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Sexism In Othello

868 Words4 Pages

In Othello, Iago’s wife Emilia says a lot about the sexes that makes you think of the way women were treated in the Elizabethan era compared to today’s society. In my opinion, I agree that Emilia’s views about betrayal express a contemporary view of the relationship between the sexes. Women were known as property and worthless if they slept with a man before marriage. If a woman were to disobey her husband she would be punished and mistreated. They didn’t have much freedom to be or chose on their own. No matter what kind of life they had, if it was living with her father or husband, they were being told what to do, how to behave and what’s not right by men. Comparing the Elizabethan times to today’s society, it has changed for the better. Women today are …show more content…

“I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest, Lay down my soul at stake. If you think other Remove your thought, it doth abuse your bosom. If any wretch have put this in your head Let heaven requite it with the serpent’s curse For if she be not honest, chaste, and true There’s no man happy. The purest of their wives Is foul as slander.” (4.2.13-20) This quote said by Emilia is her telling Othello that Desdemona a true and faithful wife to him. In this part of the play Othello now believes that Desdemona really is cheating on him with Cassio. My interpretation of the play I felt like women weren’t taken serious and known as people don’t tell the truth. Othello described Desdemona as a whore for “cheating” on him. In today’s society there’s not much of a difference. Even though it is ridiculous women are still called whores if either they saw or heard of them sleeping with a man that wasn’t her boyfriend or husband. If a women was seen kissing someone that wasn’t their partner they would be known as “whores” or other nasty name. But if a guy is caught doing the same thing then he is known as “a player” which people don’t find the name so

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