Gender Bias in Othello Essay examples - 1880 Words

Gender Bias in Othello 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 civilization the play’s fascination and its horror may be greater than ever before because we have been made so very sensitive to the issues of race, class, and gender that are woven into the texture of Othello. [. . .] The issue of gender is especially†¦show more content†¦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, indicating an alleged predisposition among young ladies to rebel against authority: O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood! Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters minds By what you see them act. (1.1) Othello, the general and protagonist, seems initially to be totally lacking in sexism. He loves Desdemona as an equal and accepts her with no preconditions: As this that I have reachd: for know, Iago, But that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition Put into circumscription and confine For the seas worth. (1.2) With the Turkish campaign against Cyprus in motion, the Duke of Venice scarcely has time for Brabantio’s protestations. And the First Senator encourages the newly married general: â€Å"Adieu, brave Moor, use Desdemona well.† The word use conveys the sexist belief of the husband’s ownership of the wife. Later, when Roderigo confesses to Iago his depression and suicidal feelings over the loss of Desdemona, the ancient seeks to keep him alive by saying that Othello will soonShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Tess Of The D And All My Sons And Othello 3476 Words   |  14 Pagesand ‘Othello’? In some relationships a woman can be so devoted towards their true love despite receiving unequal love in return; jealousy can cause a person to be so inconsiderate about their lover’s feelings which can result to the destruction of their relationship. This concept of unequal love has been explored by all three writers Hardy, Miller and Shakespeare in ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’, ‘All My Sons’ and ‘Othello’ even though they were all written over different eras. The play Othello wasRead MoreLiterature Review of Cambridge by Caryl Phillips1667 Words   |  7 Pagesputs it: â€Å"the truth was that she was fleeing the lonely regime which fastened her into backboards, corsets and stays to improve her posture. The same friendliness regime which advertised her as an ambassadress of grace†. This patriarchal â€Å"regime† of gender, which inscribes its rigidity on the female body and sees women as no more than â€Å"childre n of larger growth†, also dictates that she be married on her return from the West Indian plantation to a fifty-year old prosperous widower with three childrenRead MoreJournal Entries - Ap English; How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Foster2571 Words   |  11 Pagescharacter with a strong parallel to Shakespeares Othello. Mustafa is an African, very dark skinned, living in London, England during the 1930s, a time when immigration to the United Kingdom was just beginning. As a result Mustafa romances many white, English girls, and eventually marries one, Jean. The setting of London, where Shakespeare lived and worked, as well as the physicality of Mustafas character are highly suggestive of Othello. An observant reader could use this, as Foster proposesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Merchant Of Venice 1918 Words   |  8 Pagesoverall description of the play, is the information misleading or is it just ‘subjective factual information’. It is clear from both sides of the argument that the play clearly carries themes of prejudice, with regards to race, religion and even gender but justice is debatable. Though Shylock is considered to be a villainous character, a contract was signed by both parties of the loan and in that contract a pound of flesh was agreed upon. Shylock says â€Å"This kindness will I show. Go with me to aRead MoreA Room of Ones Own Essay3982 Words   |  16 Pagesrange of experience is clearly limited by the fact that it s often dangerous for women to go out alone. There are simply certain experiences - quite mundane ones even, such as walking home from work - which some women can t have because of their gender. And more directly to women s writing, in journalism, equality of experience between men and women has been an issue in controversy that broke out over women s access to the sports locker room; and perhaps has been a feature of the murder of a numberRead MoreSports17369 Words   |  70 P agesbeyond, sportscasters—the â€Å"Jockocracy† issue, sportscasters as celebrities, and sportscaster profiles) Chapter 6. Sociocultural perspectives on sports and sportscasting (pervasiveness and salience of sports, role modeling/heroes, and issues—racial and gender consideration) Chapter 7. Practicum on sportscasting Chapter 8. Future concerns and considerations about sports and sportscasting Designed for teachers and students, as well as anyone interested in the topic, the Exercises in Sportscasting includesRead MoreSports17363 Words   |  70 Pagesbeyond, sportscasters—the â€Å"Jockocracy† issue, sportscasters as celebrities, and sportscaster profiles) Chapter 6. Sociocultural perspectives on sports and sportscasting (pervasiveness and salience of sports, role modeling/heroes, and issues—racial and gender consideration) Chapter 7. Practicum on sportscasting Chapter 8. Future concerns and considerations about sports and sportscasting D esigned for teachers and students, as well as anyone interested in the topic, the Exercises in Sportscasting includesRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 Pagesforeigners good? 10. Subjects a. Literature b. History c. Mathematics d. Universal language 11. Businesses a. Business morality b. Charities as businesses 12. Democracy a. Good vs. Bad 13. Social Issues (only stats provided) a. Gender b. Family c. Equality 14. Governance a. World Governance 15. Others a. Cooperation b. Education c. Crime d. Liberty or Security e. Consumerism 1. Media 1a. New vs. Traditional GENERAL Intro: †¢ The first quarter of 2043