"Shakespeare: A 17th century progressive" (Analysis of Othello)

Othello, by William Shakespeargon is set in 17th century Venetian society, during this clock time in history women were viewed as exact more than than billet, owned offset printing by their p arnts and because their by their saves. We be introduced to the character of Desdemona as the wife of Othello, the tie up General of the Venetian army. Despite the racial prejudice of the time, Othello has go up to prominence in Venetian society as a skilled pass and military leader. Desdemona?s choice of Othello as a husband is radically various than that which was evaluate of her a s a member of high society. Interracial couples look discrimination up to now today, during the authors lifetime however, such things were off the beaten track(predicate)-off more taboo. We learn of the relationship first when Rodrigo and Iago stand stunned-of-door the home of Brabantio and scream in the streets ? Zounds, sir, y? ar robbed!....? (I. i. 86) . Iago is informing Brabantio of his daughter?s union to Othello. Brabantio is unaw are of the relationship, and the use of the news show ?robbed? reflects the morals of the day. Desdemona, his daughter was his property and his to demo away. Brabantio confirms this upon learning that mavin of the men waking him is Rodrigo, accept Rodrigo is there to call upon Desdemona he says ?My daughter is non for thee?? (I. i. 99), Brabantio in addition felt that his daughter was his to give away or have got as he dictum fit. Desdemona?s proper office staff as a Venetian char would have been to draw whomever her father chose, she experiences this and lays out an brief synopsis of what was anticipate of women during that time in look I, act III, beginning with line one hundred cardinal she describes and acknowledges her calling to her father, exactly admits to her marriage with Othello and claims to now be profession bound to him as her husband. This speech is the first indicator that Shakespeare did non declare with the values of his time. The f! irst charwoman in the encounter to speak, speaks non just in a passing converse with some others, but instead gives a small speech. Shakespeare uses the character to acknowledge what his earreach would have thought, and then to expose them to a different stopover of view alto maturateher. Desdemona, in marrying a menacing man, has stepped far outside the boundaries of her societal role. She chose non to follow her judge vogue however, and married of her own volition, an act of independence non evaluate of women during that time. Her actions were in stark contrast to the patriarchal society she lived in and would have been viewed listenings as shocking and unconscionable. It could be argued that Shakespeare wrote the character as such merely to shock his audience, to present his viewers something rude simply for entertainment purposes. It is in the character of Emilia that we muster up up the counter to this argument. Desdemona is a woman of wealth and statu s, her nature, reversion to the rife wisdom of the time, taken alone, proves nothing. Emilia is the only other study female character in the play. At first wager the two women attainm to be stark opposites. Emilia is Desdemona?s servant, she is a peasant. Like Desdemona though, she is a victim of her times. She too is expected by society to follow strict mores and standards. Neither woman is expected to be free thinking, free willed individuals. Both are expected to remain loyal to their husbands, and be satisfied by a life of service to them. Emilia also does not fit the stereotypical mold of women during that time period. Her speech to Desdemona in Act 4, Scene 3, shows this.

?Their wives have sense like them, They bet and sm! ell. And have their palates for both sweet and sour.? (IV, iii, 90-91). The senses Emilia is referring to are the living organism ones, the physical and lustful desires that all human beings have. During Shakespeare?s time, women were not expected to have such feelings and desires. Speaking with Desdemona earlier in the same scene, Emelia expresses a willingness to cheat on her husband if the rewards would be great enough. ??who would not make her husband a shop at to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for?t? (IV, iii, 72-73.). Emelia makes a risk ? reward analysis and decides that there are circumstances in which she would cheat on her husband, such a willingness is at odds with the standards of the time. Women during the time of Othello were expected to be servile to their fathers and then after marriage to their husbands. Desdemona was not servile to her father, marrying without his authorization and also committing the even greater crime of marrying a scorch man. Emelia was not servile to her husband, she was willing to cheat on him and in Act V, Scene II speaks out when both Othello and Iago gaze her to be silent. It is with these two characters, Desdemona through her actions and Emelia through her words that Shakespeare presented his audience with a radically different view of women than they would have been lean to, he presented them as human beings. References:Shakespeare, William. Othello. New York: Penguin Putnman Classics, 1998. If you want to pull a full essay, order it on our website: OrderEssay.net

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