Treatment of Women throughout Othello Essay -- Othello essays

Treatment of Womenthroughout Othello Lamentably, sexism raises its ugly head even in such(prenominal) an unquestionably great tragedy as William Shakespe ares Othello. Let us pursue a study of the problem in this essay. In William Shakespeare The Tragedies, capital of Minnesota A. Jorgensen describes the sexist brothel scene in Othello The brothel scene (4.2), sadistically fierce because in it he talks to Desdemona as to a whore, is yet right of tearful agony and even ardent tenderness. It redeems him in his wish that heaven were trying him with affliction a theologically saving belief and it opens momentarily his eye when he sees his worst affliction without which he could bear the trial by ordeal being discarded from there 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 avenge himself (I follow him to respond my turn upon him), with Roderigos assistance, by alerting Desdemonas sky pilot, Brabantio, to the fact of his filles elopement with Othello Call up her father, / Rouse him make after him, acerbate his delight . . . . Implied in this move is the fact of a fathers assumed control over the daughters choice of a marriage partner. Iagos warning to the senator follows closely Zounds, sir, youre robbd for shame, put on your fit out / 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 subject The worser welcome I have charged thee not to haunt to the highest degree my doors ... ... lie Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie. She false with Cassio (5.2) Then she accuses him of cause murder And your reports have set the murder on. Emilias immobilize interrogation and conviction of her own husband as the evil brainiac behind the murd er reverses the sexist image of women underlying the play. Her performance proves that women are guided by reason to the same extent, or even great than, men and that men are passion-driven moreso than are women. The tables are turned on sexism at the very climax of the drama WORKS CITED Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare The Tragedies. capital of Massachusetts 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.