“In Othello, women are always victims in love”
In the light of this view, discuss how Shakespeare presents women in
relationships in this extract and elsewhere in the play.
Within his domestic tragedy, Shakespeare presents how women in relationships
are seemingly always victims in romantic relationships as the men’s loves are
simply “love[s] of possession”. Through this perspective, the playwright
primarily explores the experiences of the two female characters Desdemona and
Emilia; the former who is presented as a beautiful, loving wife of class and
culture, and the paragon of virtue, and the latter as a trusting and obedient
middle-class wife who tries to please her husband. Both women are seen to
follow convention, being the perfect wives who align with contemporary values.
However, at the end of the play, the women die at their husbands’ hands,
perhaps suggesting the inevitability of female destruction in love.
At the beginning of the play, the union of Desdemona and Othello is presented
as the ideal version of love. This is shown through Shakespeare’s mirroring of
their dialogue, with both using verse, suggesting their compatibility and
admiration for one another. Additionally, Shakespeare presents Desdemona as
being empowered by her relationship, with Othello giving her voice and
autonomy in the senate, a male dominated sphere. This would have been
unheard of in contemporary England as in relationships, the husbands usually
held the power, and women were expected to be submissive and obedient.
instead, their relationship seems to defy these social constraints, suggesting the
strength and equality in their marriage.
However, during the Renaissance, there was a massive focus on female chastity
and purity, and it was an attributed valued above all others in a wife, therefore
despite the initial mutuality and trust the couple held, when Desdemona’s
chastity is brought into question, Othello “forsake[s]” his love for her in favour
of Iago’s poisonous manipulations. Critic F.R Leavis stated “Othello’s love for
Desdemona is the love of possession. She is a prize. A spoil of war”. This
suggests that when he is led to believe his wife has been unfaithful to him,
threatening his control, position and masculinity, her innocence becomes
irrelevant in his mind as she shifts from his “soul’s joy” to the “whore of Venice
who married with Othello” .Throughout the second half of the play, it becomes
clear that he will only feel satisfied by reinstating his manhood, and so blood
must be spilled. This implies that marriage institutions which place female
chastity over the individual are responsible for the inevitable downfall of women
in relationships. On the other hand, Emilia and Iago’s relationship is seen as the
toxic contrast to the protagonist’s initially joyful union. Regardless of Emilia’s
desperate attempts to please her husband through her loyalty and attempts to
be the perfect wife, there is an obvious difference in the couple’s affections
towards each other. Emilia continues to obey her husband whilst he exploits her
obedient and trusting nature to his advantage, coaxing her to steal the
handkerchief for his own gain. Ultimately, in spite of her efforts, Emilia’s
remains a victim of her marriage and is later killed at the end of the play.
Arguably, this suggests that regardless of women’s attempts follow all
conventions and expectations, in Othello, they will always be the victims of their
relationships, highlighting their vulnerability within society.
Similarly, in the extract, Shakespeare utilises Desdemona’s story of a maid
who’s lover “did forsake her” to foreshadow Othello’s abandonment and
destruction of Desdemona. The character is presented singing The willow song;
one about a woman lamenting over the cruelty of her lover despite her
In the light of this view, discuss how Shakespeare presents women in
relationships in this extract and elsewhere in the play.
Within his domestic tragedy, Shakespeare presents how women in relationships
are seemingly always victims in romantic relationships as the men’s loves are
simply “love[s] of possession”. Through this perspective, the playwright
primarily explores the experiences of the two female characters Desdemona and
Emilia; the former who is presented as a beautiful, loving wife of class and
culture, and the paragon of virtue, and the latter as a trusting and obedient
middle-class wife who tries to please her husband. Both women are seen to
follow convention, being the perfect wives who align with contemporary values.
However, at the end of the play, the women die at their husbands’ hands,
perhaps suggesting the inevitability of female destruction in love.
At the beginning of the play, the union of Desdemona and Othello is presented
as the ideal version of love. This is shown through Shakespeare’s mirroring of
their dialogue, with both using verse, suggesting their compatibility and
admiration for one another. Additionally, Shakespeare presents Desdemona as
being empowered by her relationship, with Othello giving her voice and
autonomy in the senate, a male dominated sphere. This would have been
unheard of in contemporary England as in relationships, the husbands usually
held the power, and women were expected to be submissive and obedient.
instead, their relationship seems to defy these social constraints, suggesting the
strength and equality in their marriage.
However, during the Renaissance, there was a massive focus on female chastity
and purity, and it was an attributed valued above all others in a wife, therefore
despite the initial mutuality and trust the couple held, when Desdemona’s
chastity is brought into question, Othello “forsake[s]” his love for her in favour
of Iago’s poisonous manipulations. Critic F.R Leavis stated “Othello’s love for
Desdemona is the love of possession. She is a prize. A spoil of war”. This
suggests that when he is led to believe his wife has been unfaithful to him,
threatening his control, position and masculinity, her innocence becomes
irrelevant in his mind as she shifts from his “soul’s joy” to the “whore of Venice
who married with Othello” .Throughout the second half of the play, it becomes
clear that he will only feel satisfied by reinstating his manhood, and so blood
must be spilled. This implies that marriage institutions which place female
chastity over the individual are responsible for the inevitable downfall of women
in relationships. On the other hand, Emilia and Iago’s relationship is seen as the
toxic contrast to the protagonist’s initially joyful union. Regardless of Emilia’s
desperate attempts to please her husband through her loyalty and attempts to
be the perfect wife, there is an obvious difference in the couple’s affections
towards each other. Emilia continues to obey her husband whilst he exploits her
obedient and trusting nature to his advantage, coaxing her to steal the
handkerchief for his own gain. Ultimately, in spite of her efforts, Emilia’s
remains a victim of her marriage and is later killed at the end of the play.
Arguably, this suggests that regardless of women’s attempts follow all
conventions and expectations, in Othello, they will always be the victims of their
relationships, highlighting their vulnerability within society.
Similarly, in the extract, Shakespeare utilises Desdemona’s story of a maid
who’s lover “did forsake her” to foreshadow Othello’s abandonment and
destruction of Desdemona. The character is presented singing The willow song;
one about a woman lamenting over the cruelty of her lover despite her
