judged harshly by the male characters as being unfaithful and engaging in adulterous behavior just based merely on the fact that they are women and the men think it’s acceptable to automatically find them guilty of wrongdoing without any clear cut evidence. Ultimately, The play's treatment of feminist tension and gender difference only adds up how women are treated just as harshly as Othello was by Iago throughout the play. All of the Women in the play are pre judged as guilty because the social order in which men set labeling a women as a whore just because she has a different opinion or being smarter, causing them to fear her as an individual.

Show More
Related

  • Stereotypes In A Midsummer Night's Dream

    993 Words  | 2 Pages

    Othello is a play that asks us to examine the position of women in society. This play explores issues such as clandestine marriage, accusations of adultery, and it includes three different social classes of women. First, we have Desdemona, this is a woman from a noble family in Venice and has the least amount of freedom. Her behavior was watched very carefully. The perception of Desdemona is created by the language that other characters use to describe her. In Act 2, Scene 1, Cassio refers to Desdemona as ‘a maid/That paragons description and wild fame’; that she

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Yellow Wallpaper And Othello

    1329 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Power Of Women In Othello

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Gender Bias in Othello

    1865 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Othello Reflects the Context and Values of its Time

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    Within Shakespeare’s Othello there is an analysis into the context of the female. Brabantio’s rhyming couplet “Look to her, Moor, If thou hast eyes to see/ She has deceived her father, and may thee,” demonstrates his domineering and patronising attitude, as the Elizabethan era was a patriarchal society and the role of the female was to be ‘obedient’ to their father or husband. Brabantio also endeavours into placing a seed of doubt in Othello’s mind as a result of his jealousy. Consequentially Brabantio objectifies Desdemona when he states, “Where has thou stow’d my daughter?” exemplifying how he deems her as a possession, which can be stolen like any other. Othello prolongs this objectification through asserting that he “won his daughter” portraying Desdemona as a prize to be won, and a possession to be owned and argued over by husband and father. Desdemona is depicted early on in the play as the “angel” wi...

    Read More

  • The Perception Of Women In Shakespeare's Othello

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s play Othello, the male characters perceive women as adulterous and property, treating them as inferior that need to be submissive and obey. Iago creates a false perception of his wife thinking she is promiscuous. Also, Othello sees his wife as promiscuous, an impression created by his jealousy and one he has convinced himself of it. Furthermore, Iago and Othello perceive their wives as inferior, and by his words, the reader can see that they are both their wife and subordinate. At last, the male characters refer to Desdemona’s marriage as a “steal” and “purchase” of property, then, Iago and Othello end their wives’ lives because they see them as possessions of no good.

    Read More

  • Feminism In Othello Essay

    1641 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Free Othello Essays: Women as Victims in Othello

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    Othello is a play that only contains three female characters. Their roles vary and it would be an exaggeration to categorize them all as victims. However, there are similarities between the three women. [1]

    Read More

  • Theme Of Honour In Othello

    1062 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Othello, the titular character is a visible minority who holds a high position in the army but falls victim to manipulation by his seemingly trustworthy ensign and friend. While the theme of jealousy remains the main reason for the eventual death of both Emilia and Desdemona, the preservation of honour and reputation also fuel the characters’ actions toward the women. Therefore, the men in the play act cruelly and unjustly in order to defend their honour. While the conflicts between the Othello and Iago seem to be due to jealousy, the play suggests that the men are scared of the women and their power to destroy their honour and reputation.

    Read More

  • The Character of Emilia in Othello

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    The definition of Renaissance women is fundamentally important in William Shakespeare's play Othello. One of the major causes of Othello's tragedy is his belief that Desdemona is not chaste. According to the men of the Renaissance, chastity, silence, and obedience are three attributes that define Renaissance women. Although Othello takes place during the Renaissance, the women in the play, Bianca, Desdemona and Emilia, defy traditional norms by lacking at least one of the major attributes defining women; Bianca's lack of chastity is clearly displayed when she unlawfully sleeps with Cassio; Desdemona's lack of silence is clearly displayed when she constantly urges Othello to give Cassio's position back. However, in the last two acts, Emilia displays the strongest challenge to the definition of Renaissance women as silent, chaste, and obedient, mainly to defend Desdemona.

    Read More

  • The Negative Impact of Gender Roles in Othello

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Women in Othello

    1096 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...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.

    Read More

  • The Portaryal of Gender in Othello by William Shakespeare

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Treatment Of Women In Othello

    1665 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Women´s Portrayal in Shakespeare´s Othello

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about Women In Othello Essay

Open Document