Treatment of Women throughout Othello Essay -- Othello essays

Treatment of Womenthroughout Othello Lamentably, sexism raises its ugly head even in such an unquestionably great tragedy as William Shakespeares Othello. Let us pursue a study of the problem in this essay. In William Shakespeare The Tragedies, Paul A. Jorgensen describes the sexist brothel scene in Othello The brothel scene (4.2), sadistically cruel because in it he talks to Desdemona as to a whore, is yet full of tearful agony and even ardent tenderness. It redeems him in his wish that heaven were trying him with melancholy a theologically saving be pillowf and it opens momentarily his heart when he sees his worst affliction without which he could bear the ordeal being discarded from in that respect where I have garnered up my heart (4.2.57). (65) In the opening scene, while Iago is expressing his hatred for the general Othello for his selection of Michael Cassio for the lieutenancy, he contrives a plan to partially strike back himself (I follow him to serve my turn upon him), with Roderigos assistance, by alerting Desdemonas contract, Brabantio, to the fact of his daughters elopement with Othello Call up her father, / Rouse him realise after him, poison his delight . . . . Implied in this move is the fact of a fathers assumed control over the daughters resource of a marriage partner. Iagos warning to the senator follows closely Zounds, sir, youre robbd for shame, put on your gown / Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul. This statement also implies that the father has authority over the daughter. Brabantios admonition to Roderigo implicitly expresses the same message The worser welcome I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors ... ... lie Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie. She false with Cassio (5.2) Then she accuses him of causing murder And your reports have set the murder on. Emilias stunning interrogation and confidence of her own husband as the evil mastermind behind the murder reverses the sexist image of women und erlying the play. Her performance proves that women are guided by reason out to the same extent, or even greater than, men and that men are passion-driven moreso than are women. The tables are turned on sexism at the very climax of the gambling WORKS CITED Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare The Tragedies. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1985. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http//www.eiu.edu/multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.