The Women of Othello Heather Crabbe

The female characters in Shakespeare’s Othello have been variably received throughout history. Desdemona, especially, finds herself the target of contradictory analyses: for some, she is the ideal woman, angelic and pure; for others, overly forward, inviting Othello’s suspicion as well as the audience’s. Rather than falling into either of these descriptions, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca are rather presented as fallible yet admirable human beings in their own right, exhibiting qualities of loyalty, honor, and courage while also possessing human flaws. Conversely, the argument can be made that the male characters are in fact the ones who fall into stereotypes, either as the villainous devil, the overweening fop, or the insanely jealous husband. As Carol Thomas Neely writes, “Three out of the five [prominent male characters] attempt murder; five out of the five are foolish and vain” (216). While Shakespeare overwhelmingly emphasizes the positive qualities of the women in the play, he presents the men in a mostly negative light, as even Othello of the “perfect soul” too easily falls prey to evil (1.2.35). The immediate impression of Othello reveals contradiction; in Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2, Iago and Roderigo, along with Brabantio reflect negatively on Othello, calling him “devil”, “lascivious”, “foul” and “damned” while the Duke and the Officer refer to him positively as “noble” and “valiant.” However, while this may at first seem to present a complex portrait of Othello, since the former are all angry with Othello for various reasons, their views cannot be trusted. Once Othello himself appears, he certainly seems to be as honorable as the Duke, Officer, and Desdemona paint him to be. Also, Othello’s own declaration of his “perfect soul” along with Desdemona’s corroboration of “his honors and his valiant parts” further suggest a virtue in Othello that is untainted and admirable (1.2.35; 1.3.275). Even Iago, who hates him, must admit, “The Moor is of a free and open nature/ That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,” highlighting Othello’s trust in others (1.3.17-18). If the audience is to believe these assertions to be fact, Othello’s quick transformation from trusting Desdemona to deeming her false is especially unbelievable. Instead of suggesting Othello as a realistic character, a man who is noble but possesses the flaw of jealousy, the rapidity of his switch pigeonholes him as the typical “jealous husband” who desires to grasp at any sort of suspicion that will justify his mistrust of his wife, and attests to a serious defect in character rather than a paltry ‘flaw.’ His former virtuous qualities of honor, valiancy, and goodness of soul become obscured by the single-mindedness of his mental, emotional, and physical attacks on Desdemona. W. D Adamson remarks that “. . . both Othello and Iago are moral absolutists . . . interpreting Desdemona oversimply” (169). For Othello, Desdemona is either sinless and angelic or debauched and licentious—there can be no other view. This, too, calls the realism of Othello’s character into question, as few real human beings see things in only black and white. In the end, even his suicide fails to redeem him as a character because of his refusal to listen to reason; both Desdemona and Emilia have asserted Desdemona’s innocence, and Desdemona herself has pleaded with him to show mercy and spare her life. Othello’s failure to see the truth in his wife

49 and his insistence on ending her life call his previous so-called “honor” into serious question. Neely points out that even in the final scene “. . . [Othello] persists in seeing himself and Desdemona as ill-fated, unlucky . . .”, thus “plac[ing] the blame for [his] actions outside [himself]” (233, 225). While his closing speech in Act 5, Scene 2 may seem to serve as an admission of guilt and repentance, the words “unlucky,” “wrought,” and “perplexed” along with Othello’s claim that he “loved not wisely, but too well” contradict the epithet of “circumcised dog” that he gives himself at the end of the speech (351-365). “Unlucky” places the blame on fate, “wrought” and “perplexed” place the blame on Iago, and the claim of having “loved not wisely, but too well” in fact can be seen to reflect poorly on Desdemona while indirectly praising his own strength of feeling. Thus, even in taking his own life, Othello fails to achieve the level of virtue that even Bianca, the lowliest woman, exhibits in the play. Just as Othello fails to transcend stereotype, Iago also appears to be an especially unrealistic character with no redeeming qualities; from the start Iago’s motives are questionable and his treatment of all, even Roderigo, who he appears to be helping in the beginning, shows him to be devious and treacherous. In Act 1, Scene 1, Brabantio, not even knowing Iago, calls him “profane” and a “villain,” fully illuminating his character from the very first (116; 118). As the play continues, Iago’s speech and behavior continue to add to the impression of his evil nature. His supposed and stated motivation for his hatred of Othello stems from his having been passed over for a promotion; however, even after the position as Othello’s lieutenant is secured, Iago persists in his deception. Additionally, while Iago also adds to his list of resentments the fact that he has suspicion that Othello has slept with Iago’s wife, he also claims to “love” Desdemona, not merely because he desires her but also because of his longing for revenge. Iago’s urging of Othello to kill the innocent Desdemona highlights Iago’s wickedness; though his supposed “love” for her is certainly not sincere, the insistence upon causing her death indicates insidiousness beyond a wish to cause Othello pain. The extreme nature of Iago’s malevolence and his direct involvement in the murders of not only Desdemona but also of Roderigo and Emilia rob him of all humanity. He is not merely a man who is out for revenge, but one bent on destroying everything around him. His murder of Emilia is needless, as she has already proclaimed his guilt in front of witnesses, and in fact it can only serve to increase his culpability and ultimate punishment, thus emphasizing the evil inherent in his character as one who would kill an innocent woman simply for revenge. His additional refusal to testify as to his motivations contributes to the malevolence of his character and places him even further beyond the realm of the believable. “What you know, you know. / From this time forth I never will speak word”, he asserts, and in the play he does not (5.2.353-354). One is left wondering whether or not “Torments will ope [his] lips”, or if rather his future actions will further attest to the allegorical possibilities of Iago as the devil himself (5.2.355). Cassio, though he does not possess the wickedness manifested by both Othello and Iago, does appear to be almost entirely devoid of sincerity and genuine goodness. The one area where he does manifest a positive quality, his love for Othello, in the end causes his disgrace and physical harm. Shakespeare, through not only Iago but through Cassio’s own speech and actions, depicts Cassio as a relatively foolish man 50 who is able to present an appearance of grace and gentlemanliness, but whose behavior belies those gentle qualities he strives to demonstrate. His speech upon Desdemona’s arrival at Cyprus can only be described as melodramatic, and in the words of W.D. Adamson, “sophomoric:” “You men of Cyprus, let her have your knees!/ Hail to thee lady! and the grace of heaven,/ Before, behind thee, and on every hand,/ Enwheel thee round!”(Adamson 180; Shakespeare 2.1.94-97). If, as stated in the speech, he indeed kneels, the theatrical nature of these words in the face of Othello’s still potential death at sea illuminates Cassio’s frivolity and misplaced behavior. Furthermore, while his manners are pleasing and his loyalty to Othello sincere, he is sorely lacking in judgement. In Act 2, Scene 3, Iago easily urges him to further drinking, in spite of the fact that Cassio knows that alcohol has an extremely negative effect on him. Additionally, the fact that he has already had a drink indicates his lack of restraint and self-control, along with a seeming disregard for the responsibilities of his position. Then, when he is in disgrace with Othello because of this lack of judgment and restraint, rather than showing courage and humility through approaching Othello himself for a pardon, Cassio goes behind Othello’s back to entreat a woman to intercede on his behalf. Most damaging to his overall characterization is his total disregard for Bianca, the woman who loves him. At Bianca’s first appearance in Act 3, Scene 4, Cassio greets her with the words “my most fair Bianca,” and “sweet love” and insists against her jealousy, “You are jealous now / That this is from some mistress, some remembrance/No, by my faith, Bianca”(3.4.165-166; 180-183). Easily accepting Cassio’s explanation, Bianca does as he wishes, and leaves him to copy the work in the handkerchief, even though she misses him and has not seen him in over a week. However, when suggested by Iago that Cassio might marry Bianca, Cassio treats it as a joke, in spite of the love and loyalty she has shown him and her willingness to do as he bids. When she reappears with the handkerchief, he greets her with the disparaging, “’Tis such another fitchew! marry a perfumed one. / What do you mean by this haunting of me?”(4.1.162-163). She leaves in anger, and while Cassio follows her, it is not out of concern for her feelings, but because “she’ll rail i’ the street else,” and also presumably, because he wishes to share her bed that night in spite of his distaste at the thought of marrying her (4.1.178). Thus, while Cassio may be a slightly more complex character than either Othello or Iago, he fares little better, appearing uncommonly foolish and insensitive throughout the play. Unlike the men in the play, each of the female characters not only possess consistent and lasting virtuous qualities, but also appear as realistic portraits of humanity. “The women in Othello are not murderous, and they are not foolishly idealistic or foolishly cynical as the men are. From the start they . . . combine realism with romance, mockery with affection” (Neely 218). In spite of the fact that Bianca is a prostitute, her love for Cassio proves genuine, and while she does demonstrate a willingness to comply with his requests, she also exhibits a vivid spirit and a courageous defense of herself even in the face of grievous allegations that she has stabbed the man she loves. Throughout the play, while Emilia does admit that she could be convinced to commit adultery for certain reasons and originally secretly gives Desdemona’s handkerchief to Iago, she also reveals strong loyalty towards not only her husband but also to Desdemona. In the end, while this loyalty costs her life, it is the men, specifically Othello and Iago,

51 who are to blame. And finally, Desdemona may appear passive at times and certainly misjudges her husband’s capacity for jealousy, but throughout the play she consistently asserts her innocence and displays not only a loyalty that lasts all the way to her death, but also a great deal of courage and self-worth. Though the role of Bianca in the play is significantly smaller than that of Desdemona, or even Emilia, her spirit exhibits itself just as forcefully as the other two women. Carol Thomas Neely states of Bianca: Bianca’s active, open-eyed, enduring affection is similar to that of the other women. She neither romanticizes love nor degrades sex. . .Her active pursuit of Cassio is in contrast to his indifference, to Roderigo’s passivity, and to Othello’s naïveté. . .The play’s humanization of her. . . underlines the folly of the male characters who see her as merely whore. (218-219) Bianca easily holds her own in conversations with Cassio, and in both scenes where they are placed together, Bianca comes out as the more appealing character, with Cassio appearing flippant at best and outright cruel at worst. In the first scene where they appear together, Bianca may exhibit jealousy, but Cassio appears demanding and indifferent. He tells her to take the work out of the handkerchief and outright dismisses her jealousy without offering much in the way of appeasement. “Take it and do’t, and leave me for this time”, he demands curtly (3.4.214). Bianca, on the other hand, leaves graciously: “’Tis very good. I must be circumstanced”(3.4.226). In their second scene together, Cassio fares even worse. He outright mocks Bianca, whose continued jealousy could simply be asserting itself because of the unkind reception she receives upon her appearance; it is not unlikely that she could interpret Cassio’s cruel greeting as an indication that he no longer feels affection for her but has found someone else. As a courtesan it is her job to be conciliatory and appeasing, but here she asserts her right to a faithful and committed love outside of her work. Bianca’s jealousy is not an appealing trait, but it is one common enough in humanity, and unlike Othello’s jealousy, it does not lead her to enacting bodily harm upon the object of her love, but instead flees in the face of that bodily harm when she expresses real distress at Cassio’s condition in Act 5, Scene 1. “Bianca’s jealousy is . . .in contrast to the men’s; instead of corroding within, it is quickly vented and dissipates, leaving her affection for Cassio essentially untouched” (Neely 224). In addition to love and loyalty, Bianca also exhibits courage. Joan Ozark Holmer asserts: “Bianca joins Desdemona and Emilia in demonstrating female bravery when she immediately withstands, far better than the male Roderigo has done, Iago’s best attempt to intimidate her” (148). Not only does Bianca stand up to Iago, but to Emilia, too, asserting “I am no strumpet, but of life as honest/ As you that thus abuse me”(5.1.143-144). While this statement may seem ironic given the fact that Bianca is, according to the cast list, “a courtesan,” her meaning certainly refers to her love for Cassio, in which she appears to have been both honest and faithful, shown even in Cassio’s own admission that he believes she loves him. Appearing only in three brief scenes, Bianca nevertheless presents herself as a strong woman with a self-worth that may seem extraordinary in light of her profession, and even in spite of that profession, her presence contributes to the overwhelmingly positive portrayal of women in the play.

52 Emilia plays a much more substantial role in Othello than Bianca, and her virtues stand out drastically against the vices of her husband. When she first appears on stage, the audience is already aware of Iago’s treacherous nature, and is disposed to sympathize with any woman unfortunate enough to be connected with him, save that she should prove as evil he; and this is certainly not the case with Emilia. In fact, before she even speaks, Iago’s assertion of her outspokenness, rather than reflecting poorly upon Emilia, creates in the audience a desire to find her appealing merely for the pleasure of disagreeing with Iago. Moreover, as she speaks merely three lines in this exchange to Iago’s forty-two, his veracity on this point, as on others, is called into question. In spite of Iago’s poor treatment of his wife, she exhibits true loyalty to him throughout the majority of the play. She complies with his request that she get Desdemona to see Cassio privately, she shows unadulterated belief in his goodness when she states “I warrant it grieves my husband / As if the cause were his” with respect to the situation concerning Cassio, and she retrieves Desdemona’s handkerchief to have the work taken out for Iago even though he gives her no good reason (3.3.4-5). Yet, one cannot view her as merely a compliant and obedient wife, for she also says about the handkerchief: “If it be not for some purpose of import, / Giv’t me again. Poor lady, she’ll run mad / When she shall lack it” (3.3.358-60). Thus early, she reveals not only a loyalty to her husband, which is decreed by law, but one toward a friend, which reveals an appealing depth of character. Although her decision in Act 3, Scene 4 to withhold the whereabouts of the handkerchief from Desdemona even when she observes how grieved Desdemona is to have misplaced it reflects poorly upon her, one must keep in mind the position of wives in this time period along with Emilia’s genuine lack of suspicion toward Iago. Furthermore, soon after, she redeems herself in her stanch defense of her mistress to Othello: “. . . if she be not honest, chaste, and true, / There’s no man happy; the purest of their wives / Is foul as slander” (4.3.19- 21). It is Othello’s fault that he does not believe Emilia; she could not have spoken more convincingly. While the audience could find fault with her for neglecting to mention the handkerchief here, one should recall that she is unaware of the suspicion that her husband has been fostering in Othello’s mind and in spite of her observation of Othello’s jealousy, cannot know how large a part the handkerchief has played in cultivating it. Furthermore, when she later states “The Moor’s abused by some most villainous knave, / Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow,” one cannot help but feel pity for her in her insight, little knowing as she is that her husband is the very “knave” she so accurately describes (4.3.162-163). Even Emilia’s assertion that she would be willing to commit adultery paradoxically highlights her fidelity to her undeserving husband: I would not do such a thing for a joint ring, nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition; but, for all the world. . .who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for’t. (4.3.86-91) Though her subsequent speech places the blame for a cheating wife on the husband, rather than making Emilia less likeable, it in fact further adds to her appeal as she highlights the double standard that exists regarding men and women. “. . . have we not

53 affections, / Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?”(4.3.114-115). Neely places Emilia directly between Desdemona and Bianca, an offering by Shakespeare as an explicit alternative to “saint” or “strumpet.” [Emilia] rejects the identification with Bianca yet sympathizes with female promiscuity. She corrects Desdemona’s occasional naïveté but defends her chastity. Although she comprehends male jealousy and espouses sexual equality, she seems remarkably free of jealousy herself. . . (Neely 219) The complexity of Emilia thwarts a tendency some readers have of forcing characters into specific categories; through her refusal to be labeled, Emilia removes the temptation to label the other two female characters, thus illuminating the complexity of the other two through her own multi-faceted character. Neely also mentions Emilia’s refusal to identify with Bianca, in spite of Emilia’s earlier justification of adultery; perhaps in Bianca, Emilia sees someone who acts as she does for the trinkets and clothes that Emilia claims she would not cheat for. However, again, the audience must remember that Emilia, at this point, (Act 5, Scene 1) still holds no suspicion towards Iago, and here, her allegiance to her husband rather than to a courtesan she has possibly never met before testifies to her virtue rather than reflecting poorly upon her. It is in the final scene of the play that Emilia achieves the height of her virtue and courage. Rather than fleeing when Othello admits his murder of Desdemona, Emilia berates him: “O the more angel she/ And you the blacker devil!”(5.2.156-157). Her character is at its most sympathetic when she is forced to acknowledge the guilt of Iago: “My husband?”, she repeats disbelievingly(5.2.175). In her desire that the truth be known, she further endangers her own life, first with Othello and later, tragically, with Iago himself. Daring Othello to harm her, she asserts “Thou hast not half the power to do me harm/ As I have to be hurt,” and courageously calls for help (5.2.195-196). Once the men arrive, Emilia exhibits one last wish to believe her husband guiltless as she pleads with him to “disprove this villain”(5.2.205). Finally, once she is forced to face Iago’s treachery, she tells the truth about the handkerchief as she should have done from the start. Sadly, it comes too late for Desdemona; yet in her transference of the bulk of her loyalty from the undeserving Iago to the honest Desdemona, Emilia fully redeems her character as even Othello, the play’s tragic hero, fails to do. Carol Thomas Neely asserts: [Emilia] rejects the wifely virtues of silence, obedience, and prudence which are demanded of her. . .[she] dies without self-justification or calls for revenge; instead she testifies to Desdemona’s innocence andlove just as her mistress had done at her own death. Emilia’s request to be laid by her mistress, her reiteration of the willow song and her own attempts to ‘by bad mend’ complete her identification with Desdemona. (231-232) Emilia’s insistence on telling the truth about the handkerchief even though Iago has threatened her with his sword exhibits virtue and courage to equal Desdemona’s. Emilia becomes a martyr here, sacrificed for her beliefs in the necessity for truth and justice in the world.

54 Critic Ann Jennalie Cook remarks that in various responses to Desdemona’s character, “she is criticized for her rebelliousness but also blamed for her passivity,” and further states that “some of the contradictions seem to be quite deliberately structured into the play itself”(187). This observation of Cook corroborates the idea that Desdemona can neither be idolized nor condemned, but must be taken as a complex human being with frailties and virtues which Shakespeare himself intentionally wove into the script. Even before Desdemona appears, she is described by her father as “A maiden never bold;/ Of spirit so still and quiet that her motion/ Blushed at herself. . .”(1.3.106-108). He continues to infer that Desdemona was afraid of Othello and outright states that Othello must have bewitched her to cause her to behave in a manner so opposite to her nature. This portrayal of Desdemona as weak, passive, and timid, rather than preparing the audience for a likable and appealing young woman, reflects rather negatively upon her and suggests a pathetic fragility that would invite pity rather than admiration. The Desdemona who appears shortly thereafter, thankfully exhibits neither weakness, nor passivity, nor timidity. This Desdemona, whom the audience is seeing for the first time, exhibits spirit and self-possession, and while she has been openly defiant in her actions, her speech denotes a “divided duty”(1.3.199). Asserting her loyalty to her husband, Desdemona does not divorce her self from her father, but attempts to forge a reconciliation, which Brabantio outright refuses to accept. This insistence upon asserting herself, while at the same time remaining loyal to those she cares for, continues to exhibit itself throughout the text. Marvin Rosenberg states: “Desdemona was not meant to have a spineless tenderness, though her partisans have sometimes charged her with it” (211). This lack of spinelessness further reveals itself in Desdemona’s “bold, if not brazen [request], in asking to accompany Othello to Cypress so that she can enjoy ‘the rites for which I love him’ (I. 257)” (Cook 190). While Othello disclaims any possibility that he would wish her to accompany him to Cypress so that they can consummate their marriage, Desdemona possesses no such reservation, willingly asserting her dedication to Othello not only in mind and heart as she has previously proclaimed to her father, but in body as well. Sadly, rather than appreciating the fortune he has received in such an open and affectionate wife, Othello later uses her bold assertions of devotion to him in order to justify his extreme jealousy. The audience next sees Desdemona at Cypress, with Emilia and Iago. While it has been sometimes suggested that her willingness to engage in witty and suggestive banter with Iago belies any concern she might have for her husband, a skillful actress should be able to genuinely portray Desdemona’s state of mind when she states “I am not merry; but I do beguile/ The thing I am by seeming otherwise”(2.1.140-141). One can accept her at her word and assess the word play as a distraction to a worried mind, serving the same purpose as pacing does for many who are anxiously awaiting news. Her ability to hold her own in the playful and suggestive conversation further asserts her complexity; she neither fits into the passive role her father has painted for her nor the innocent, angelic one that both Cassio and Othello attribute to her. Additionally, once Othello safely arrives, Desdemona’s heartfelt and sincere greeting should eliminate any accusations of callousness that may have formed during her conversation with Iago; her optimistic view of her future with Othello outdoes his

55 own, as his words suggest they are currently at their highest point with no direction to go but down. Some critics claim that once Othello begins to show his suspicion, Desdemona’s formerly spirited nature disappears and she becomes hopeless and pathetically submissive, sharing in responsibility for her own death. Conversely, Carol Thomas Neely states: Desdemona’s spirit, clarity, and realism do not desert her in the latter half of the play as many critics and performances imply. . . she persistently questions Othello to discover exactly what he accuses her of. . .she defends herself as ‘stoutly’ (3.2.45) as she had earlier defended Cassio. (220-221) Many critics fault Desdemona’s lie about the handkerchief, yet her alternative is to brave her husband’s wrath and after hearing the story of the handkerchief’s origin, the destruction of her marriage. It may be weak of her to choose a feeble lie here, but it in no way equals the severity of Othello’s fault in believing Iago over his own wife, and even less does it equal his eventual murder of Desdemona. Ruth Vanita also addresses Desdemona’s supposed submissiveness in the second half of the play: . . .patient submission is the best survival strategy. . .Desdemona foresees her death but fights for her life with every means available to her. She tries to find allies. The only Venetians who are at hand are Iago, Emilia, and Cassio . . .Iago is the only possible ally. (344) Although his advice to her offers nothing of substance, she “faithfully tries to implement his advice by being obedient and meek, a strategy the play reveals as singularly ineffective”(Vanita 345). Thus, Vanita argues, rather than painting her as weak or hopeless, Desdemona’s apparent submissiveness in the second half of the play is her own method of fighting for honesty, justice, and her marriage. Cook also corroborates this interpretation of Desdemona, pointing out The same forceful spirit that led her to defy convention in her marriage and stand up to the Senate enables her to bear the public humiliation of a blow, to insist to a raging Othello that she is indeed honest, and to argue her innocence with considerable passion before Iago, now the only male ally left to her. (192) Desdemona not only remains loyal to Othello in her actions, but also in her words. When he berates her about the handkerchief and seemingly uncharacteristically continues to harp upon it, Desdemona attributes his behavior as “Something sure of state/ . . .[which] . . . Hath puddled his clear spirit” (3.4.158-161). In Act 4, Scene 2, Desdemona continually asserts her innocence in the face of Othello’s anger. To his repeated accusations, Desdemona’s replies all contain the spirit of virtue: “By heaven, you do me wrong!” (4.2.93). It is not until Othello’s exit after naming her “the whore of Venice” that Desdemona seems to lack spirit, appearing ill, and claiming herself to be “half asleep” (4.2.104;113). The willow scene, rather than affirming Desdemona’s passivity and hopelessness, in fact continues to assert her

56 sorrow for having been so misunderstood, and her plans to try and save her marriage in the marriage bed, again avowing her dedication to Othello not only in mind and heart, but body as well. Her refusal to believe Emilia’s assertion that many women would be willing to cuckold their husbands for various reasons need not be denigrated as ignorant naïveté, but could instead be praised as an optimistic belief in virtue even in the face of possible death. For many people, Desdemona’s treatment at the hands of the man who vowed to love and cherish her would be enough to cause a loss of faith in all goodness, but Desdemona not only adheres to her own innocence through great turmoil, but a belief in the potential for goodness in all womankind. In her essay “Desdemona, Woman Warrior” Joan Ozark Holmer uniquely views Desdemona in regards to the Christian Warrior: “Shakespeare’s Othello seems to allow . . . possibility for human agency to seek divine grace and to do good under adverse circumstances. That amazing agency he stunningly ascribes to a woman warrior”(137). She focuses on Desdemona’s victory on the “moral battlefield,” and like Neely and Vanita, disclaims other critics’ views of Desdemona as weak and passive (157). Holmer views Desdemona’s dying words as courageous: “She courageously sacrifices the loss of her good name. . .and gains the infamous reputation of a suicide, who like Ophelia in Hamlet could expect maimed burial rites or even burial at a crossroads with a stake in her heart”(143). She goes on to assert, . . . what man would so bravely and generously sacrifice the honor of his reputation. . .here a woman sets an example of moral courage to which the men can only aspire. If men, especially warriors, were supposed to die for the honor of their reputations, how exceptional is Desdemona to lay down the honor of her reputation to try to save Othello? (143) Holmer’s interpretation takes an interesting view of Desdemona’s last words, asserting that rather than trying to save Othello’s reputation, or life, as her dying words are usually construed, she is instead hoping to save his soul by giving him time to discover the truth about her and repent his wrongdoings before being jailed or put to death for his crime. “Desdemona sets the example of Christian kindness for Othello regarding how to avoid hate, whether of self or other, in love that is both giving and forgiving”(Holmer 147). Through this view of the play, Othello is doubly condemned; he is unable to take the path which Desdemona laid out for him and not only loses his reputation and his life, but neglects to take the time to pray for his own soul before killing himself. On the other hand, while Othello claims “It is too late” for Desdemona to say her prayers, she does ask God for mercy twice before dying, and ultimately has no serious sin to atone for (4.2.89). In the final scene of the play, Desdemona, rather than passively submitting to death, continues to assert her innocence, and in fact, struggles for her life. When Othello commands her: “Think on thy sins” she replies “They are loves I bear to you” and points out to him “That death’s unnatural that kills for loving”(5.2.45-46; 48). She does not passively submit to death, but entreats Othello to spare her life, and additionally, physically struggles in spite of his obvious superiority of strength, shown in Othello’s comments “Nay, an you strive” and “not yet quite dead?”(5.2.97; 103).

57 Then, even after she is believed to have died, she musters her last strength to speak of her own innocence and absolve Othello of his guilt. Ann Jennalie Cook interprets her final line as reflective of the courage which has been evident from the first: . . . she reveals herself to be the same woman whose behavior seemed so doubtful at the play’s beginning: if her choice of Othello involves parental defiance or social disgrace or public humiliation or even undeserved death, so be it. She alone—‘Nobody—I myself’—has made the choice, and she alone accepts the responsibility for its consequences. Here, surely, is no act of supernatural forgiveness but rather a persistently courageous and loving spirit. (193) Cook’s interpretation of Desdemona’s dying words echoes the spirit of Holmer’s yet focuses more on Desdemona’s independence rather than her Christian virtue. Desdemona’s final affirmation of Othello’s innocence may be, as Othello points out, a lie, but it is one told out of selflessness and with the same assertive spirit the audience has seen in her from her very first appearance on stage. While Desdemona has made errors in judgment throughout the play and her white lie about the handkerchief has catastrophic consequences, she, along with the other women, far outshine the men in complexity, virtue, and appeal. Marvin Rosenberg highlights Desdemona’s appeal: . . . we care intensely for this young, passionate woman who ran away secretly from her father’s house to the arms of her lover, who has a healthy desire to be with her husband on her wedding night, who cries when she is struck, and who feels death terribly. Divinity is beyond our pity; but we weep for the mortal woman who was Desdemona. (209) Here, Rosenberg not only praises Desdemona, but points out the realism inherent in her character. In addition to being more appealing than the men, the women also are unique in the play in the loyalty they show one another. Desdemona and Emilia, in spite of the fact that Emilia is Desdemona’s maid, demonstrate true affection and loyalty toward one another in addition to their fidelity to their undeserving husbands, and it is through her faithfulness to Desdemona that Emilia triumphs over the evil that Iago has spread. The men, on the other hand, show fidelity to neither their wives nor one another. “The men’s vanity, their preoccupation with rank and reputation, and their cowardice render them as incapable of friendship as they are of love . . . The women, in contrast, are indifferent to reputation and partially free of vanity, jealousy, and competitiveness” (Neely 224). Thus, the women of Othello outshine the men in both virtue and realism. The prostitute, the maid, and the lady share qualities of devotion, dependability, and courage in the face of injustice, scorn, and iniquity enacted upon them by the men of the play. Neither fully angelic nor wholly licentious, the women appear as genuine individuals striving to live in a world that increasingly turns on them. Sadly, both Desdemona and Emilia lose the struggle, and Bianca’s concern for Cassio is unlikely to inspire reciprocal devotion. As Carol Thomas Neely asserts, “. . . the men’s murderous

58 fancies are untouched by the women’s affection, wit and shrewishness. The play ends as it began, in a world of men—political, loveless, undomesticated”(215). Thus, in spite of the relatively low death count, this destruction of virtuous and courageous womanhood without any visible redemption makes Othello possibly the most tragic of all Shakespeare’s tragedies.

Works Cited Adamson, W. D. “Unpinned or Undone?: Desdemona’s Critics and the Problem of Sexual Innocence.” Shakespeare Studies 13 (1980): 169-186. Cook, Ann Jennalie. “The Design of Desdemona: Doubt Raised and Resolved.” Shakespeare Studies 13 (1980): 187-197. Neely, Carol Thomas. “Women and Men in Othello: ‘What should such a fool / Do With so good a woman?’” Shakespeare Studies 10 (1978): 113-158. Holmer, Joan Ozark. “Desdemona, Woman Warrior: ‘O, these men, these men!’” Medieval & Renaissance Drama in England. 17 (2005):132-164. Rosenberg, Marvin. The Masks of Othello: The Search for the Identity of Othello, Iago, AND Desdemona by Three Centuries of Actors and Critics. University of California Press: Berkeley, CA, 1971. 206-217. Shakespeare, William. Othello. New York, NY: Pocket Press, 1957. Vanita, Ruth. “ ‘Proper’ Men and ‘Fallen’ Women: The Unprotectedness of Wives in Othello. Studies in English Literature 94.32 (Spring 1994): 341-357.

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