Desdemona to reveal the feminist narrative lurking between lines of Shakespeare’s plays. Only through the intertextual re-examination of the Shakespearean text itself via the interjection of genre and the reassigning of dialogue, within the metatheatre, is the true feminist representation of the female Shakespearian characters unveiled from behind the patriarchal preconceptions. From this understanding we may read Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) to be true feminist reworking of Shakespeare
Coming to the impact that feminism had on literary theory then, we might be able to suggest that Feminist Literary Theory looks to rewrite, as it were, the `literary canon' in order to identify neglected texts by female writers. Texts by male writers are also examined so that the depiction of women can be re-interpreted. Feminist critic, Elaine Showalter, identifies the `woman as reader' analysis as `feminist critique', and the `woman as writer' idea, she calls `gynocritics' . At this stage we can
through different mediums, as the exploration of universal concepts is still relevant to contemporary responders. This is particularly evident in Shakespeare’s “Othello” (1603). “Othello” is a Shakespearian tragedy set in sixteenth century Venice during the Turkish and Venetian Wars. The story follows the powerful Moor of Venice, Othello, and his tragic moral, military and marital downfall due to the corruption instigated by his jealous ancient, Iago. Throughout the play, the themes of womanhood
whiteness makes a difference. “I had no more control over my life than you had. My prison was unlike yours but it was prison still” (48). Although race and class separates these two, their experience is the same. Vogel and Morrison seem to approve the feminist concept of the universality of female subjugation (Sisterhood is Global 1984). She goes further to exonerate and identify with Barbary by telling her that she married a more, and also defy her father’s wish. The death of Barbary becomes a cautionary
In the play Othello, written by Shakespeare, women do not get to enjoy the same freedom that women do today.(major topics in the text). Women were responsible for keeping the image of their families good, men were considered the head of the household. Women had to uphold the perfect image when in a marriage, society had its own standards for women and there were different social values of women in the Elizabethan society. In this period women had strict set standards. Women were said to not go anywhere
In the play Othello, written by Shakespeare in the late sixteenth century, women do not contrive to enjoy the same freedom that women do today. In the play, Othello and Desdemona become married despite race and age. Desdemona is a young woman who is married to a much older man who is also African American. Iago is the character that tries to break up this marriage and convince Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful. Iago wants Cassio to lose his position as lieutenant. Iago frames Cassio to convince
Othello, by William Shakespeare is well known for its richness in literary content and elements pertinent to societal ideas. Moreover, women are portrayed in Othello in ways that confirm, but also contradict their treatment in Shakespeare’s time. Both female action and language represent these ideas such as expectations for a wife and expectations for how a woman is to act. That said, there are many other lines spoken by these characters that defy the expectations placed on women at time. Overall
In the play Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, the women take on various roles in this Venetian society. The roles include committing fraud, playing the part of the victim, and playing the part of the hero. In this Venetian society in the 1600s, the women served major purposes and were vital to keep the towns running. However, the women also faced being victimized and stereotyped in this man-run society. Women were inferior to men, treated unequally, and women were also viewed as
WOMEN’S ROLE IN SOCIETY: DISECTING THE MISOGONY IN SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO Judging Othello from a self-proclaimed feminist Audre Lorde’s perspective allows the reader to see the double standards women faced in the Elizabethan society. Today our society assigns gender roles to children from birth. From the baby dolls needing care and EZ Bake Oven toys, little girls are encouraged at an early onset to lead domesticated lives. Boys on the other hand, are given cars and action figures that can take rough-housing
New Historicism is also often emphasized as the power struggle of all kinds, and that also includes the power struggle in literary texts. New Historicism in Othello: - New Historicism often seen as an emphasis of a power struggle of all kinds. - In Othello, most of the characters is engaged in