Throughout literary history women have played two very different, yet distinct roles. There is the role of the strong, determined woman who faces adversity with a confident approach. There is also the submissive woman who is at the mercy of the dominant males in environment. Desdemona, of the Shakespearean play Othello, is a very complex character who takes on both roles. Desdemona's actions and demeanor change throughout the play, depicting a self-effacing, loyal wife, while also showing a gallant, independent woman. Her strong side is subtle and can be easily overlooked and mistaken for quiet submissiveness, though it is this subtle strength that makes Desdemona such a powerful character.
Desdemona is not unlike many women today; she is torn between her devotion to her father and her faithfulness to her husband. She shows her indecision in one of her first speeches with her father,.
My noble father/ I do perceive here a divided duty./ To you I am bound for life and education;/ My life and education both do learn me/How to respect you. You are the lord of duty,/ I am hitherto your daughter/ But here's my husband,/ And so much duty as my mother showed/ To you, preferring you before her father,/ So much I challenge that I may profess/ Due to the Moor my lord. (I. iii. 178-187).
This speech illustrates Desdemona's inner conflict and also enforces Desdemona's deep- seeded emotions. This is very important because this proves that Desdemona was not a weak woman at heart. She did not readily take her subservient role to her husband but is concerned about how her actions will affect the other people around her, and in turn, affect herself. This can also be construed in the opposite way. Her want to please her husband and her father, the two dominant male figures in her life, can be seen as her submissiveness to them. .
One of Desdemona's most powerful speeches occurred in her final moments before Othello smothered her where she recited a song that she learned from one of her mother's maids, Barbary, "She was in love; and he proved mad And did forsake her.
Desdemona Shakespeare's sweetest star A Outline of the role of Desdemona in the text : Desdemona is the sickly sweet innocent in Shakespeare's play Othello. ... B ) Other Characters reactions to Desdemona : Desdemona is the love of Othello's life. He loves Desdemona with his whole heart. ... Emillia is Desdemona's Lady in waiting. ... Desdemona is a Elizabethan "bimbo". ...
DESDEMONA'S CHARACTER Desdemona is the embodient of sweetness and innocence.She is whole hearted in her love and even Iago says that when she once promises to do some thing she thinks it dishonourable not to do more than what is expected of her. Desdemona betrays considerable tactlessness and some thing of childish obstinacy and persistence in her pleading for cassio.The clever Iago seems to have foreseen this and cautioned Othello that over-insistent pleading for Cassio,on his wife's behalf,would mean that she is really pleading the case of her lover....
Othello's race affects how the play develops, especially in regards to his relationship with Desdemona. ... In Othello, Iago and Roderigo go to Brabantio to explain that Othello has stolen his daughter, Desdemona. ... Brabantio is trying to convince them that Desdemona would not have married a black man without the spells. ... Even though it is known that Desdemona isn't a racist because she loves Othello, racism does is a factor. ... Iago used Othello's insecurity concerning his race to make him doubt the sincerity of Desdemona's love. ...
This might have been what caused Desdemona's rebelliousness. ... When Othello and Desdemona are first married, Othello spoke nothing but love for Desdemona. ... She was not able to take the steps toward liberation as easily as Desdemona did, so she was vicariously living the experience through Desdemona. ... Cassio recognized Desdemona's political concerns. ... Iago's foes were Cassio, Roderigo, Desdemona, and Othello. ...
Desdemona was a woman wanting to experience life and love. ... Garner also believes that Desdemona was not all that she seemed to be. Garner believes that many critics want to see Desdemona as perfect. ... Othello loved Desdemona with a vengeance, literally. ... Desdemona was innocent and obedient, but not without spirit. ...
Without Desdemona, Othello feels incomplete as he has no one to talk to about his daily adventures and Desdemona has no one as manly in her life. ... Adding on, Desdemona subsequently fights for herself throughout the play. ... This illustrates that Desdemona is liberated and not Othello's slave. ... Additionally, Desdemona and Othello prove that they do not need a token to love one another forever, more so Desdemona than Othello. ... Firstly, Othello expresses truthful love towards Desdemona in this play. ...
Iago easily convinces Roderigo to tell Desdemona's father, Brabantio, of Desdemona's elopement with a "moor". ... Later on Iago uses Desdemona's deceit towards her father as a way of changing Othello's perception of Desdemona. ... Iago's basic plot is to make Othello believe Desdemona is having an affair with Desdemona. ... "I do not think but Desdemona's honest. ... This treatment of Desdemona shows Othello's jealous nature, which Emilia points out to Desdemona. ...
Othello now believes that Desdemona is no longer in love with him. ... Othello also struggles with his inner evil when he killed Desdemona. Othello goes into the room to kill Desdemona and then kisses her" (5.2.10-20). ... Desdemona had a kind natured. ... This demonstrates how good of a person Desdemona really was. ...
Why Does Desdemona go so Gently into That Good Night? ... This is Desdemona, ever the dutiful wife. ... Desdemona does this to the outrage of her kin. ... Like Juliet in MacDonald's Goodnight Desdemona (Good morning Juliet), Desdemona takes on martyr like qualities on her deathbed. ... Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet). ...
