Examine the way in which female characters are portrayed in the patriarchal world of Othello.

In the patriarchal world of Othello, set in the late 16th century, the audience may expect submissive, docile female characters that serve as a mere backdrop to the bountiful action of the play. Indeed, the two most prominent male characters, Othello and Iago, both regard women as lesser beings, and do not place much worth or importance on their opinions and ideas, acting in accordance with being products of a patriarchal society. However, the female characters of Shakespeare’s Othello exemplify many traits that modern day women can identify with, and they tend to break the stereotypical perceptions of females of their time. Whether it is by transcending societal expectations in her marriage to a black man and the defiance of her father as with the character of Desdemona, within Bianca’s assertive attitude towards dealing with her object of affection and fixation, or expressing her progressive views on the nature of men as Emilia does, it is evident that women have a large role to play in shaping the text as we know it. Their individual contributions to the resulting tragic ending are extensive, as they are all portrayed as multifaceted, dynamic personalities and exhibit many unique character traits and qualities that resonate with the audience even today.

Shakespeare portrays the character of Desdemona through a number of prominent character traits that define her throughout the play, especially within her strength of character, her dutiful and loyal nature, and her naivety. The beginning of the play reveals her secret marriage to Othello, a black man, in the first scene itself, and this indicates to the audience that she is breaking social barriers for the sake of her own happiness and the affection she cherishes for Othello. Her defiance of patriarchal authority is further reemphasised in Act 1, Scene 3, where she expresses her preference of her husband over her own father with the words, ‘And so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor, my lord.’ This in itself indicates her reluctance to conform to the stereotypical view of a Venetian woman living in a patriarchal society, who would be expected to marry someone of a similar social standing, and her strength of character is particularly evident within her actions in these initial scenes. However, this is later juxtaposed with her submission to Othello’s authority as her husband and master, in accordance with what is expected of her, and what she has previously expressed. This is particularly evident in Act 4, Scene 1, when, after petitioning on behalf of Cassio, Othello slaps her across the face, and she replies, ‘I will not stay to offend you.’ While the audience may not perceive it as such, Shakespeare certainly portrays her strength of character with the integrity that she displays when submitting to Othello’s authority, as she acts in accordance with the views that she has expressed previously about the importance of being a dutiful and loyal wife.

Desdemona’s sense of duty and overwhelming loyalty to other characters is also particularly evident throughout the play, especially within her constant petitioning to Othello on Cassio’s behalf in order to help him obtain his position once again. In Act 3, Scene 3, she expresses her loyalty to Cassio with the words, ‘Thy solicitor shall rather die than give thy cause away,’ clearly showing her dedication to the cause of a person that she considers to be a true friend. This constant petitioning is done at the risk of Othello’s displeasure, which he expresses extensively throughout the play, and her loyalty to those close to her defines her as having a particular inner strength as well. Another potent trait that reveals her dutiful nature, especially towards her husband, is her naivety, and her lack of knowledge about the true nature of most women. This becomes particularly evident in Act 4, Scene 3, when she and Emilia are discussing their views on infidelity, and Desdemona questions, ‘Doest thou in good conscience think…that there be women do abuse their husbands in such gross kind?’ Her disbelief of the fact that women would truly be unfaithful to their husbands reveals her overwhelming sense of duty and loyalty to Othello, as she has not even considered the possibility of being disloyal to him in this way. Ultimately, Desdemona, while being a character of contradictions, is steadfast in her actions, and unwavering in her views. Her strength of character amidst patriarchal authority, while simultaneously remaining dutiful and loyal, challenges our views of women in the 16th century, and forces us to reconsider surface-value assumptions made about her character as a whole.

Another prominent female character in the play is Emilia, and Shakespeare’s portrayal of her as a progressive, pragmatic and courageous woman gives her a particular depth of character that further reinvents the stereotypical views of women in the 16th century. As the wife of Iago, who does not value women in any capacity, and sees her as a mere tool, she surprises the audience with her insightful and perceptive insights into her lesser status and her belief that women are of equal worth to men. This is especially evident in Act 4, Scene 3, as throughout her conversation with Desdemona, she reveals her thoughts with the words, ‘Let husbands know their wives have sense like them. They see and smell and have their palates both for sweet and sour as husbands have.’ This would not have been a typical view that Venetian women living in their male-dominated society would have possessed, and Shakespeare’s choice to portray her in this way indicates a depth and complexity of character that reveals much about her response to her unfair treatment by her husband, and her opinions on her status as a whole. Her pragmatic nature also allows the audience further insights into her views and emotions, as she is highly realistic and extensively knowledgeable about the nature of men and their treatment of women. In Act 3, Scene 4, she shares her thoughts with the words, ‘They are all but stomachs, and we are all but food; they eat us hungrily, and when they are full, they belch us.’ From her own experiences with Iago, who was not a good husband to her in any capacity, she understands that male authority has led to women being pushed aside, and her highly vivid metaphor of men being stomachs and women as food describes the lack of respect and powerlessness that women living in any patriarchal society feel on a day to day basis.

However, the core trait that Emilia possesses, which serves as a catalyst for the final reveal of Iago’s malicious actions and ensures that all responsible for the tragedy are held accountable, is her courageous nature. This is especially revealed when, in Act 5, Scene 2, she speaks out against her husband against his wishes, as while Iago attempts to use his authority to silence her, she perseveres and brings to light Iago’s role in Desdemona’s death. Emilia states, ‘No, I will speak as liberal as the north. Let heaven and men and devils; let them all, all cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak.’ Despite the terrible consequence which eventually befalls her, namely her murder by her own husband, she is unwavering in her determination, and, like Desdemona, she possesses a particular strength of character in her inherent courage, which allows her to defy her husband’s authority and achieve justice for the death of her mistress. It is clear that Emilia’s progressive views, her pragmatic mentality and courageous nature have allowed the audience to perceive her as a dynamic and animated individual who challenges the stereotypical view of a Venetian woman in the 16th century by ultimately resisting the male authority that she would have been confronted with in every aspect of her life. Accordingly, her character is vital in demonstrating the complexity of thought and depth of emotion that women would have experienced at that time in response to their patriarchal society, marking her as a key aspect of the play overall.

The final female character presented in the play is Bianca, and while she may appear as being insignificant, her determination, sense of self-worth and assertive nature all distinguish her as being a vital character in showcasing the treatment of a women with lesser status in a patriarchal society. Bianca is commonly considered to be a prostitute, and her relationship with Cassio is treated with contempt even by Cassio himself, evidenced in Act 4, Scene 1, with his conversation with Iago. Iago states, ‘She gives it out that you shall marry her,’ ready to goad Cassio into mocking Bianca for the purposes of his scheme, and they continue to laugh about her throughout the rest of the scene. However, this conversation reveals a great deal about the character of Bianca, as it is clearly established that she is determined in her ambition to marry Cassio and ensure that their relationship becomes more solid. This desire establishes a clear reversal of the stereotypical view of a woman in her position, as they would never have expressed ambitions of marrying a man who would be considered well above them in terms of social status. Additionally, we can see the sense of pride and self worth that she feels, despite the unrealistic nature of her wish, as she knows that she deserves better from Cassio, and she wants to translate her feelings for him into a tangible relationship that would allow her to be recognised with the respect that she deserves.

This is further reemphasised with another prominent trait she possesses – that of assertiveness , particularly seen in her dealings with male characters such as Iago and Cassio. She is able to stand up in the face of accusations that Iago throws at her, as shown in Act 5, Scene 1, where he claims that she is responsible for the injury of Cassio, throwing insults at her to harshen the blow. She is quick to reply with the words, ‘I am no strumpet, but of life as honest as you thus abuse me,’ indicating her willingness to confidently defend herself, despite the male dominance that she is confronted with. Her assertiveness is further reemphasised in Act 4, Scene 1, when she confronts Cassio about his request for her to copy the work out of it, with the words, ‘There give it your hobby horse, wheresoever you had it. I’ll take out no work on’t.’ Again, her confidence in dealing with Cassio and her ability to perceive that she should be treated with the respect she deserves is a clear mark of her astute and assertive nature. This ability to assertively respond to male authority would not be typical of a lower class woman in the 16th century, and accordingly, her strength of character is evidenced within her actions throughout the play, especially in her dealings with those who look down upon her simply for the fact that she is a woman on the lowest rung of the social hierarchy living in a patriarchal society.

It is evident that all three of the women of Shakespeare’s Othello have many personal traits that allow them to challenge the stereotypical view of a 16th century woman living in a patriarchal society. Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca are all ultimately defined by an inner strength that and distinguishes them from other women from the same social context, and Shakespeare’s portrayal of them as multifaceted, dynamic women who are able to remain true to their own values, ideals and beliefs under the overwhelming authority of men allows us to obtain a holistic picture of the depth of thought and emotionality that women of their time would have had. These female characters may be overlooked by the audience at first, but on closer examination, it is clear that the contribution of these women to the events of the play and the resulting tragic ending is extensive, and they are vital in completing the complex picture that Shakespeare paints of the patriarchal society of the 16th century as a whole.