In both Othello and The Merchant of Venice, however, Shakespeare presents female characters who do not strictly follow the standards set by the patriarchal society.

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Ever since Eve tempted Adam to eat the Forbidden Fruit, women have been deemed as inferior to men and condemned to a life of being “delicate with [a] needle.” (4.1.185) Nowadays women have virtually equal rights in most cultures, but in the 16th century misogyny was in its prime. Books were written by Shakespeare’s contemporaries stating that women were to “holde [their] tonge demurely” and were to be owned by their father or their husband. In both Othello and The Merchant of Venice, however, Shakespeare presents female characters who do not strictly follow the standards set by the patriarchal society.

“Desdemona’s unconventiality is... evidence of her unnaturalness. She goes against accepted codes of female behaviour in her society by being undutiful to her father, forward with her suitors and outspoken in the senate.” (Othello, Phillip Allan Updates, p.89)

In the light of this quotation, and focusing primarily on Portia and Desdemona, compare and contrast Shakespeare’s dramatic presentation of female characters in terms of the limits which their patriarchal societies impose upon them, considering how audiences of different periods might react to this.

        Whether or not Shakespeare is presenting women in these two plays in a positive light is debatable. On the one hand, both Portia and Desdemona are worshipped by men and have an excellent reputation. Cassio’s remark that Desdemona is “a most exquisite lady” (2.3.18) could just as easily be applied to Portia, and likewise Bassanio’s comment that Portia is “of wondrous virtues” (1.1.163) could be applied to Desdemona. This implies that the women are seen as virtuous and as “perfect women.” However, Portia and Desdemona differ greatly in the way that their audience perceive them. Whereas Portia is generally seen as inspiring and quick-witted, Desdemona has been deemed “pathetic” by many critics.

After seeing a seeing a performance of Othello in 1660, Samuel Pepys wrote: “A pretty lady that sat by me called out to see Desdemona smothered.” Needless to say, some audiences cannot sympathise with Desdemona. Whilst Portia is seen as intelligent, Desdemona is “extremely naive.” It seems ludicrous to a modern audience that Desdemona has to ask Emilia whether “there be women do abuse their husbands” (4.3.61) by cheating on them. There are suggestions that this is because women were “kept cloistered” and were not aware of such things. This may be true but nevertheless, Desdemona shows this naivety again when she incessantly demands that Othello should give Cassio “present reconciliation.” (3.3.47) It is clear from watching Othello that Desdemona’s naivety is a flaw. Even Vives, who believed that “maydes ... be but lytell mete for lernyng” writes that women need “wysedome.”  

However, perhaps this naivety is, in part, a façade. Both Portia and Desdemona diminish themselves when talking to men, suggesting that it was desirable for women to be seen by men as having “inferior intellect.” There is plenty of evidence to confirm that educated women were seen as unnatural. Vives writes that “lerned women [should] be suspected of many” and some were even accused of “witchcraft.” Therefore Portia’s claim that she is “unschool’d” (3.2.159) and Desdemona’s allusion to her “simpleness” (1.3.247) could be an attempt to appear submissive and more desirable to men. Shakespeare could be mocking this “bimbo” phenomenon, implying that it is unfair and unnatural for women to feign idiocy. On the other hand Shakespeare could be suggesting that men should be aware that women can be deceitful and manipulative.

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According to Peter Malin, men were terrified of being deceived by women, and having their reputations damaged by being “cuckolded.” Both Desdemona and Portia are deceitful. Brabantio’s description of “a maiden never bold” (1.3.95) is a far cry from the “outspoken” Desdemona that we see in the Senate, showing that she has been putting on a façade in front of her father. Portia, likewise, deceives Lorenzo by saying that she and Nerissa are going to “live in prayer and contemplation” (3.4.28) until their husbands return. Even minor female characters have manipulative tendencies. Nerissa, for example , disguised as the clerk, ...

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