Desdemona is in utter denial to the accusation of being a “whore”. She is so outraged that a woman could “abuse their husbands//In such a gross kind”[3] in respect to adultery. It is “gross” because Desdemona believes that no woman could do such a thing, it repulses her to even think of it. However, it does prove that she has been bought up in a privileged background where such sins would never reach her knowledge. This is why earlier in the play; she wants Othello to reinstate Cassio as lieutenant as she sees no harm in using “All my abilities”[4] to convince Othello, even though this would make Othello’s jealousy worse. Othello would believe Desdemona’s kindness toward Cassio was part of a romantic relationship. The fact that Desdemona persists, shows her confidence, but also her lack of awareness to Othello’s increasing madness. She also lies about the whereabouts of the handkerchief, making her even less trustworthy for Othello, because he knows it is in the hands of Cassio. If Desdemona wasn’t so relentless in pleasing Othello and others, by compassion or lying she may have avoided having to die “else she’ll betray more men”[5]. A.C Bradley believes that “He is to save Desdemona from herself, not in hate but in honour; in honour, and also in love”.[6] The two contrasting sides of Desdemona, the virtuous, gratifying, naive and angelic versus the confident and strong minded create the sense that she is not capable of such a controversial marriage.
Throughout the scene, Shakespeare has created foreshadowing in Desdemona’s speech, an example being ‘The Willow song’[7], a song sung by her mother’s maid, Barbary, whose lover had been proved “mad” and she had died singing the song. Shakespeare makes the audience know that her death is soon as Desdemona tells Emilia that the song “Will not go from my mind”. Desdemona and Barbary are in ways, very similar. Like Barbary, Desdemona is in love, and her husband, though not "mad," is insanely jealous and has emotionally forsaken Desdemona. Presumably, Barbary died of a broken heart while singing “the willow song”, Desdemona will die at the hands of her love soon after she sings the same song. Desdemona's thoughts create a sense of foreboding, but she many not have any idea that she is about to die. She's depressed by losing Othello's love, and so the song comes into her head. The sense of lost love is evoked both by the song of "willow" and the willow tree itself. The tree, sometimes called the ‘weeping willow’, was thought to be of the long hair of a person hanging their head in sadness or a rain of tears. . Shakespeare also uses foreshadowing in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as Juliet feels “I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins // That almost freezes up the heat of life”[8] to create suspense for the audience.
Another example of a sense of foreboding is when Desdemona asks Emilia if she “die before thee, prithee shroud me// In one of those same sheets.“[9] To “shroud” Desdemona in the sheets, shows her everlasting love for Othello; in life or death she wishes to be surrounded by the conformation of her marriage. Desdemona’s marriage is the most important about her existence. It is dramatically ironic that she says this because she will die before Emilia and on the said sheets. It could be argued that this line suggests that Desdemona is aware of Othello’s upcoming intention, and that is why she asked for the sheets to be put on her bed. If this was the case, it would not make Desdemona a tragic victim because she had the power to change her fate but chose not to on the basis of love.
Desdemona is sure of her innocence to Othello’s accusations but refuses to defend herself, showing her devotion to him. However, she tries to remind Othello of her affection and virtue by Emilia laying “those sheets you bade me on the bed”[10] for Desdemona. “Those sheets” meaning Desdemona and Othello’s wedding sheets, the ones Desdemona undoubtedly lost her virginity in on the first night of her marriage. Getting Emilia to lay these sheets, in Desdemona’s mind, will make Othello see her purity and commitment, this shows how naïve she is but also that she feels she cannot convince Othello with her words alone, even though she believes she can change Othello’s mind about Cassio. Victor Hugo makes the point that “To kill is to lull to sleep. … And it is thus that Desdemona, spouse of the man Night, dies, stifled by the pillow upon which the first kiss was given, and which receives the last sigh.”[11] This highlights the dramatic irony that Desdemona is to be killed in the bed that she started her married life in, by the man she gave her life to. Hugo is almost leading us to believe that Othello’s method of murder is thoughtful and kind to Desdemona by suggesting that the killing is to “lull to sleep”, and not a revengeful, gruesome death. Desdemona’s enduring love and unwillingness to defend herself with an argument she is easily capable of, is her tragic flaw, leading to her ultimate downfall.
Desdemona is perceived by Shakespeare as a perfect woman but also as ironically foolish. Her undeniably great love for Othello, pulls the wool over her eyes to what is really happening around her; the every growing jealousy of Othello. She threatens her life by wanting to please, him but in a male dominated society, she is a victim of bitter lies and domination. Although she can’t help being a woman, there were many opportunities to defend herself against the prejudices. I believe that Desdemona is not a tragic victim because if she used her good judgment, which she undoubtedly has, she could have avoided Othello using the last resort to silence her.
Bibliography
‘Othello’ Class work Booklet
York Notes Advanced – ‘Othello’
www.shakespeare-navigators.com (for quotes)
‘Othello’ Play
[1] Line 34 - Act 4 Scene 3
[2] Lines 36-37 - Act 4 Scene 3
[3] Lines 62-63 – Act 4 Scene 3
[4] Line 2 – Act 3 Scene 3
[5] Line 6 – Act 5 Scene 2
[6] http://web.singnet.com/~yisheng/notes/shakespeare/othello_b.htm
[7] Lines 40-57 – Act 4 Scene 3
[8] http://www.brighthub.com/education/homework-tips/articles/32767.aspx
[9] Lines 24-25 – Act 4 Scene 3
[10] Line 22 – Act 4 Scene 3
[11]http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/plays/articles.aspx?&id=82