Masculine and Feminine Nuances in the Play Othello by William Shakespeare - Essay Example

Other 08 May Masculine and Feminine Nuances in the Play Othello by William Shakespeare The play, “Othello,” is one among the greatest tragedies written by Shakespeare, which narrates the story of a general, Othello, whose sexual jealousy makes him murder his wife and ultimately leads to his doom. Desdemona, who falls in love with Othello, elopes with him and marries him, defying her father. Subsequently, Othello is sent to Cyprus by the duke to defend it from Turks and Desdemona accompanies him. There she greets Cassio, a lieutenant to Othello, and Iago sees this as an opportunity to plant the seeds of suspicion in the former’s mind about his wife. Iago has taken money earlier from Roderigo on the tacit understanding that he will help him in the marrying Desdemona. Iago also harbors a grudge against Cassio because the latter has been promoted by Othello, sidelining him. Thus, Iago finally manages to convince Othello that his wife has an affair with his lieutenant and in a fit of rage, he kills her. Later he finds out through Emilia, Iago’s wife, that Desdemona is not at fault and kills himself. The play has about a dozen male characters and three females. All the females are secondary characters, whose purpose is to serve and obey their husbands. Thus, in a physical sense, it appears that female characters are weak and insignificant. On the other hand, they uphold their traits and are spiritually stronger. Thus, while Shakespeare shows females as subservient in the society, through the deft portrayal of the traits of his characters and their actions, he subtly projects the strength of femininity over masculinity. Sexual jealousy of men towards women is a major theme in “Othello.” This becomes evident from the “violence and brutality, to which his jealousy drives Othello,” due to which he kills his wife, Desdemona (Gardner 395). Sexual jealousy and killing a woman does not seem to be the true virtues of a good soldier or a gentleman. Thus, Othello’s character erodes the idea of a truly masculine person. Besides, he also demonstrates a sort of dependence on his mother as illustrated through the symbol of the handkerchief that reflects “his longing for maternal compassion” (Espinosa 93). This again undermines the true virtues of masculinity, which must show independence. The concepts of true heroes and chivalrous men basically rely on the man’s virtues such as love, compassion, courage, independence of thoughts and actions and reliance on one’s self. By showing the absence of such traits in the protagonist and through making him rely on feminine characters, Shakespeare intends to underline the significance of feminine characters in the play. Desdemona, on the other hand, conforms to the standard expectations of Protestant feminine chastity, as can be seen from how she entrusts her care from her father to her loved one, who marries her. Also, in this context it is relevant that she does not leave her home to search for a lover but Othello visits their home on the invitation of Brabanzo. Though the virtues of Desdemona are, so to speak, at par with those of Virgin Marie, she is “slandered” because of the flaws that cloud the Protestant scheme of “chastity” within the society, where “female sexual autonomy is always rendered suspect” (Espinosa 93). The patriarchal society, to which Desdemona belongs, is dominated by males who are expected to be protecting their women. As per the standard expectation it is incumbent upon the masculine gender to guard and ensure the wellbeing of females, who are considered to be the inferior or weaker sex. However, in this case, the male dominated society, represented by Iago and Othello, becomes the reason for her ruin – the former by sowing the seeds of jealousy in Othello’s mind and the latter by killing her. Thus, it transpires that while females conform to societal expectations, males fail to fulfill the responsibilities bestowed upon them by the society. This shows the weakness of masculine gender and by subtly emphasizing this flaw, Shakespeare accentuates feminine strength. Masculinity, as portrayed in “Othello,” also demonstrates weakness and immaturity because the protagonist, who falls in love with Desdemona and marries her, finally begins to suspect her at the behest of Iago, who manipulates him. He relies on hearsay rather than his own judgment in deciding the loyalty of the woman in his life whom he loves. In this context, it becomes relevant that while Desdemona remains loyal and faithful, Othello is incapable of understanding her and is misguided by Iago. He even fails to take into consideration the fact that Desdemona has given him her unflinching support when her father accused Othello of stealing her. This flaw is unbecoming of a true hero or gentleman. Thus, while the genuine feminine traits of Desdemona, the wife, retain their true virtues, Othello, the husband’s masculine instincts fail him, breeding sexual jealousy, which forces him to resort to violence against his wife, whom he should care for. By deploying his characters in this manner and plotting the story to its eventual tragic climax, Shakespeare intends to convey the superiority of feminine traits of Desdemona over masculine traits of Othello. Another aspect that distinguishes Desdemona from the stereotypes of acquiescing females of those times is her “transgressive defiance of her father” (Oxford World’s Classic). This shows the strength of her character as well as her unquestionable love for Othello. On the other hand, the antagonist of the play, Iago, is motivated by his greed and envy, which are qualities that do not befit a soldier. He wants Desdemona to marry Roderigo so that he can get money from him. On another premise, he wants to destroy Cassio because Othello has chosen the latter over him to be his lieutenant. Thus, he plots to breed the seeds of jealousy in Othello’s heart and makes concerted plans for doing so, in connivance with Roderigo. In the beginning he sparks off the suspicion in Othello and eventually he uses the handkerchief episode to fuel it. Thus, it transpires that Iago’s greed and envy are the elements in the play that determine its course and lead into its tragic culmination. The masculine trait one can discern in this instance is the antagonist’s selfishness that ruins the lives of many. On the other hand, his wife salvages the situation, in a spiritual context, for Othello by divulging to him the true facts about the handkerchief. Thus, the play “Othello” appears to be masculinity oriented outwardly through the portrayal of male dominance in terms of a variety of men in the story who control the actions that carry the story forward to its tragic conclusion. It depicts the patriarchal society, where male characters dominate the women and decide the courses of their lives. But all the male characters except Cassio remain motivated or misguided by one or more of the seven deadly sins: Othello by pride and jealousy; Iago by greed and envy; Roderigo by lust and Brabanzo again by pride. On the other hand, the female characters are motivated by their spirituality through which they uphold their virtues and human values: Desdemona by her loyalty and faithfulness to her husband and Emilia by exposing the truth about the handkerchief. While acquiescing to the societal norms and allowing themselves to be exploited by their husbands or fathers, they still retain their true values and support the ones they love. In contrast, the men in the play, both in the societal context as well as the heads of the families, fail in their duty of protecting the weaker sex for whom they are responsible. Thus, it transpires that through illustrating the traits in his characters, Shakespeare emphasizes the superiority of femininity over masculinity. Works Cited Gardner, Helen. Othello: A Retrospect. The Cambridge Shakespeare Library. 1968. Web. 03 May 2012. Espinosa, Ruben. Masculinity and Marian Efficacy in Shakespeare’s England. Ashgate Publishing Company. 2011. Web. 03 May 2012. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford University Press. 2006. Web. 03 May 2012. < http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/category/academic/series/general/owc.do> Read More