Othello Desdemona Quotes

By not having confidence Othello is constantly looking for approval and what the right or wrong action is. In the following quote Brabantio eludes to the fact that Desdemona and Othello’s elopement is a sign that Desdemona will deceive her husband, just as she has does so to her father,“Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. / She has deceived her father, and may thee” (Shakespeare 1.3.333-334). The fear that Brabantio has brought to Othello is the fear that brings Othello to the goal of making sure that Desdemona is forever faithful. The high status that Othello's position comes with gives him false hope on the help others will give.

In William Shakespeare’s tragic drama “Othello”, Shakespeare puts emphasis on the role of the female characters and their influence on the male protagonists. Othello’s love and jealousy regarding his wife made this play a tragedy. There are only three women in the play Othello; Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca. The way in which these women behave and present themselves strongly reflects the ideological expectations of women within Shakespeare’s imagined Venetian society as well as the Elizabethan society in which he lived. This patriarchal Venetian society presented in the play depicts women as possessions of men who should remain submissive and meek at all times. They lived in a society in which a woman was either a whore, or a good, angelic

“A woman’s lack of ‘parties’ and ‘alliance’ to come to her aid against a murderous husband renders her an easily available victim” (Vanita). Indeed, the other reason for the death of Desdemona is that she has weak alliances with men. Olson thinks that “To Othello, Desdemona’s infidelity makes him think she is no longer attractive and has deficiency” (Olson). Her unfaithfulness not only causes jealousy but also makes Desdemona lose Othello’s trust. When Othello is not her side anymore, she does not have any male alliance other than Iago who pretends to be her supporter.

Desdemona has no family anymore and now she is going to travel with Othello to a place of warfare. At this point in the play Desdemona is very vulnerable.

Nowadays, many would consider the death of Desdemona, or even the destruction of love, to be the most tragic element of Othello; however, for a contemporary audience, many would have considered the ruination of Othello and Cassio’s friendship a terrible factor (Bernard Spivack believed it was the most tragic component of the play). An Elizabethan audience may have not experienced catharsis at its fullest potential following her death, and may not have even pitied her. This is reflective of audience’s changing opinions and interpretations, as society and attitudes change whilst the play stays the same. Auden’s comment must therefore be taken into context in relation to the era it was written; during the 1930s and 40s, women were gaining independence. Desdemona’s passivity stands in stark contrast to the women Auden is likely to have known, an important factor to consider when justifying his dislike.

Once Iago is able to plant the idea that Desdemona is not faithful in Othello’s mind, and Desdemona cannot find her handkerchief, Othello no longer maintains a virginal view of Desdemona. It is at this point Othellos’s spiral into a state of pure rage and jealousy begins: “Why, why is this?/ Think'st thou I'ld make a life of jealousy, /To follow still the changes of the moon/ With fresh suspicions? No; to be once in doubt/ Is once to be resolved: exchange me for a goat,/ When I shall turn the business of my soul/To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,/Matching thy inference. '

The society in which Othello takes place is a patriarchal. Where men had complete control over women’s. They were possessions rather than being just as equally human and capable of duties performed by men. Which lead me to the most truth worthy character of Desdemona. The tragedy “Othello” by W. Shakespeare reveals the dramatic transformation of a young, white and strong woman Desdemona. At the beginning of the play she is an independent spirit, regarded by her father Brabantio as “Weather a maid so tender, fair and happy” (Othello, I, I, 79). At the same time, she refuses to marry any of Venetian man and runs away with a black foreigner. This disrespectful gesture indicates to woman’s disobedience with respect to her father. The Moor, Othello, eventually becomes her husband. Throughout the tragedy, Desdemona is subjected to abusive behavior towards her by Othello.

She is not as experienced as Emilia in dealing with relationship problems due to her young age. Although Emilia tried to be submissive under Iago’s influence in order to please him and make her life easier, for Desdemona it is the total opposite. Desdemona aspires to make everyone’s lives around her easier. For instance, when Othello fires Cassio, she tells Cassio that she will bother Othello until he forgives Cassio. She begins to say that she would rather die than to give up Cassio’s suit.

The rites for which I love him are bereft me/ And I a heavy interim shall support/ By his dear absence. Let me go with him.” (1.3.290-294) Later on, the reader sees Desdemona become more and more subdued. She is very compliant with whatever Othello tells her, and does not try to argue with him much.

For Desdemona her weapons against Othello is her sharp tongue and quick mind, in this modern society those are considered strengths for all women who wanted to be treated as equals with men, and not to be treated as aliens just for their gender and opinions, even though Othello seems to respect Desdemona’s opinion on coming along with him in the first act, throughout the whole play you can clearly see that no matter what she does, he won’t listen to what she has to say, and because of the lost handkerchief and what Iago had planted in his brain, there was no way that whatever she said that he would listen to her. A strong woman like Desdemona was reduced to be called a “whore” and a “slut” all because of her jealous, cold-hearted

Othello had a perception of Desdemona that was altered by the conspiracies of Iago. Desdemona contributed to that perception by fulfilling a role that she thought was ideal for Othello. She wanted to be Othello’s perfect woman, so she portrayed herself as pure to her husband. She was not guilty of wrong doing in her portrayal since she was pure. Her excessive efforts to remain pure in Othello’s eyes caused her to appear the exact opposite of how she wanted to be regarded by him. Rather than see her as the pure

Othello has “not yet arrived” (2.1.89), and Desdemona struggles to conceal her “fear” (2.1.91) for his safety. On the docks of Cyprus, Desdemona’s reaction to uncertainty differs from the confidence she showed in the court of the Duke, trading in boldness for nervous humour. In an attempt to pass time and conceal her anxiety, Desdemona beckons Iago to share “what wouldst [he] write of [her], if [he] shouldst/ praise [her]” (2.1.117-118). Although Desdemona manages to put up a facade of cheerfulness, she reveals that “[she] is not merry” (2.1.121), but must continue on with the false front to protect her and Othello’s integrity and strength. When Othello arrives, a beacon of familiarity in an unknown circumstance, Desdemona’s tension melts away as she runs to “meet him and receive him” (2.1.175). Never before having been separated from Othello in a warlike circumstance, Desdemona’s struggle to conceal her fright pays off upon Othello’s safe arrival, adding another notch of experience on her belt. Desdemona’s reward for confidence in the unfamiliar, Othello’s safe arrival and gained respect from her comrades, encourages her to act courageously in future

Consequently, through Othello’s play, Shakespeare comprehensively depicts the atrocious injustices that women experienced in this horrendous period because of massive sexual differences. In this Shakespeare’s influential play, women are primary component of the Othello’s society. Most importantly, the chastity of the women is tremendously respected. The Desdemona’s perceived infidelity is exceptionally significant since it helps in driving the imperative acts of this enthralling play that eventually contribute to the extreme fatalities of several protagonists, including herself as well as his lovely spouse, Othello (Barnes, Shakespeare and Coleman 84).

She displays the virtue of helpfulness which Iago uses against her, knowing she will be happy to be of assistance to Cassio and unknowingly aid in Iago’s plan to arouse suspicion in Othello’s mind. She says to Cassio “if I do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it”, this shows how dedicated she is to helping a friend. Desdemona’s intense loyalty to Othello is shown until her final breath saying, “Nobody. I myself. Farewell.

=In William Shakespeare’s tragic drama “Othello”, Shakespeare puts emphasis on the role of the female characters and their influence on the male protagonists. Othello’s love and jealousy regarding his wife made this play a tragedy. There are only three women in the play Othello; Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca. The way in which these women behave and present themselves strongly reflects the ideological expectations of women within Shakespeare’s imagined Venetian society as well as the Elizabethan society in which he lived. This patriarchal Venetian society presented in the play depicts women as possessions of men who should remain submissive and meek at all times. They lived in a society in which a woman was either a whore, or a good, angelic wife. The women are expected to unselfishly and unreservedly devote their lives to serving their fathers and or their husbands’. The wife of the protagonist, Desdemona, is the main female character. These three female characters all vary in their personalities and roles, yet they all share one common trait, in that they are all women living in a patriarchal society and thus by suffering together, their female bonds become stronger.