OthelloOthello

The role of womenThe role of women

Essay topics the following notes Essay topics the following notes will be handy for:will be handy for:

The position of women in The position of women in Shakespearean dramaShakespearean drama

Character essays on Character essays on Desdemona/Emilia/Othello/IagoDesdemona/Emilia/Othello/Iago

Why the relationship falls apartWhy the relationship falls apartReputationReputation

Women in the Elizabethan Women in the Elizabethan periodperiod

Similar to the 19Similar to the 19thth century (think back to century (think back to WSSWSS)) A patriarchal society dictated women obey A patriarchal society dictated women obey

menmen Expected to be virginal and chaste because…Expected to be virginal and chaste because… It was through them that blood and wealth It was through them that blood and wealth

was transmitted from father to son. If your was transmitted from father to son. If your wife wasn’t faithful, how could you trust that wife wasn’t faithful, how could you trust that your child really was yours?your child really was yours?

Out of control wife=husband’s reputation Out of control wife=husband’s reputation sufferssuffers

BrabantioBrabantio

Brabantio believes that a daughter’s Brabantio believes that a daughter’s first duty should be obedience to her first duty should be obedience to her fatherfather

Sees her elopement as a crime Sees her elopement as a crime against this dutyagainst this duty

O heaven! How got she O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the out? O treason of the blood.blood.

BrabantioBrabantio

Brabantio believes Desdemona has Brabantio believes Desdemona has been tricked into marrying Othellobeen tricked into marrying Othello

Doesn’t think she is capable of Doesn’t think she is capable of making her own decisionsmaking her own decisions

She is abused, stolen from She is abused, stolen from me and corrupted by me and corrupted by spells and medicines.spells and medicines.

DesdemonaDesdemona

More than capable of standing up for More than capable of standing up for herself and choosing her allegianceherself and choosing her allegiance

Obvious that it must lie with her husbandObvious that it must lie with her husband

her duty is her duty is due to the Moordue to the Moor Initially, a picture of powerful womanhoodInitially, a picture of powerful womanhoodAsserts her independence from patriarchy Asserts her independence from patriarchy

by choosing her own husbandby choosing her own husband

The CourtshipThe Courtship

Eagerness to hear Othello’s tales of Eagerness to hear Othello’s tales of adventure suggests that Desdemona adventure suggests that Desdemona feels constrainedfeels constrained

Neglects domestic duties in order toNeglects domestic duties in order to

……with a greedy ear with a greedy ear

Devour up my discourseDevour up my discourse

Look at Othello’s speech at Look at Othello’s speech at 1.3.1271.3.127

1.1. What sorts of things did Desdemona What sorts of things did Desdemona hear Othello speak of?hear Othello speak of?

2.2. What about Othello might What about Othello might Desdemona have been attracted Desdemona have been attracted to?to?

The CourtshipThe Courtship

Falls in love with idea of O’s heroism Falls in love with idea of O’s heroism and exoticismand exoticism

Relationship based on ideal, rather Relationship based on ideal, rather than knowledge and intimacy than knowledge and intimacy

One of the reasons why Othello is so One of the reasons why Othello is so easily convinced of her infidelityeasily convinced of her infidelity

IagoIago

scathing of women0scathing of women0bawdy speech suggests true feelingsbawdy speech suggests true feelings

You rise to play and go to You rise to play and go to bed to workbed to work

IagoIago

Easily convinced by rumours of his Easily convinced by rumours of his wife’s infidelitywife’s infidelity

I, for mere suspicion in that I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for kind, Will do as if for surety.surety.

Knows that Desdemona is innocent Knows that Desdemona is innocent and virtuousand virtuous, but is still determined to, but is still determined to

turn her virtue into pitchturn her virtue into pitch

IagoIago

Use of lewd and bestial imagery Use of lewd and bestial imagery suggests that he sees sex as an suggests that he sees sex as an animalistic and entirely physical actanimalistic and entirely physical act

Says that Desdemona and Cassio areSays that Desdemona and Cassio are

as prime as goats, as hot as prime as goats, as hot as monkeysas monkeys

IagoIago

Part of Iago’s contempt for Othello is Part of Iago’s contempt for Othello is located in his fear that Desdemona located in his fear that Desdemona has powerhas power

He feels that a man shows weakness He feels that a man shows weakness by allowing a woman to have power by allowing a woman to have power over himover him

Our general’s wife is now Our general’s wife is now the generalthe general

OthelloOthello

Demonstrates his willingness to obey Demonstrates his willingness to obey Desdemona when she first pleads Desdemona when she first pleads Cassio’s suitCassio’s suit

let him come when he let him come when he will; I will deny thee will; I will deny thee nothing.nothing.

OthelloOthello However, Othello’s jealousy is easily invoked However, Othello’s jealousy is easily invoked A military man = little knowledge of love and A military man = little knowledge of love and

romanceromance Iago manipulates Othello’s sense of himself Iago manipulates Othello’s sense of himself

as an outsider, saying that he doesn’t as an outsider, saying that he doesn’t understand the way women in Venetian understand the way women in Venetian society conduct their romantic affairs:society conduct their romantic affairs:

In Venice they do let God In Venice they do let God see the pranks they dare see the pranks they dare not show their husbandsnot show their husbands

OthelloOthello

Easily and thoroughly convinced of Easily and thoroughly convinced of Desdemona’s infidelity Desdemona’s infidelity

Does not even allow Desdemona the Does not even allow Desdemona the opportunity to defend herself, abusing her opportunity to defend herself, abusing her and accusing her of crying for effect only:and accusing her of crying for effect only:

If that the earth could teem If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears, Each with woman’s tears, Each drop she falls would prove a drop she falls would prove a crocodile.crocodile.

OthelloOthello

Love for Desdemona based on an Love for Desdemona based on an idealideal

If he really knew her, he would know If he really knew her, he would know she was incapable of infidelityshe was incapable of infidelity

Sees her death as a necessary Sees her death as a necessary sacrifice in order to preserve the sacrifice in order to preserve the image of her purity and perfectionimage of her purity and perfection

BiancaBianca

Cassio’s loverCassio’s loverOwns her own homeOwns her own homeHas the pride to be offended by and Has the pride to be offended by and

to vigorously defend herself against to vigorously defend herself against the insults of Emilia:the insults of Emilia:

I am no strumpet, but of I am no strumpet, but of life as honest as you that life as honest as you that thus abuse me.thus abuse me.

BiancaBianca

Loves Cassio and shows concern for Loves Cassio and shows concern for him when stabbedhim when stabbed

O, my dear Cassio, my O, my dear Cassio, my sweet Cassio.sweet Cassio.

BiancaBianca Relationship with Cassio is contrasted with Relationship with Cassio is contrasted with

Othello’s with DesdemonaOthello’s with Desdemona Both Bianca and Othello are jealous of their Both Bianca and Othello are jealous of their

partnerpartner Bianca accuses Cassio of avoiding her: Bianca accuses Cassio of avoiding her:

What! Keep a week away?What! Keep a week away? and and of giving her of giving her some minx’s tokensome minx’s token

The difference is that Bianca’s jealousy is The difference is that Bianca’s jealousy is justified – it is the nature of such relationships justified – it is the nature of such relationships that he will eventually leave her. that he will eventually leave her.

EmiliaEmilia

Though sharp-tongued, an obedient wife Though sharp-tongued, an obedient wife to Iago. to Iago.

Against her better judgement, steals the Against her better judgement, steals the handkerchief at his request, initially not handkerchief at his request, initially not questioning his purpose: questioning his purpose:

What he will do with it, What he will do with it, heaven knows, not I: I heaven knows, not I: I nothing, but to please his nothing, but to please his fantasyfantasy

EmiliaEmilia

Cynical about male-female Cynical about male-female relationshipsrelationships

Uses imagery of devouring to Uses imagery of devouring to describe the way men treat women: describe the way men treat women:

They are all but stomachs, They are all but stomachs, and we are all but food. and we are all but food.

EmiliaEmilia

Believes that men eagerly take what they Believes that men eagerly take what they want from women, but discard them when want from women, but discard them when their appetites are sated: their appetites are sated:

They eat us hungerly, and They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, they when they are full, they belch usbelch us..

Believes that it is the fault of men’s ill-Believes that it is the fault of men’s ill-treatmenttreatment

if wives do fallif wives do fall

EmiliaEmilia

Ordinary voice of common sense in the Ordinary voice of common sense in the playplay

Denouement, the unveiling of all lies and Denouement, the unveiling of all lies and dishonesty, comes through herdishonesty, comes through her

Refuses to be silenced: Refuses to be silenced:

Let heaven, and men, and Let heaven, and men, and devils, let them all, all cry devils, let them all, all cry shame against me, yet I’ll shame against me, yet I’ll speak. speak.

EmiliaEmilia

Calls Othello Calls Othello

ignorant as dirtignorant as dirthis marriage to Desdemona a his marriage to Desdemona a

most filthy bargainmost filthy bargain

and her husband’s plot and her husband’s plot

Villainy, villainy, villainy!Villainy, villainy, villainy! Dies protesting Desdemona’s Dies protesting Desdemona’s

innocence. innocence.

DesdemonaDesdemona

Unable to believe that an unfaithful Unable to believe that an unfaithful woman exists: woman exists:

I do not think there is any I do not think there is any such womansuch woman..

Totally submissive and obedient Totally submissive and obedient

I will not stay to offend I will not stay to offend youyou

DesdemonaDesdemona

Refuses to blame Othello for her death. Refuses to blame Othello for her death. When asked who is to blame, she replies When asked who is to blame, she replies

Nobody – I myselfNobody – I myself.. The audience’s pity for Desdemona is The audience’s pity for Desdemona is

complete because she is completely complete because she is completely blameless. blameless.

Her only flaw (a tragic one) is her love for Her only flaw (a tragic one) is her love for

Othello. When he tells her to Othello. When he tells her to think on think on your sinsyour sins, she identifies them as , she identifies them as

loves I bear to you.loves I bear to you.