In William Shakespeare's play Othello, Shakespeare portrays the complex relationship between the seemingly ideal couple of Othello, a noble, black war captain, and Desdemona, the daughter of the wealthy politician Brabantio. While the image of a strong, valiant soldier marrying a loyal and supporting wife seems to be the perfect scenario, their seemingly harmless expectations and views of each other soon impairs their judgments, thus launching the start of their demise. Their unattainable standards that they hold of each other distorts the reality of their situation and intensifies the devastation that results from their misjudgments, while their ignorance and innocence blinds them from the truth. Othello’s notable characteristics, such as his confidence and calm disposition, are what attract Desdemona, but they also cloud her view from seeing any of Othello’s flaws. As Desdemona listens intently to Othello’s heroic battle stories, she is wooed by the image of a brave and valiant soldier, so when she sees Othello respectfully and honorably defending their relationship to
Moreover, Shakespeare presents Desdemona as a celestial figure at the start of Act 3 scene 3, as to when Cassio regards her as being ‘Bounteous’, meaning generous or plentiful. However, the word is often associated with agriculture and because of this; the word could also arguably be linked with the Cornucopia, or horn of plenty, which in Greco-Roman mythology was a personification of the Earth. This makes Desdemona seem ethereal and thus Goddess-like. This is further emphasised as to when Cassio almost dehumanise himself by referring to himself in third-person: “Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio”, which in contrast to Desdemona’s previous Goddess-like appearance, makes him seem almost worthless. Similarly, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’
In chapter 3 scene 3 page 141 Iago accuses Desdemona of cheating on Othello with Cassio. Othello is in distress and in disbelief that she would do such a thing. This ends in Othello believing the lies and murdering his own wife when she was fully loyal to him. Desdemona never did anything wrong and only lied in order to save her own life. Her goal in her marriage was to live happily with her husband but Iago ruined that for his own selfish desires.
This further emphasizes how women are not submissive to male, but are forced by them to be obedient. On the other hand, the play Othello demonstrates how females are obedient to male, despite their maltreatment. Desdemona craves for Othello’s affection and approval, remaining fiercely loyal to him without the constant abuse like Rasheed in A Thousand Splendid Suns. In Desdemona’s final breath, she still remains true to her husband, saying “Nobody, I myself. Farewell.
Othello’s mental state needs to be deteriorating quickly compared to yesterday’s assessment. While everything seemed to be promising in our previous session, Othello now looks to be more stressed and overly emotional. Particularly, he is questioning his recent marriage to Desdemona and her faithfulness due to certain recent conversations with his Ensign, Iago. Impassioned and distraught, Othello confided in me, stating, ”Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless /Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.
This statement shows that Brabantio does not believe Desdemona to decide who she is to marry since she had rejected the wealthy, attractive men. Brabantio warns Othello that because she deceived him that he is bound to deceive Othello. This is sensed through cheating and also foreshadows Othello’s believing in the lie. This accusation is later reestablished by Iago “she did deceive her father, marrying you, (3.3. 206).” Desdemona also is subject to verbal and physical abuse by her husband.
It is clear that throughout the play we see Othello change from being confident in his relationship with Desdemona to rapidly becoming more insecure and paranoid about being cuckolded by Desdemona, which, in the Shakespearean era would have been an insult to his reputation and honour as the woman would have been in control of the
The way these women act and conduct themselves is unquestionably related to the ideological expectations of Elizabethan and patriarchal society. Desdemona, Othello 's wife and Brabantio 's daughter, is represented as the ideal woman. So she would never be disloyal to her husband. On many occasions, Desdemona obeys her husband firmly and calls herself obedient even after Othello hits her. She was loving and loyal to Othello and wishes a long marriage of prosperity and commitment that would lead to her ultimate happiness.
Something different happens with Desdemona in Othello’s play. Desdemona is betrayed by her husband Othello, she ratifies her love for him and loves him until his death. She becomes a character who finds the meaning of true love. Desdemona is capable of doing this, despite leaving her father to be able to marry her husband and decides to submit to her husband.
First deception being between Desdemona, Othello, and her father with the elopement. Next, The lack of communication between the two characters signifies the type of relationship Othello and Desdemona had. Despite the fact that each were loyal to each other, it proves to show how unhealthy their relationship truly was, and reflects how it was in the beginning as well when they eloped and how much it was a bad idea. Iago, however, remained sovereign over their relationship, allowing the loves to fall right into his trap. However, Iago is not the only one that is to take all the blame.
Most importantly, other lesson that we can gain from this novel is don’t listen to gossip. For instance, life was going pretty swimmingly for Othello as an awesome occupation as a general in the Venetian army, happy marriage to his adored Desdemona. It’s all until the point that he began listening to revolting tattle monger, Iago. The plotting deceiver dishonestly persuades him that Desdemona has been unfaithful: Othello covers her to death, discovers that she was innocent from the beginning, at that point commits suicide.
The repetition of the word ‘lust’, combined with the sexual associations of Desdemona’s bed, reflects and draws attention to Othello’s preoccupation with sensual matters. Othello even refers to his precious wife as ‘whore’ (III.iii.356), a ‘subtle whore’ (III.ii.20) and a ‘cunning whore’ (IV.ii.88), in a way to appreciate him. Shakespeare actually has indirectly revealed Othello’s fear of Desdemona’s sexuality. Even though Othello seems to be very confident in him and his control over Desdemona, he is actually tentative and afraid that Desdemona will cheat on him, proving his
In Shakespeare’s play Othello, the male characters perceive woman as property of their own who have to be submissive and they treat them as adulterous. The male characters in Othello perceive women characters as promiscuous and adulterous. Iago being the character who strongly shows his perception that woman are promiscuous by concluding that his wife has deceive him with Othello and Cassio. Moreover, Iago creates and immoral image of Desdemona persuading Othello of this lie, ultimately, Othello convinces himself that Desdemona is a promiscuous.
Othello believes his friend Lago over Desdemona his own wife. Instead of treating her fairly and the way she deserved he argues with her and ridicules her. Desdemona is a perfect example of a wife and Othello will not believe her because she is just a woman. Othello is easily convinced his wife is cheating and feels humiliated and therefore feels it is justified for him to smother her. When Othello states, “She turned to folly, and she was a whore” (5.2.134)
Othello’s This rage at Desdemona’s infidelity signals destmetion of his identity as a successful and loving man. It shows that he now completely loses control of himself, he no longer is that gentle man. He has become so poisoned by the manipulation of Iago, he no longer hears out for his “fair
