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Examine how women are portrayed in Othello with the help of quotes
from the play.
Examine how men treated women as objects rather than as
individuals.
Explain how women were deemed as whores even when they were
married.
Celeste
Celeste
also portrays the Elizabethan attitude towards women as they are expected
to bow to the will of their husbands who can utilize them in any way they
want. We also see that Iago wants revenge on Othello because he believes
the rumors that Othello has slept with his wife Emilia. Iago does not even
know if the rumors are true but he still wants revenge as Othello has used a
possession which belongs to him (The lusty Moor/hath leaped into my
seat). In these few lines Iago has insulted and objectified his wife as he
has referred to her as a seat and an office. Also in Act 2 Scene 1 Iago
hopes to be evened with him, wife for wife which suggests that he should
sleep with Desdamona so that he and Othello will be equal. The feelings of
Desdamona and Emilia are not taken in consideration at all in his revenge
plot. He believes that women are objects that are meant to be used to
further mens desires.
Throughout the play we see women are portrayed as submissive towards
their husbands with
Desdamona being the prime example of that. In
Act 1 Scene 3 she states that she was bound to her father as her gave her
life and education and therefore she had to obey him but now that she is
bound to Othello she has to obey and respect him. In Act 4 Scene 1 we
see that when Othello hits her she tells him I have not deserved this. This
indicates that Desdamona thinks that women should be hit only if they
deserve it. Although Emilia is portrayed in as a stronger character. In Act 3
Scene 4 Emilia says that 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man. They are
all but stomachs, and we all but food. To eat us hungerly, and when they
are full, they belch us. Emilia thinks that men are brutish and vulgar and
cannot control their desires. She uses a metaphor to indicate that the role
of women is to satisfy the never-ending hunger of men. Men use women
and then belch them out. These lines also state that Emilia is more aware
of the truth of womens role in society than Desdamona but there is nothing
she can do about it.
In Othello, the word whore is often used when describing all three women.
We are introduced to the prostitute Bianca in Act 3 Scene 4 which is much
later in the play. Bianca is a prostitute who is in love with Cassio but he
treats her like garbage. Bianca genuinely believes that Cassio loves her but
in Act 4 Scene 1 we see that he does not and describes her as a monkey
and a fool for thinking that he would marry her. Later on when she enters
the room he calls her a fitchew which is another word for whore. Iago also
Celeste