Misogyny in Othello by William Shakespeare

Misogyny can be defined as the cultural attitude of hatred for females simply due to the fact that they are female and are seen as inferior to men in the Elizabethan society. Because of misogyny, women live in a society dominated by men. As we go through Othello, we can find that the women characters are presented according to the expectations of Elizabethan society. During this time, women didn’t enjoy the same amounts of freedom as they do today. There were strict rules on how women should behave at home and in public. Men ran all of the institutions and were considered the heads of households. Othello is a play in which these unequal positions are clearly portrayed. The way women behave and conduct themselves in Othello is linked to the abstract expectations of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan society and the patriarchal society that he creates through the lack of representation given to women in the story, the portrayal of female suffering, and sexual possession.

Lack of Representation

Firstly, the lack of representation given to women in Othello is an illustration of the marginalization of women. The play contains only three female characters: Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca, while the male cast list is relatively extensive. Within this extensive male cast, there are characters with little or even no impact on the story, such as sailors and soldiers. They don’t contribute to the plot or theme in any way. While these male characters with little or no impact are introduced, wives of important male characters such as Brabantio are not. This minority of female characters exhibits a clear vision of the social climate of the play. Comparatively important female characters are considered secondary to undistinguished male characters, such as Graziano, Brabantio’s kinsman. This enforces the idea that women are victims because of the male-dominated social conditioning. So, the lack of female characters shows the social climate during the times of Elizabethan society (Greenblatt, 2012).

Portrayal of Female Suffering

Secondly, the portrayal of female suffering in Othello displays the low and marginalized position they possess on the social ranking. Forms of female suffering within the story are all caused by men. The social condition in the story appears to be that men can do whatever they want without a suitable punishment, such as death. Meanwhile, women can’t perform an action that can be considered offensive in the eyes of their husband or another male without severe (even deadly) consequences. This is shown in the killing of Desdemona, who was accused of being unfaithful without any proof, and the killing of Emilia, who was not supportive of the dishonesty of her husband. The consequences of offensive acts are completely different for male characters, such as Iago, who has been dishonest and evil throughout the entire story. Adding to that, Cassio hasn’t faced any punishments either, while being a “womanizer” in the story. Even when facing death, the female characters still act like they are subordinate to their husbands, as can be seen in the scenes of the deaths of both Desdemona and Emilia. Emilia sings a song about forsaken lovers, and Desdemona doesn’t want to admit she has been wounded by Othello and states that she wounded herself. In conclusion, Shakespeare wanted to portray the low status of females on the social ranking by including female suffering into the story (Smith, 2004).

Sexual Possession

Lastly, sexual possession is a central issue within the play, asserting the sexual dominance of men. Men are placed as the active and primary initiators of sexual exertions. Even women who have husbands and fathers in powerful positions are still considered by Iago to be prostitutes and objects. This can be seen in the second setting of Othello, which is the island of Cyprus. If a woman attempts to have any sexual contact, she is often labeled in uncomplimentary terms. Iago, the character with the most misogynistic attitude, states in the first scene to Desdemona and Emilia, “You rise to play and go to bed to work.” This shows the oppressive attitude towards women. Marriage is described as an act of “purchase”: a woman is bought by her husband, effectively as a favor, and is expected to fulfill his sexual desires in return for the privilege. The feelings of female characters, such as Desdemona and Emilia, are completely disregarded in the story. The women are just objects to further fulfill male desires. Iago is an extreme example; he shows through his thinking the fact that women, in both Elizabethan and Venetian society, are sensed as possessions, secondary to the desires of men. In conclusion, Othello is linked to the abstract expectations of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan society and the patriarchal society that he creates by the lack of representation given to women in the book, the portrayal of female suffering, and sexual promiscuity and possession. The play contains only three female characters: Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca. Comparatively important female characters are considered secondary to undistinguished male characters (Neely, 1993).

Conclusion

Forms of female suffering within the story are all caused by men. The social condition in the story appears that men can do whatever they want without a suitable punishment, such as death. Meanwhile, women can’t perform an action that can be considered offensive. Sexual promiscuity and possession is a central issue within the play, asserting the sexual dominance of men. Even women who have husbands and fathers in powerful positions are still considered by Iago to be prostitutes and objects. We can find that the women characters are presented according to the expectations of Elizabethan society.

References

• Greenblatt, S. (2012). Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Neely, C. (1993). Broken Nuptials in Shakespeare's Plays. University of Illinois Press.
• Smith, E. (2004). Shakespeare’s Othello: A Sourcebook. Routledge.