Misogyny-Induced Violence In Cinthio's Moor Of Venice

Infathomability and Destruction: Misogyny-Induced Violence in “Moor of Venice”

Cinthio’s “Moor of Venice” appears to be a tragedy about a manipulated lovers’ quarrel. Although the Moor and Desdemona initially display passionate, faithful affection toward each other, their trust is tampered with by a jealous Ensign who desires Desdemona, and is willing to hurt anyone in the process. However, love suddenly turns to hatred, and the Ensign devises Desdemona’s demise with a plan to convince the Moor that Desdemona has committed adultery with the Corporal, their mutual friend. This plan eventually succeeds, as the Moor’s trust towards Desdemona diminishes with the Ensign’s execution of pre-planned evidence and manipulation, and the Moor and the

Desdemona’s death is eventually portrayed as righted and avenged by the Ensign and Moor’s death. However, the question of the motives that led to her death still stand. Seemingly anomalously, “the love that [the Ensign] bore for the Lady changed to the most bitter hatred”, and the plan that ensued ultimately led to her unjustified death (222). The Ensign blames Desdemona for him not being able to “have” her, and, thus, she becomes his target of violence. Despite their passionate love, the Moor eventually completely distrusts Desdemona and also participates in her deliberate murder. Although their love appeared steadfast, this was not enough to protect Desdemona from the jealousy and anger-stemmed violence of the Moor and Ensign. Why did the Ensign’s love turning to

Although the Moor is also a victim of the Ensign’s careful manipulation and deceit, the Moor places the responsibility to prove Desdemona’s adultery in the Ensign’s hands with little to no attempt at genuine communication about his concerns with Desdemona herself. Once rumor of Desdemona’s adultery is solidified and spread, the Moor devises a plan to kill Desdemona with the Ensign after implementing the Corporal’s death. In response to the rumor being spread, Desdemona obviously displays deep sorrow, to which the Moor and the Ensign twist into grief of the Corporal’s death. After the Ensign explains her anguish by comparing the Corporal to Desdemona’s life and soul, the Moor expresses his decisive coldness; “‘I shall pull her soul from her body; I would not be a man if I did not kill such an evil one’” (227). Upon finally facing Desdemona before her death, the Moor also speaks about her as if he does not know her: “‘Wicked woman, this is the reward for your dishonesty; this is how such women are treated when, pretending to love their husbands, they put horns on their heads’” (228). Essentially, the Moor’s use of language illustrates how Desdemona’s death is also perpetrated by his dehumanization of her once her sole value as a loyal wife is gone. The Moor also dehumanizes her in refusing to truthfully communicate with her, and