Women In Othello

She is then disowned by Barbantio with no further words directed to her by him but is referenced as a liar and should be kept on watch for her conniving ways by him towards Othello. Which then begins Shakespeare’s in depth writing on Othello and Desdemona’s relationship where she is as “a child to chiding” (4.2.119-120). Not even a moment after her father leaves Othello commands Iago to tell his wife, Emilia, to tend to Desdemona as a babysitter. Irony occurs within (2.1.169-171) where Desdemona challenges Iago and stands as an independent woman for Emilia objecting to his conclusion, that women no matter how beautiful or intelligent play the same “foul pranks”. However, as Othello’s jealousy and rage arises throughout the play it seems as her character has to fight even harder to breathe under his control; symbolic for her death of suffocation. Desdemona is a gentle women living under her love’s control with no power to object even if she had opposed this type of controlling relationship. As a higher class woman she had more power and respect over other women characters such as Emilia or Bianca, but is this dominance enough to feel in control of oneself? It is believed that Shakespeare added the 2 other

In the play ‘Othello’ written by William Shakespeare, we see not only the main male character leads. But we also see the female characters, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca. These three women were portrayed in ways that showed them being inferior to the other male roles as well as society during the Elizabethan Era. But Shakespeare made each of these individual ladies characteristics quite unique to one another having the traits of a feminist. Even though in the play we read how the male characters did somewhat control them and made them look weak compared to them, there were moments where Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca stood up for themselves.

This further develops Emilia’s character to the audience, as it displays her view of men, and how she believes that females are treated unequally in the world. Emilia’s view of men can be summed up in one of her very own quotes:

Her death is therefore her punishment, furthermore making Emilia a tragic victim as she has died through no fault of her own. Like Emilia, Desdemona is also a tragic victim of the men in ‘Othello’. Her murder, like Emilia’s, is through no fault of her own is a result of Othello’s jealousy and Iago’s interference. What makes Desdemona even more tragic to the audience is the fact that even in death she tries to protect her husband, telling Emilia that she has killed herself, “nobody, I myself”, this further depicts to the audience that Desdemona is a good and pure character. Her devotion to her husband makes her a tragic victim in the play as she can not be blamed for her death.

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the role of women is greatly emphasized. The important characters of the play, Othello, Iago, and Cassio, each have a women that stands behind him. These women each have an obligation to remain loyal and respect their husband's wishes, especially Desdemona and Emilia.

In addition, Emilia proves her underrated intelligence by standing up for what she believes is right. Desdemona, Othello's wife, and Emilia's relationship grows because of her great loyalty towards her. At the end of the play Emilia stands up for Desdemona because Othello kills her. She explains Desdemona's true love for him and would never do anything to hurt him, which proves Desdemona's innocence. Not only does Emilia stand up for Desdemona, but she also voices her opinion to Othello. Emilia shows no fear standing up to Othello to prove to him that his wife has always been faithful. At first Othello finds it implausible but then Emilia says, "Thou art rash as fire, to say that she was false. O, she was heavenly true!" (Shakespeare V: ii, 165-166).Women are looked at in Othello as unintelligent and unfaithful, but Emilia changes that stereotype by standing up to the men. From the start Emilia and Iago's relationship always seemed rocky. Emilia's confidence in herself shows that she is not afraid to stand up to her husband. Emilia realizes the danger she puts herself in when she stands up to Iago. In order to make things right, she does whatever it takes, even if that means ruining their marriage or taking her life.

n Shakespeare's play Othello many issues are undertaken and explored. The three women play a vital role in this. Only one of the women in this play survives. All the women have no separate identity within the play; all three are married or associated with a male character. Bianca is the mistress of Cassio, Emilia is married to Iago and Desdemona is married with Othello. According to the time that the play was written in and the general hierarchy within Venetian society men hold all the power and women are considered to be of low intellect. Yet it is the women that speak the most sense throughout the play and it is also the women that are able to trust other characters in the play. Each woman represents a different social level, Desdemona

Character development is seen in almost every character in the play Othello. Most of the characters are seen tumbling in a downwards spiral of their former self; while other characters are seen becoming more powerful due to the loss of power from the people above them. One of the characters that developed from her superior’s weaknesses is Iago’s wife, Emilia. Emilia spends most of her time with Othello’s wife, Desdemona. Most of their conversation surrounds the topics of gender roles in society and in their relationships. Desdemona’s insecurity in her relationship leads Emilia to find her own voice in order to defend her friend. Shakespeare utilizes

Iago’s treatment of women was disrespectful in that he sees them only as meat or servants. The women in, Othello, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca  are shown to represent their husbands and to serve their husbands every beckon call. Desdemona displays her loyalties as a wife when confronted about her marriage to Othello. Desdemona explains to her father that she has replaced him with her new husband, as it is her, “duty,” to the moor as his wife. This action causes Desdemona’s father to warn Othello about the dangers of his new wife, if it is so easy to replace her father than how long does her loyalties lie with her own husband.

Undoubtedly a stronger character, Emilia has also accepted her role in society. At the end of the play while revealing Iago's plan she states 'Tis proper I obey him, but not now' (V.2.195). Although she has just betrayed Iago,she still feels the need to explains her reasoning for not obeying him. Bianca is also a victim of the role society has set for women. She feels obligated by the standards of society to be circumstanced or to' put up with'. It was natural for women to be feminine and to obey the men of the society and it was unnatural for them to do anything of the contrary. this concept was widely believed and understood by Shakespeare's audience. Modern feminist disagree and say it is not natural for a woman to be feminine, however the women in Othello are pre-feminism and only seem to compound the ideologies of 'feminism' through their actions and behavior.

William Shakespeare's play "Othello” shows us the different status and social values of women in the society. Marriage and trust play a big role in this play. Women had a low position, they were expected to keep their ideas to themselves and be obedient to their husbands, brothers, fathers and all men in general. The patriarchal time serves as a natural order, because women were supposed to be physically inferior to their men. The three women are Desdemona who is Othello’s wife, Emilia who is Iago’s wife and Bianca who is seen as a prostitute.

Although partially responsible for contributing to the tragedy of Othello and death of Desdemona, Emilia is still considered to be one of the play’s most positive characters. In the Shakespeare play, Othello, Emilia is seen as one of the strongest of the female characters. Emilia is the wife of Iago and the attendant of Desdemona. She is a dynamic character who changes through the course of the play and also makes the argument, in a discussion with Desdemona, for equal social rights of women, or at least as much as one could as a woman could in the early 1600s. Emilia betrays Desdemona by stealing the special handkerchief given to Desdemona by Othello, but in the final scene of the play, Emilia redeems her wrong doing by helping to expose

The male characters of the play view women in varied ways. Cassio often idealizes Desdemona, praising her positive characteristics, even believing that she is "perfection" (2.3.25). Iago's attitude towards women is largely critical and negative. He tells Emilia that women are "pictures out of doors, Bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchens, Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, Players in your huswifery, and huswives in your beds" (2.1.111-114), meaning that women are often deceptive. He later says, "She never yet was foolish that was fair, For even her folly helped her to an heir" (2.1.137-138). Iago's cynical attitude towards women continues throughout the play, as he talks of women as being foolish and unfaithful creatures. Othello's views on women are more complex than Iago's. Othello loves and praises Desdemona often in the play. He tells Iago, "But that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition Put into circumscription and

There are only three female characters in William Shakespeare's play Othello, Desdemona, Othello’s wife, Emilia, Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s lady-in-waiting, and Bianca, a courtesan. When first introduced to this limited number of representatives of the female gender, it is quickly assumed that they will not be very present or have an important role in story. In addition, the male characters of the play see women as submissive and promiscuous possessions that should be controlled by either their fathers or spouses. However Shakespeare’s female characters are shown to question male authority and to have the ability to speak for themselves, which could be seen as feminist statement during the Elizabethan time that Shakespeare lived in.

In Othello, there were various cases of those deception, mistrust and denigration of women by men, which all were caused by Iago. The most significant case in this story would be the denigration of Desdemona. In order to bring downfall to Othello, Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona is being faithless. He uses Emilia, his wife, to steal the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona, and uses it as an evidence to prove Desdemona's faithlessness to Othello. In the end of the story, Emilia reveals, "O thou dull Moor, that handkerchief thou speak'st of. I found by fortune, and give my husband- For often, with a solemn earnestness (More than indeed belonged to such a trifle), He begged me to steal 't." Emilia was deceived by her husband, Iago. As a result, she became a part of the cause of the death of Desdemona, who she was most royal to, and the downfall of Othello, even though she did not intended to be. This is one clear case of a man deceiving a woman and making her look an evil. When Othello finally reveals the reason of his anger to Desdemona and tells her that he