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Feminism In Othello

1133 Words5 Pages

In Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the storyline demonstrates male-dominance over the female characters, therefore marginalizing the role of feminism in the play. There are three female characters who play an important role in the Othello, each of whom showed true love and affection towards their men and yet were rejected and became a symbol of suspicion in the tragedy. The story line of Othello contains many problematic complications, all leading towards the ending tragedy, but one of the main conceptions supported throughout the play revolves around the female characters who become victims in the men dominant society. Othello's tragedy in the play happens as a result of men's misunderstandings of women and women's inability to protect themselves …show more content…

Roderigo for example, who was desperately in love with Desdemona throughout the play and thus committed many foolish acts in hope of gaining her love. He was presented as a man who lacks masculinity and other attributes that the other men such as in the play demonstrated. Due to Roderigo’s foolish character, he became Iago’s puppet who unknowingly helped Iago accomplish his evil plan throughout the play. This is seen in Act 5 as Iago refers to him in the following lines, “I have rubb'd this young quat almost to the sense. quat meaning boil or spot. And also as a source of income. Of gold and jewels that I bobb'd from him, As gifts to Desdemona” (Act 5, Scene 1). Othello’s change in character, from being a warrior to becoming effeminate after marrying Desdemona, also supports the idea that the men of Othello who provoked feminine qualities were suppressed in the society. In the land of Cyprus, Othello became an insecure man due to his differences amongst others and was over run by many unknown emotions which lead him to kill his wife,

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