The Role of Women in Shakespea

Women are considered as inferior than men. They are deemed to be the weaker sex. Iago cautions Brabantio when he says “Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul / Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe” (I.i.84-86). These lines emphasize that fathers in Shakespeare’s time, like Brabantio, consider their daughters as their possessions. Therefore, the ladies have to obey their fathers, to whom they owe their life and education. They have to marry the man their fathers choose for them. That is the reason why Brabantio is enraged when he learns that Desdemona married Othello. Desdemona does not only marry aga

Women are complaisant on how they are treated in society. They are benevolent to what men do to them. Women do anything to satisfy their husbands. Desdemona has given herself, both body and soul, to Othello. She bears Othello’s abuse with acquiescence and patience. When Othello slaps Desdemona, she simply says “I have not deserved this” (IV.i.241). She never loses her composure. Desdemona never fights her husband. She only shows a brief expression of anguish and never deflecting her love for Othello. Desdemona’s tolerance is further shown when she says “Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend” (IV.iii.108). Desdemona has no knowledge of jealousy. She is too pure and kind hearted but lacks worldly wisdom. Desdemona never stood up for herself; allows everything to happen to her without an insinuation of struggle, including her own death. Even when she dies, she takes the blame of her death and never accuses Othello. Emilia, in some ways, is foil to Desdemona. Desdemona is an idealist while Emilia is a realist. Emilia has already seen much about the world to know the insightful ways of men. Yet, despite her superior knowledge, she is no equal to her husband. Moreover, she is still blind of Iago’s wickedness. Iago tells her wife that “It is a common thing to have a foolish wife” (III.iii.301). First, Emilia endures her husband’s verbal abuses. Second, even though she knows it is wrong, she steals Desdemona’s handkerchief in order to pleas her husband. However,

Some topics in this essay:
Othello Desdemona, Emilia Desdemona’s, Vii58-61 Desdemona, IIIiii301 Emilia, Emilia Othello, , Desdemona Desdemona, IViii108 Desdemona, Shakespeare’s Brabantio, Othello Desdemona’s, emilia desdemona’s, social classes, husband iago, women considered, othello emilia, emilia able, bad bad, fate women,