William Shakespeare Othello - Book Report/Review Example

Shakespeare regards women as human beings but women are always portrayed as the 'Other' in opposition to a man. The liberal point of view holds that the basic unit of society is the individual and that the only legitimate function of government is to protect individual liberty by protecting the rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. This was the tradition of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century liberalism, which was transplanted to the American colonies and the United States.

Thus, women are historically regarded as "afflicted with a natural defectiveness. Shakespeare sees a woman as 'the Other' in biological sense. In Othello, the male characters do not have always to appear to be strong, reasonable, or courageous- sometimes he can feel weak, or emotional, or afraid. And the Woman does not have always to be caring, understanding, or gentle. Shakespeare portrays that throughout the history women were perceived as the Other in contrast to the men, the Self. During slavery and the Holocaust, women were seen as inhuman and scattered.

Socially, women are weaker and less enthusiastic than men. "Looke to your wife, obserue her well with Cassio, / Weare your eyes, thus: not Iealious, nor Secure" (Shakespeare III, iii, 199). Women also depend upon men and economic issues. The main strength of Shakespeare's arguments is that she accepts the position that low status of women is historically determined because of differences in gender roles. The language in Othello reflects dramatic feelings and structure of relations between women and women characters.

A specific word usage helps readers to perceive the mood and feelings of main characters, their intentions and predict their further actions. Shakespeare's ideas about the world and about man's destiny are compounded of notions such as these. Some of his ideas may seem to us to be more medieval than is appropriate to the experience of a person living at the end of the sixteenth century. For instance, at the beginning of the play the language of Othello reflects his confidence and prudence, kindness and love to his wife, Desdemona.

"My life upon her faith!--Honest Iago,/ My Desdemona must I leave to the" (I, i, 113). These lines shows try feelings and emotions so important for further plot development. In the play, the language is so united with the turn of the plot and the amusement of the situations that readers cannot say 'let's take out the witty language which seems difficult, and then we shall have a manageable unit'. The poetic language of Othello changes in act V when he becomes jealous of Desdemona. His language is rude and wide reflecting inner feelings and temperament: ''Rude am I in my speech" (V, I, 123).

Poetic elements of the play are tone, images, symbols and, metaphors. These elements are found in speech of all characters as they support dramatic structure and intensify the meaning of words. The main prose elements are settings and themes. Once Emilia comments: "I am no strumpet, but of life as honest / As you that thus abuse me. (V, I, 122-23). At the beginning of the play settings are peaceful and calm while at he end of the play the settings involve murder scenes and dark colors. "Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow hell!

/Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne" (III, I, 154). In the Act