Desdemona

Question 1

The ingenue

Answer 1

Her innocence and virtue, selflessness portraying her as the perfect ‘maiden’, but her innocence exists largely in the perception of others

Question 2

Brabantio calls her ‘a maiden never bold’, Cassio calls her ‘a maid/ that paragons all description’ and othello calls her ‘excellent wretch’

Answer 2

Shows her chastity was capitalised on, her innocence is partly a concoction of male fantasy but there are still aspects that complement her to the ingenue type. E.g ignorant to te workings of military culture; creating friction between her and othello, tragically unaware of toxic masculinty

Question 3

‘Maiden never bolden’

Answer 3

Assertiveness and self-assuredness

Question 4

‘Thy solicitor shall rather die/ than give thy cause away’

Answer 4

Mediator- diplomatic and empathetic, appeal for Casio’s case
Portray her extreme altruism, sacrificing herself for the needs of others