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How Does Shakespeare Present Desdemona's Loyalty In Othello

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Loyalty of a Wife in Othello A common theme in William Shakespeare's plays is the loyalty of a wife or woman. One of the ways it is depicted is through Desdemona’s loyalty to Othello, and this is one of the major themes in the play. Another way this play includes loyalty is Emilia's toward Iago. Both of their relationships depict loyalty, and they do so in both similar and different ways. Although under different conditions, Emilia and Desdemona's loyalty is put to the test in their relationships. In Desdemona's relationship, she is mistreated, and Emilia is convinced to steal the handkerchief to give to Iago. Overall, a common theme in William Shakespeare's play Othello is the loyalty of a wife or woman. Throughout the play, one of the main ways there is loyalty is in the relationship between Desdemona and Othello. Desdemona was called a “whore” by Othello, which makes her say this to Iago and Emilia: “His unkindness may defeat my …show more content…

At the beginning of Othello, Emilia, who is Iago's wife, remains blindly loyal to her husband. Emilia demonstrates this loyalty when she steals Desdemona's handkerchief for Iago. Desdemona is concerned that she lost the handkerchief and doesn't know where it is, while Emilia knows where it is and proceeds to not tell her. Othello appointed Emilia to be Desdemona's maid. Emilia is being risky to achieve her goal of giving Iago Desdemonas handkerchief. Emilia’s loyalty is tested during the circumstances revolving around the handkerchief. The only reason she gives the handkerchief is that “My wayward husband hath a hundred times Wooed me to steal it…(Othello.3.3.294-295). Since Iago convinced Emilia to take the handkerchief, she felt it was necessary and obligated to make the wrong moral choice. Overall, this is another way that Othello depicts women's loyalty, particularly

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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

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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.

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Othello, one of the main characters in the play is a very trusting person causing him to be easily manipulated by others. Iago, a flag bearer and a friend to Othello uses his trustworthy persona against him to get revenge on him for not giving him the job as lieutenant. One of his manipulation tactics is to tell Othello that his wife is having an affair with a man named Cassio. In the play, Iago begins to talk to Othello about his proof that his wife is actually cheating on him by telling him, that Desdemona gave a handkerchief to Cassio, in which Othello gave to her that was passed on by his parents. Othello was not happy about that which ultimately lead Othello to be disrespectful towards Desdemona by hitting her, constantly calling her a whore and later killing her for thinking that she was cheating on him with Cassio (Shakespeare 1603).

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Desdemona shows where her loyalty lies in this quote. At the start, Desdemona talks about her duty to her father, Brabantio, and how she is supposed to respect him above all others. Desdemona then turns it around by talking about how her mother showed more duty to Brabantio than her own father and Desdemona says that she will do the same. Desdemona proves her loyalty to Othello quite well. She chose her husband, the man she loved, over her own father.

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Both Emilia and Desdemona have a battle against the men. Previously shown, they both go about it in different ways. But in the end both die from love. Desdemona repeatedly told Othello that she was not guilty of being a “strumpet”, but because of the lies Iago told him, he killed her. While she was taking her last breaths she replied to Emilia 's question, “Nobody.

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She was Desdemona's maid, a woman of practical intelligence and emotional resilience that played a great role and character. She follows Iago in wifely duty throughout, but during the play develops a strong loyalty to Desdemona and, at the end, denounces Iago's lies to defend Desdemona's reputation very well. She speaks disparagingly of men, but, until the last scene, she supports her husband when needed. When finally she sees the truth, Emilia abandons all loyalty to Iago and verbally attacks him for the villain he is. In response, he silences her by killing her.

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Not only does Iago contribute to the isolated Desdemona, her maid Emilia does as well. It can be argued that Emilia knew Desdemona so deeply in contrast to the other characters that the two shared a deeper bond past conversation, this is important to note as Emilia eventually proves the isolation of Desdemona, that even her most trusted friend befalls to the lies that are being told by Iago. Desdemona’s isolation slowly grows throughout the play due to the actions of others and the actions of Desdemona as well. Othello isolated himself from Desdemona, the act of this isolation had been thought out by Iago. This is seen when Iago and Othello discuss the relationship of Desdemona and Cassio, “Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady, Know of your love?”

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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.

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When Othello tragically kills his beloved Desdemona, Emilia is the first to find out adding that, “thou art rash as fire to say/ that she was false. O, she was heavenly true!” (5.2.165-166). She explained to Othello that Desdemona has always been loyal, and later she even implied that Othello should not believe everything he hears. After Othello’s fears that Desdemona was loyal and did not deserve to die became true, Othello cries, “O Desdemon!

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Speaking of which, Iago only becomes Othello 's lieutenant solely due to the suspicion he plants in Othello 's mind, proving how even this friendship isn 't pure. Iago is at the center of all relationships pulling the strings. Moreover, the truth between Emilia and Iago 's so-called matrimony is seen as Emilia confides in Desdemona about men, "They [men] are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us" (3.4 121-123). Not only does this explain the root of the men 's wants in amorous relationships, but it demonstrates the true intentions of all the men in the play in relation to the women in the play. Although Othello does not have any examples of friendship, one must make affirm that life is filled with people unlike the characters in

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In Othello, Othello and Desdemona are both characters that are struggling with their identities. In the beginning of the play we find Othello as a respectful man that is successful, but then we get Iago that manipulates him to make him seem as the bad guy. We also find Desdemona that turns against her father and the Elizabethan society to marry Othello, but we also find that she is respectful and obedient to Othello.

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Consequently, implies Emilia is promiscuous by directly saying to her, “A thing for me? It is a common thing” (3.3.311), referring to her as sexually “common” among men. Furthermore, Iago creates a false immoral image of Desdemona to Othello base on simple interpretation concluding Desdemona is adulterous, however, Othello ultimately convinces himself and perceives Desdemona as adulterous. At first, Iago distorts the reality to make Othello think his wife is deceiving him, but Othello is not fully convinced until he starts misinterpreting Desdemona actions, implying he perceives her as adulterous. Othello at first holds that “Desdemona’s honest” (3.3.230), but something as simple as a lost handkerchief makes him see his wife as an adulterous and called

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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)

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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

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In William Shakespeare’s Othello the two main characters are Iago and Othello. The entire story centers around Iago 's plan to achieve revenge on Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant. Throughout the story Iago tries to convince Othello that his wife Desdemona has cheated on him with his lieutenant Cassio. Iago’s plan is successfully and easily executed. Othello is tricked into believing that desdemona has been unfaithful and in the end he kills her.

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