Matthew Foung English 3IB, 5 10.27.14 IB English 3 Individual Oral Presentation Othello: Role of Women 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? I. Introduction A. John Knox once said “women in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man” …show more content…
They are seen as physically and mentally weaker than men. 4. In the Elizabethan society, it was expected for women to be obedient and to be in her place. 5. The main roles as a woman were to marry, to manage the household, and to bear children. B. Shakespeare connects the behavior of women from his Elizabethan society to a Patriarchal Venetian society. 1. In Othello, the Patriarchal Venetian society resembles the same society Shakespeare had lived in. a) Coming from an Elizabethan society, Shakespeare viewed women as insignificant and weak. . b) He uses this view and portrays it in the play 2. Not only were women inferior, the men also considered them possessions. a) The senator tells Othello to “use [her] well” (I.iii.288) during the meeting at the Duke’s place. b) Such perspective is seen through the eyes of all the men. They are used to being the dominating gender and do not think of the women as highly. II. Women and their submissiveness A. “Of spirit still and quiet’ and ‘A maiden never bold” (I.iii.95-97). 1. Barabantio, during the talk with the senators, announces publicly that women are to be raised as obedient and that they should never act out of their …show more content…
He refers the marriage as him purchasing her. He thinks the marriage was just a transaction and that she was just bought by him. B. Iago treats all women as objects 1. Iago believed that Othello had “twixt [his] sheets [and] done [his] office”(I.iii.381-382). a) Even though it was a rumor, Iago chose to believe that Othello had an affair with his wife. b) The way he referred to his wife is very dehumanizing. i. He objectifies his wife as just sheets and an office. ii. He thinks that Othello has been in his sheets and done his role. iii. An office is one’s place to work and Othello had taken Iago’s role and done work there. 2. “The lusty Moor…hath leaped into my seat”( II.i.286-287). a) Again, Iago substitute his wife as his seat, and he thinks that Othello has taken his spot. b) In a relationship, the man is the only one to have anything with the woman. i. Iago is mad that Othello has taken that privilege and trespassed into his relationship. IV. Women and their audacity A. Even though in the play, women are mainly seen as submissive, there are a few incidents of women establishing their beliefs and act as an individual. 1. Desdemona displays an act of defiance and change of loyalty in the beginning of the
Within Shakespeare’s comedies, many of the female characters are portrayed as submissive and easily controlled. Like dutiful daughters, these women submit to patriarchal repression with little complaint.
"We may say that the dominant ideas in most societies are the ideas of the dominant sex, associated and mingled with those of dominant class." (Chedgzoy, pg.50) During the Elizabethan time men dominated society. Historically speaking males have always held more power then females in most cultures. Although a few cultures were Matriarchal societies. Yet even in these cultures women were not the superior power but were valued as equal to men. Most of the matriarchal societies viewed women as the embodiment of the goddess. Women have never been the sole dominant sex in a society. The fall of the Matriarchal societies occurred mostly from the organization of Christianity. The Christian ideals taught that women were not intended to have influential roles in society. In the Elizabethan era women were in a weak social position. In addition when Shakespeare writes about women he encompasses the complex issues that socially surround females. Shakespeare allows the audience to observe issues that effect their own factual society acted out on stage. At this time the society was definitely patriarchal, where women were viewed as inferior. In addition women had little to no power over there own lives. Fathers viewed their daughters as their propriety. Which left daughters in a powerless position. The power that women did have was their personal sexuality, virginity was prized and seen as a jewel. Once daughters were married their husbands also valued them as propriety. "Marriages were still arranged, as they had been in the Middle Ages, to further the interests of land-owning families. On marriage all the girl's legal rights ceas...
In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice, there are several strong, predominate female characters. Emilia, Desdemona, and Bianca have to defend themselves from the vicious men in the play. However, despite being victimized by the domineering men, their individual strengths set them apart from their abusers.
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.
Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 39-55)
This shows how conniving Iago is. He will use the fact that Othello trusts him to get his revenge.
As Othello is seen being manipulated by mere scandal, his path to betrayal has just begun. In the beginning, Iago’s determination to become a lieutenant drove him to deceive Othello in order to prove Othello’s wrongdoing for not choosing him—resulting in the fall of Othello and his love ones. In Act Ⅳ, scene ⅰ, Iago keeps Othello focused on the disloyalty of Desdemona, in which made Othello get mad by the idea of his wife with another man. The constant support of
Here is seen another role or function of women in the drama – that of comforter for the aged. Brabantio is the old father, and he hates to lose the comforting services of his Desdemona. The daughter’s husband Othello expresses his sentiments to Iago regarding his relationship with the senator’s daughter, saying
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.
Men were taught to be superior to women since the dawn of time, whereas females were looked down upon. Ruled by patriarchy, it was hard for most of these women to do more than just be a stay at home wife. In some of the stories we have read, the women were portrayed as submissive, obedient, with no voice. Women have struggled to break out of this mold and find a voice for themselves. However, some managed to break out of these expectations and standards. Women and men have had to fulfill different set standards before anyone had stepped foot outside the womb. For both genders those standards came with different expectations.
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.
Desdemona, the main female character, is more of a free willed woman compared to the others; she continues to voice her opinions even when she is discouraged to do so. In the play, it starts with her going against her father when
Desdemona changed in a negative way. She let her husband overpower her more and more during the play. She was a very passive character and just went with everything he said because she believed that he was always right. She didn't have the will power to stand up for herself, which ended with Othello suffocating her to death. Even after he tried to kill her, she still was obedient towards him.
Men have so much control in this society and Shakespeare has a little bit of a change in the women in his play.
The play, The Merchant of Venice drastically altered the perception of women during the time as Shakespeare makes women during the Italian Renaissance appear independent and intellectual, such as the beautiful Portia and the young Jessica. This play shows that women are not only beautiful people to look at but also powerful and intelligent individuals. The characteristics of the women in this play show the possibilities of equality between men and