The play “Othello” by William Shakespeare can be read in a feminist point of view. An analysis of this piece of work gives us a chance to judge the different social values and status of women in the Elizabethan era. Othello is an example to show the expectations of the Elizabethan patriarchal society, the practice of patriarchal marriages, and the suppression and restriction of femininity. Patriarchy is a system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is traced through the male line. In the Elizabethan society, upon Renaissance beliefs, women’s only purpose was meant to marry. That being their only job, marriage had many responsibilities of housekeeping and raising the kids. Women were
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One of the first examples we see of this is when the Duke gives permission for Desdemona to go with Othello to Cyprus. Othello then speaks to Iago and describes himself sarcastically as a man of ‘honesty and trust’, telling the Duke that ‘To his conveyance I assign my wife’ (Act 1. Scene 2. Line 283). Here Desdemona, being Othello’s wife, is seen as his possession with the way he “assigns” her. Then, the first Senator sends Othello on his way and concludes by saying ‘use Desdemona well’ (Act 1. Scene 2. Line 288). The word choice of “use” made by Shakespeare is indicating that Desdemona will be used for whatever Othello wishes her to do. Another view we see of what marriage is like is seen when Othello says, ‘Come , my dear love, The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue’ (Act 2. Scene 3. Lines 8-9). It is here where it seems that Othello just described their marriage as a purchase, inferring that a women is bought by a man through marriage in which the women will be obedient to him and tend ro his sexual needs in return for the favor he just did by marrying her. We see another example of women being possessions when Iago believes that Othello has slept with his wife Emilia, which his want for revenge is coming from the way he views women as possessions. Iago says, ‘the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat’ (Act 2. Scene 1. Lines 286-287). When he says “my seat”, it is clear that Iago is suggesting that Othello has used …show more content…
They are possessions to men, who are expected to stay submissive, and the only power that they have against men is their sexual power which is looked down upon. The way Shakespeare makes these female characters carry themselves gives the reader the idea that society’s expectations of them are completely normal, and the only time they stray from this is when they are in private conversation with another female. However, a few times throughout the play it seems as if the women are starting to questions the males authority. Earlier I mentioned when Emilia defys Iago by telling the other men of his plan, but it is a conversation between Emilia and Desdemona that give readers an idea that times may be changing. Desdemona says, “Nay we must think men are not gods”(III.4.144). This suggests that she has always thought of men like gods, but with her recent experiences with Othello, she has learned a lesson to stray from that idea. It is in the instances that Shakespeare hints a step towards a new society, and a new way of life for women. One like which we live in
One of the first examples we see of this is when the Duke gives permission for Desdemona to go with Othello to Cyprus. Othello then speaks to Iago and describes himself sarcastically as a man of ‘honesty and trust’, telling the Duke that ‘To his conveyance I assign my wife’ (Act 1. Scene 2. Line 283). Here Desdemona, being Othello’s wife, is seen as his possession with the way he “assigns” her. Then, the first Senator sends Othello on his way and concludes by saying ‘use Desdemona well’ (Act 1. Scene 2. Line 288). The word choice of “use” made by Shakespeare is indicating that Desdemona will be used for whatever Othello wishes her to do. Another view we see of what marriage is like is seen when Othello says, ‘Come , my dear love, The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue’ (Act 2. Scene 3. Lines 8-9). It is here where it seems that Othello just described their marriage as a purchase, inferring that a women is bought by a man through marriage in which the women will be obedient to him and tend ro his sexual needs in return for the favor he just did by marrying her. We see another example of women being possessions when Iago believes that Othello has slept with his wife Emilia, which his want for revenge is coming from the way he views women as possessions. Iago says, ‘the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat’ (Act 2. Scene 1. Lines 286-287). When he says “my seat”, it is clear that Iago is suggesting that Othello has used …show more content…
They are possessions to men, who are expected to stay submissive, and the only power that they have against men is their sexual power which is looked down upon. The way Shakespeare makes these female characters carry themselves gives the reader the idea that society’s expectations of them are completely normal, and the only time they stray from this is when they are in private conversation with another female. However, a few times throughout the play it seems as if the women are starting to questions the males authority. Earlier I mentioned when Emilia defys Iago by telling the other men of his plan, but it is a conversation between Emilia and Desdemona that give readers an idea that times may be changing. Desdemona says, “Nay we must think men are not gods”(III.4.144). This suggests that she has always thought of men like gods, but with her recent experiences with Othello, she has learned a lesson to stray from that idea. It is in the instances that Shakespeare hints a step towards a new society, and a new way of life for women. One like which we live in