Sexism in Othello Essay - 2452 Words

Othello: the Unquestionable Sexism Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello features sexism as regular fare – initially from Brabantio and Iago, and finally from Othello. Let us in this essay explore the occurrences and severity of sexism in the drama. In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne implicates Iago in sexism. He is one who is almost incapable of any other perspective on women than a sexist one: Iago’s worry that he cannot do what Desdemona asks implies that his dispraise of women was candid and easily produced, while the praise requires labour and inspiration from a source beyond himself. His insufficiency is more surprising because elsewhere in the play Iago appears as a master†¦show more content†¦. .] .† Implied in this move is the fact of a father’s assumed control over the daughter’s choice of a marriage partner. Iago’s warning to the senator follows closely: â€Å"Zounds, sir, youre robbd; for shame, put on your gown; / Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul.† This statement also implies that the father has authority over the daughter. Brabantio’s admonition to Roderigo implicitly expresses the same message: The worser welcome: I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors: In honest plainness thou hast heard me say My daughter is not for thee [. . .] . (1.1) Iago’s continuing earthy appraisals of the situation all seem to bestow upon the father the power to make decisions for the daughter. Roderigo even calls Desdemona’s action a â€Å"revolt† against paternal authority: â€Å"Your daughter, if you have not given her leave, / I say again, hath made a gross revolt [. . .] .† Upon verifying the absence of his daughter from the home, Brabantio exhorts all fathers to â€Å"trust not† their daughters, implicitly alleging a predisposition among young ladies to rebel against authority. Othello, the general and protagonist, seems initially to be totally lacking in sexism. He loves DesdemonaShow MoreRelatedSexism In Othello Analysis846 Words   |  4 PagesOthello explores the concepts of manipulation and evil through Iago, the character that is the source of evil in the play, but when analyzed closely, the reader can see that it not only is Iago the subject of evil, but Desdemona and Othello are too. Othello reinforces racism and sexism in a very subtle way; while some argue that Shakespeare undermines the racist and sexist ideas imposed on the characters by calling attention to the racism and sexism in the times, the play seems to disprove this.Read MoreEssay about A Feminist Analysis of Othello1741 Words   |  7 PagesA Feminist Analysis of Othello  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello there are numerous instances of obvious sexism aimed at the three women in the drama -- Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca – and aimed at womankind generally. Let us delve into this subject in this paper. In the essay â€Å"Wit and Witchcraft: an Approach to Othello† Robert B. Heilman discusses a scene which occurs late in the play and which is sexist: When Othello summons Desdemona and dismisses Emilia, â€Å"Leave procreantsRead MoreIn many of his plays, Shakespeare demonstrates ideas of gender and racial stereotypes. Othello, a1100 Words   |  5 Pagesstereotypes. Othello, a play in which characters are judged based on sex and appearance, is an example of these stereotypes. Othello’s non-white ethnic background provides a platform for racial conflict. The characters of Desdemona and Emilia allow for sexism and gender conflict. These themes of Othello are closely related because of the similar prejudice and stereotypes. The sexism and racism in Othello allow for racist tones and ethnic conflicts. Women play an important role in Othello. The chastityRead MoreEssay On Desdemonas View Of Women In Othello919 Words   |  4 Pageshas married Othello against the wish of her father, then she is not a valuable woman with uncontrollable sexual desires. One cannot find any proof of Emilia cheating over Iago in the play, but he do think like that the way he doubts his wife, in the same manner he convinced Othello to believe that since he is black in color and low in pursuit as compared to Desdemona, that is why she is cheating over him by having an affair with Cassio. Also if she can leave his father for him (Othello), then it wouldRead More Modernism and Postmodernism in Shakespeares Othello Essay1463 Words   |  6 Pages Othello teaches us much about our current postmodern culture. The play connects to our ideas of sexism, male-bonding, racism and capitalism. Shakespeare uses these universal and timeless flaws in humanity along with our use of language and truth to tell his tale. Iago, over a period of about three days, uses these facets of humanity to turn Othello against his wife Desdemona and his friend Cassio. Othello reveals both the struggle of the British people of the early 1600s and Americans in the lateRead MoreEssay about Racism and Cultural Differences Exposed in Othello1322 Words   |  6 Pages Othello, from the onset, is shown to us a play of love and jealousy. There is however more to this play than just love and jealousy; there is underlying racism, hate, deception, pride, and even sexism between these pages. Othello is a transcendent play, one that will survive the perils of time simply because it is still relevant. Even today, over 400 years later, there are still issues of rac ism and sexism. Hate is as natural as love in humans and Othello gets right to the root of that. WeRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare Essay1424 Words   |  6 Pagesand often without defining lines. Can instinct alone impair our reason, or can a third deadly emotion mar all? In â€Å"Othello†, Shakespeare bids us look at some ugly facets of the human psyche and how what is beautiful and good can be twisted and destroyed in the name of self-interest and damning pride. Instinct and reason conflict in Othello in various ways; chiefly between what Othello knows to be true about Desdemona and the twisted lies Iago tells to stifle his intellect. Iago, an embittered soldierRead MorePlot and Character Analysis of Shakespeares Othello Essay760 Words   |  4 PagesOthello is one of Shakespeares classics, this play has many oddities and puzzles. It roots into love, deception and jealousy. Also it clearly questions the debate of; can different cultures inter-wind without colliding? in addition, Othello has vivid racism, sexism, manipulation and savagery within civilisation. This play is set in Venice, Italy but due to circumstances all of the characters move to Cyprus. Othello is written between 1601-1604, the level of intensity and drama obviously indicatedRead More Gender Bias in Othello Essay examples1880 Words   |  8 PagesGender Bias in Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello is an unfortunate example of gender bias, of sexism which takes advantage of women. The three women characters in the drama are all, in their own ways, victims of men’s skewed attitudes regarding women. Let us delve into this topic in this essay.    Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine comment in the Introduction to Shakespeare: Othello that sexism is a big factor   in the play:    At this point in our civilizationRead MoreDesdemona Strong Woman Essay904 Words   |  4 Pageswhen Shakespeare wrote his play, men were deemed to be more able than women. Instead in Othello, Shakespeare emphasizes the strength of Desdemona despite the stereotypical views about women. Desdemona is portrayed to be more able than the women and as able as the men in the Venetian society. Unlike other women in Othello, Desdemona proves to be very strong and relentless in her beliefs and love. In Othello, Desdemona proves to be very strong and liberated. Since the beginning of the play Desdemona

The Effects of Hamlets Indecisiveness in William...

Hamlet from William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is unable to commit to a decision throughout the play. His indecisiveness does not allow him to act quickly on any decision, leaving them lingering until it’s too late. Mentally, he thinks too much. Physically, he does not take enough action. Emotionally, his thoughts cause him to do irrational things. His delayed reaction to take revenge on Claudius results in everyone in the royal family dying. Hamlet’s weakness as a person is his inability to commit himself to action. In Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, he contemplates for a while whether to commit suicide. Hamlet’s unhappiness is caused by the people around him. His mother’s actions of marrying her brother-in-law made Hamlet extremely frustrated drawing him out of the right mental state. Meanwhile, his view of his father is godlike, but he distrusts the Ghost enough to think about killing himself instead of pursuing the Ghost’s request. In Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, â€Å"to be, or not to be;† he contemplates (3.1). â€Å"The Everlasting had not fixed, His cannon ‘gainst self-slaughter!† (1.2). He is uncertain if things would be any better in the afterlife if he were to end his life. Hamlet’s hesitancy, especially concerning suicide, is the cause of his realistic and frightened nature. In this situation, his indecisiveness saves his life, but it also does not allow him to find another solution. Concluding, in his soliloquy he would ratherShow MoreRelatedHamlet, Prince of Denmark825 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet, Prince of Denmark By William Shakespeare Submitted by: Tariq Khan Dated: Monday, 24th September, 2012 Hamlet as a Tragedy by William Shakespeare 1.1. Brief Introduction to Tragedy: Greek and English: Elizabethan tragedy is traced back to Greek tragedy, since Greeks are said to have pioneered the Western knowledge, be it Science, Arts, or Humanities—not necessarily Technology. The rich contribution of Greek dramatists like Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus and AristophanesRead MoreThe Relationship of Death and Man’s Irrationality in Hamlet1107 Words   |  5 PagesIrrationality in Hamlet William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a famous tragedy that follows the title character Hamlet’s wavering path of revenge. Early in the play, Hamlet encounters his father’s ghost, who tells Hamlet that his brother Claudius murdered him. Throughout the play, Hamlet is torn between his obligation to avenge his father and his uncertainty about this formidable task. Hamlet also experiences this indecisiveness when he contemplates suicide during several points in the play. Though heRead MoreMotif of Madness in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesMotif of Madness in Hamlet by William Shakespeare It is the driving force of mankind that has delivered man from the age of stone to that of industry. This force is also the essential ingredient that produces the inescapable prison of the mind, a frightful disease that may be viewed as the greatest irony of life. Pain is a dreadful disease in which every individual has felt the everlasting effects. The grief of pain can become a crashing wave that leaves behind only a semblance of sanityRead MorePsychoanalysis Of Hamlet1171 Words   |  5 PagesPsychoanalysis of Shakespeare’s Hamlet In the world of literature, drama is one of the more subconsciously relatable and personable subgenres. Fiction and poetry may convey common events or stories, but drama uniquely presents them before the audience’s eyes, where every detail is analyzed and absorbed. Because drama is physically portrayed through actors, the audience members process body language and physical aspects of the stage in conjunction with the spoken script, to piece together individualRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1561 Words   |  7 Pagesinsignificant and were never granted important parts in the plays. However, during the 1600’s, women gained an appreciation for the existence of their characters and played major roles in which impacted the progress of the play as a whole and other characters involved. This is evident in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where two major female characters, Gertrude and Ophelia, contributed as crucial roles to the development of the tragedy. The pl ot of the play could not have been developed if it weren’t for Gertrude’sRead MoreHamlet: Illusion vs. Reality1982 Words   |  8 PagesIllusion Versus Reality In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Hamlet there is a dominant and overwhelming theme that is amplified throughout the entire play. 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If these men swapped places, theyRead MoreHamlet Soliloquies 1832 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet was written in the early 1600s.The tragedy of Hamlet is one of William Shakespeares most famous plays. It is popular because of the way Shakespeare uses Hamlet to show the complexity of the human mind is. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to reveal Hamlet’s innermost thoughts. Through the soliloquies, the audience learns of Hamlets struggle to face his internal conflicts, deciding when to avenge his father and his disgusted feelings about his mother’s lustful marriage. Also the soliloquies, whichRea d MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1751 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet There were many factors which affected Shakespeare when he wrote Hamlet, one of which was the fashion at the time were all about revenge tragedies, the audience absolutely loved to watch violence. Shakespeare knew that, so most of his plays were in that category. When this play was written in 1601, Shakespeares father died and also one of his generous patron and friend imprisoned due to the failure of a rebellion led by Lord Essex. ShakespeareRead MoreFamily in Jane Eyre and Hamlet2673 Words   |  11 PagesIn both William Shakespeare’s play, ‘Hamlet’ and in Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s novel, ‘Jane Eyre’ the self is an extremely powerful notion. One of the main constraints and one of the main motivators in both texts is the importance and influence of the family. Both texts explore the powerful impact of the family, or perceived family, to define or shape the self and the extent of influence that the family can have to alter, prevent or encourage development of the self. This influence is used effectively by

Alien free essay sample

The airport seemed like a morgue in the Dark Ages through my toddler eyes. Everyone looked ill with excess travel, sick from impatience. Menacing towers, which looked to be in fact, men, glared at me as if I were someone to suspect. As if I didn’t belong. The expansive line of Immigrations painfully edged forward, but my mind scampered away to curiosity. What was India like? Was I going to enjoy it? What was I going to do there? We finally reached the stern officer in sky blue, equipped with a stately handlebar moustache. He and my dad exchanged sympathetic glances and polite greetings, as if they were old friends, seeing each other for the first time in years. He did the same for my mother and sister, but stopped at me. â€Å"Born in the USA? What is this boy doing in an airport in India?† Everyone laughed, but I didn’t. We will write a custom essay sample on Alien or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Regardless of what he meant, it hurt my toddler mind deeply. For the first time in my life, I felt different. I felt guilty of my presence, guilty to be who I was. As I walked into the streets of India, the kids stared at me for quite some time, and chattered accusingly amongst themselves. I did not dress like them. I did not act like them. I did not talk like them. I felt like the aliens I had read about so avidly from the comics back home. I tried fervently to make myself the epitome of a native Indian boy, but my relatives constantly hindered my progress. Cricket is like baseball. Flats are apartments. Auto-rickshaws are like taxies. I constantly reminded myself these things, but no matter how hard I tried, these concepts would not stick. Language became a ruthless and unforgiving adversary. My parents had prepped me well prior to the trip, yet still I was hit with unfamiliar phrases. While my accent was consistent, constructing the words proved to be a grueling task. I realized any slight mistake could question the quality of my parents’ teaching, and slowly I stopped talking. I was limited to a stubborn shake of the head for no, and an eager nod for yes. I was always the quiet one, the one who said very little, but they didn’t know why. I wouldn’t let them know, for my alien nature would be exposed. Years come and go with new perspectives. The toddler state of mind was black and white, frank and simplistic. I was so driven by stubborn anger and frustration that I never really tried or wanted to search for the answers I needed. Questions of doubt and difference gradually became answered by my friends, schoolmates, and teachers. We all realized our experiences were not so seclusive, and countless stories met laughs of recognition and understanding. Time allowed for me to accumulate the points that define who I am, whether it is by a distressing day at Immigrations, or the inability to master a language. By birth and by residency, I am an American. But, by the principals I abide to and the traditions I willfully obey, I am an Indian. I don’t feel different anymore. Rather, I feel honored to have the opportunity to share and experience two cultures simultaneously. The polarity of the two nations sometimes proves to be troublesome, but also adds a contrast that intrigues me t o the point of enlightenment. It now seems amusing to imagine a confused little boy, paranoid of his imminent transformation into an unknown being. Paranoid of becoming an unfamiliar creature in unfamiliar territory; not able to identify with his environment. I was once an alien.