Roles of Women in Shakespeare's Othello

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During the Elizabethan era, the society was patriarchal, where men were dominant and typically had a great amount of control over women; this is reflected in William Shakespeare’s plays. In his tragedy Othello, the women lack power and are used in the play mainly to characterize the men of the play. The men’s values and outlooks on life are reflected in the relationships they share with the women who love them. The women act as a foil to the men and it seems that Shakespeare is using the women of the play to comment on the behavior of men in society. In the play there are three relationships that prove this to be true: Cassio and Bianca, Iago and Emilia, and Othello and Desdemona.

Cassio and Bianca share an unorthodox relationship since Bianca is a prostitute. Bianca loves Cassio dearly but he does not reciprocate this love. Cassio is ashamed of their relationship and uses Bianca only for sex, even though he is aware of her feelings. This characterizes Cassio as superficial and a man who values status and position above love. He tells Bianca “I do attend here on the general \ And think it no addition, nor my wish \ To have him see me woman’d” (3.4.187-189). Here he tells Bianca to leave before Othello sees them together. At this point in the play, Cassio desires to be reinstated as Othello lieutenant, and fears that if Othello sees him with a whore it will lower his chances to re-obtain the position. Bianca’s selfless and jealous loving of Cassio contrasts and emphasizes Cassio’s self-loving nature. When Iago and Cassio discuss Bianca, Cassio says, “I marry her? What! A Customer! I prithee, bear some \ charity to my wit. Do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha!” (4.1.119-120), he mocks her for being a prostitute and says that he has better judgment than to marry her; this shows how much he values status. Cassio is fighting hard for Iago’s acceptance and his actions seem very reminiscent of a boy wanting to belong in high school. Cassio’s want of status allows Iago to easily convince him to talk to Desdemona privately, which allows Othello to validate his suspicions of Desdemona’s infidelity. Seemingly Cassio is used by Shakespeare to comment on how during Elizabethan time men were ruthless in there drive to power and greater status. Bianca and Cassio are considerably minor characters in the play compared to the next couple, Emilia and Iago.

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Through out the play Emilia could be considered the ideal women of the time. Until the final scene, Emilia generally obeys her husband and keeps her opinions to herself, only sharing them with Desdemona in private. As well she is devoted to her husband, like a good wife should be, even though it becomes evident that it is a loveless marriage. These qualities are shown in the following quote:

“My wayward husband hath a hundred times

Woo’d me to steal it; but she loves the token…

…What he will do with it heaven knows, not I:

I nothing ...

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