Othello reveals the Disempowerment of Women Essay - 962 Words

William Shakespeare’s Othello reveals the disempowerment of women in the patriarchal society existing in the Elizabethan era. Though the female characters of Othello were subordinate to the men, the women pose a threat to the patriarchal society. This threat of women is that they are a weakness to the men of the play, their beliefs differ from the norm of their society and women are an unknowing source of havoc. Although modern day society is still patriarchal, women have been allowed more rights and authority. Throughout the play it is revealed that women are the weakness of and therefore a threat to men. Although women of this era were to be submissive to men, they did have a small degree of power over them. Michael Cassio mentions†¦show more content†¦The heart-broken Roderigo is drawn into Iago’s Machiavellian schemes, in the belief that he will help him to win Desdemona’s love. However Iago finishes using Roderigo and kills him before he is accused of stealing Roderigo’s possessions. At some point these women express a belief that opposes the ideologies of the patriarchal society. Although these oppose society, no difference is made about how women are to act. The reasons behind Emilia’s death are based on her disobedience to her husband, Iago after he told her to leave in act 5 scene 2. After Iago draws his sword threatening Emilia, she admits: †¦that handkerchief thou speak’st of, I found by fortune and did give my husband†¦ He begged of me to steal it. (V.ii.223-227) To Emilia, the value of truth was more important than obeying and submitting to Iago. Rebelling against the duties to the husband, Emilia risks her life for the beliefs and the people she upheld the most. The women presented in Othello do not conform to the patriarchal society and therefore oppose and threaten the ‘norm.’ Bianca’s character contradicted the patriarchal views of Venetian society as she is a prostitute. Therefore she is not chaste, defying the society’s ideology of women. The male characters in Othello see women as either a character like Bianca’s, who is lewd or like Desdemona who is innocent, submissive and obedient. When these women disobey the correct conduct