Women in Othello/ Elizabethan Times - 1608 Words

â€Å"The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose† (Stevenson, Robert).In play Othello identity is a topic that appears throughout the play. In Shakespeare Othello all the women, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca have no separate identity all three are defined by who they are or not married to or the male characters they are connected with. â€Å"According to the Elizabethan times that the play was written in and the general hierarchies within Venetian society men hold all the power and women are considered to be of low intellect† (Berggren 55). Yet it is the women that speak the in the scenes throughout the play. Othello by William Shakespeare is a story in which the women characters are treated in the unfair way that women of†¦show more content†¦In â€Å"Shakespeare Sister† by Virginia Woolf states that â€Å"when the husband had been assigned, he was lord and master, so far at least as law and custom could make him† (1-2) . This is uncovered in the play Othello when Desdemona calls Othello her lord. Woolf also states that the daughter who refused to marry the gentleman of her parents choice was liable to be locked up, beaten and flung about the room, without any shock being inflicted on public opinion. Marriage was not an affair of personal affection, but of family avarice, particularly in the chivalrous upper classes (3-5).† This is expected in the Elizabethan times but this is why Othello is different. Desdemona picked her own husband even a man of a different race. Once her father found that she runaway with a man of a different color and got married with out his permission he was furious. She went against what was expected of Elizabethan women to do and this is why her father was mad at her. This was the first step in redefining her role as a woman. By choosing her own husband was an act of independence by Desdemona took away the gender barriers of the Elizabethan times society and posed a threat to male authority Heather Thomas states in herShow MoreRelatedExaming the Interracial Marriage of Othello and Desdemona Essay1105 Words   |  5 PagesCenturies ago in Elizabethan England there were many traditions about marriage and the treatment of women. One strong tradition of these times was the practice of marriage between races. Interracial marriages were considered extremely taboo. (High Beam). In this era marriages were arranged by the parents with strong help from the local church. The individuals had little choice as to who they would marry. (Elizabethan England Life). Yet another example of these traditions was the respectable treatmentRead MoreDifferent Reactions of a Modern and Elizabethan Audience to Othello640 Words   |  3 PagesIn the Elizabethan era, many of the issues Shakespeare included in his plays were socially accepted by the audience. In contrast these issues are in large not accepted in todays modern society. The first decisive opposing reactions by a modern and Elizabethan audience to a Shakespeare play such as Othello, is the status of women in this period. Othello among other plays of its era, introduce the idea of women as possessions. quot;O heaven! How got she out?quot; Here Brabantio is talkingRead MoreWomen Of The Elizabethan Society1471 Words   |  6 Pages Women of the Elizabethan society, such as in Shakespeare’s Othello, are particularly not considered as equal. Women were more often seen as less of people who need to be helped and aided by man. 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Both female action and language represent these ideas such as expectations for a wife and expectations for how a woman is to act. That said, there are many other lines spoken by these characters that defy the expectations placed on women at time. OverallRead MoreWomen s Treatment Of Women837 Words   |  4 Pagesthroughout history. From times of severe incarceration to the near-equality of today, many valuable generalities can be drawn about societies from their treatment of women. Elizabethan Great Britain, heading the way of the medieval Renaissance, introduced previ ously unheard of customs of treating women. In Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello†, women play integral roles in the outcome of the play yet are treated just as poorly, if not more so, than the racially and socially oppressed Othello, the â€Å"Moor of Venice†Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello And Hamlet1721 Words   |  7 PagesTitle here An Elizabethan woman can be characterized as one that is submissive and subservient to men. William Shakespeare utilizes this type of woman when he wishes to show his audience the cruel nature of men. In both of his tragedies, Othello and Hamlet, Shakespeare presents cruelty in the form of male domination, where most of the time, the women are undeserving of ramifications such as death. When a woman in a Shakespearian play breaks the stereotype of the Elizabethan woman, as Olivia doesRead MoreWomen: Venetian Societal Views1156 Words   |  5 PagesRace. Women. Men. Class. Poor. Rich. Royalty. In Shakespeare’s play, Othello, many issues are explored through a tragedy. The rights of women are being put to the test. There are three women, Bianca, Desdemona, and Emilia that play a major role in Othello. In the Elizabethan Era women were neither very respected, nor considered to be intelligent. Yet, the women hold most of the power in the Tragedy of Othello. The women are also the only characters that are able to maintain the trust among themselvesRead MoreIf Othello Had Been Written in Modern Times How Would It Differ1246 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent time or place or language or for a different audience, how and why might it differ? Specific question: If Othello had been set in a modern era, how would it differ? Title of text: Othello Task is related to course section Pt 4: Literature- Critical Study, The individual, Community and Identity Task focus: The aim of this essay is to analyse how Shakespeare’s play Othello would differ if it had been set in a politically correct and modern society such as ours. If Othello had