William Shakespeare's Othello - Essay Example

Task: Othello William Shakespeare is one of the world’s most popular personalities in the world of literature. His sonnets, books, songs, and plays have been used by several literature analysts and students in various matriculation institutions across the globe. Among his popular plays is Othello, a play which he compiled and wrote in 1603. It was based on one of the Italian short stories, a Moorish captain. The play revolves around four major characters, who are Othello, who is the Venetian army General, Desdemona who is Othello’s wife, Cassio, Othello’s lieutenant, as well as, his trusted ensign, Iago. The play has various thematic backgrounds mainly love, betrayal, racism and jealousy. The play is still performed in various theatres and learning institutions. It is a revelation of the today’s contemporary society. One of the main characters, Iago, portrays certain traits that can be analyzed and concluded as being misogynic. He doesn’t show any regard or respect to women throughout the novel. When authors and poets write literary materials, they do so in a way that also depicts their way of thinking or stands based on the topic of discussion. When Shakespeare wrote the play, he had a reason and inner stand based on the issue of misogyny. This is portrayed through the way he had brought to light different characters and his point as depicted by the protagonist. This will constitute to the subject of this paper. To begin with, the pervasive notion and attitude against women in the play as personal prized property is pathetic. It indicates an aspect of a deep-seated and undesirable sexual pathology in the city of Venice. The phobia of women’s sexuality is omnipresent in the entire play. Desdemona’s father Brabanzio decides to follow his daughter when he hears that she had married Othello, the Moor. This happens after he is informed by the bitter Iago and Roderigo who were also suitors to Desmedona. They believe Brabanzio has full authority over his daughter. This is an implication that women, even at older ages, are still under strict control by their male counterparts or fathers. Another typical example from the play is the behavior of Iago, who is an epitome of misogyny in the whole context. He decides to relentlessly control and degrade his wife Emilia. Emilia is a loving woman who has dedicated a greater part of her life serving her husband. Her sole aim is to ensure that Iago’s will are accomplished as he wants them to be. This is revealed by her theft on the handkerchief. She says, “I’ll have to work ta’en out, and give’t Iago what he will do with. Heaven knows, not I. I nothing but to please his fantasy” (4. 1. 243). This context is a confirmation of her submissiveness to her husband irrespective of the nature or legality of what she does to please him. Based on this, Shakespeare tries to display an idea that he has in mind. He believes that downgrading women, in the society, is a major drawback in the development of the society, at large. However, his display and frequency in the way he uses Iago and relates him to misogyny is still not a good idea. He has used Iago in the entire play making him one of the main characters displaying positivity in the minds of the readers. This is a revelation that Shakespeare himself is a misogynist. Another evident is from Othello, one other character who play a significant role in the play. In the first scene of act 2, he appears to be very kind and reasonable towards women. He says, she gave me for my pains a world of sighs. She swore, in faith, ‘twas strange, twas passing strange; twas pitiful, ‘twas wondrous pitiful.” (3.1. 123-124). However, he later degrades Desdemona in a fervent manner in both public and private. Analytically, he does this due to his attitude that she had towards women. The society is characterized by disrespect to women. This makes Othello does all that he think he can to upset or to undermine Desdemona. (1. 4. 98). As mentioned earlier, Shakespeare has revealed his misogynic nature by using characters like Othello and bringing them out as good characters that stand for the progress of the society. In other words, he doesn’t like women in an indirect way. He is a misogynist, to be succinct. The play also acts as a portrayal on the need for women to offer defense to themselves. The play calls for attention to the relation the verbal abuses by men and their consequences to women in the society. Emilia suspects that some eternal villain might have committed slander when the abusive Othello unashamedly goes ahead to accuse Desdemona of being a prostitute and a whore. “Some busy and insinuating rogue has devised this slander of Desdemona with an aim of getting some office” (4.2.129-132). The idea of calling for attention as the play ends is an implication that some wrongs have been made and corrections are needed urgently. In other words, Shakespeare reveals that women, Emilia, for instance, have realized their roles and become aware of the mistreatment they are undergoing. Another way in which Shakespeare’s misogyny has been brought to light in the play is through the way in which he has portrayed women struggle in the play. Careful analysis of the women, Emilia, Desdemona, and Bianca reveals to the readers that much of the tragedy in the society would have been avoided if the men in this society would have decided to give women some attention and get their opinion. It is regrettable that the play ends and nothing like that has happened. The women are still under dangerous oppression (Kennedy & Dana, 37). Emilia tells her friends, Desdemona and Bianca, “They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; they eat us hungrily, and when they are full they belch us” (Scene 4, act 3). The play ends with Iago seeming to be regretful in his acts. He says, “From this time forth I never will speak word” (5. 2. 301), Work Cited Shakespeare, William. Othello. Backpack Literature: An introduction to Fiction, Poetry. New York, NY: SAGE Publishers, 2010. Print. . X.J.Kennedy & Dana, Gioia Writing. 4th ed.. Boston: Longman, 2012.762-875. Print. Read More