How Does Shakespeare Present Women in Othello

Celeste

Written Task 2 – Critical Essay Outline: Prescribed Prescribed Question: How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?  Title of the Text for analysis: analysis: Othello by Shakespeare Shakespeare  The part of the course to which the task task refers to: Part Part : !iterature !iterature " Texts Texts and Contexts #y critical response will: •

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$xa%ine how wo%en are portrayed in Othello with the help of &uotes fro% the play' $xa%ine how %en treated wo%en as ob(ects rather than as indi)iduals' $xplain how wo%en were dee%ed as *whores+ e)en when they were %arried'

Celeste

Throughout Othello, the attitude towards wo%en in the $li-abethan era is also portrayed' .o%en were seen as nothing %ore than ob(ects or pri-ed possessions which belonged to %en' The $li-abethan society was patriarchal as the %en do%inated e)ery aspect of it' .o%en were considered the weaker sex and always needed protection which was the (ob of husbands' .o%en were considered inferior to %en and therefore they were expected to be silent, chaste, and obedient to their husbands, fathers, brothers, and all %en in general' / few exa%ples fro% the text include: 0ago wakes up 1rabantio by yelling 23ounds, sir, you+re robb+d4 for sha%e, put on your gown4 5our heart is burst, you ha)e lost half your soul6' These lines indicate that 7esda%ona was his property and Othello 8the thief9 has robbed hi% and he should go and hunt for the thief and punish hi% for stealing' /lso when 0ago tells Cassio that 2tonight he heath boarded a land carrack 0f it pro)e a lawful pri-e6 he is referring to Othello as a pirate and 7esda%ona as a treasure 8land carrack9 which Othello has found and therefore belongs to hi%' 0n /ct  Scene  the Senator wishes Othello well by hoping that he will 2use 7esda%ona well6' The connotation of the word 2use6 is 2look after6 but it

Celeste

also portrays the $li-abethan attitude towards wo%en as they are expected to bow to the will of their husbands who can utili-e the% in any way they want' .e also see that 0ago wants re)enge on Othello because he belie)es the ru%ors that Othello has slept with his wife $%ilia' 0ago does not e)en know if the ru%ors are true but he still wants re)enge as Othello has used a possession which belongs to hi% 82The lusty #oor;hath leaped into %y seat69' 0n these few lines 0ago has insulted and ob(ecti