Key Theme - Womanhood & Sexuality Flashcards
“I do ________ here a __________ duty”
perceive
divided
• Desdemona arrives at this scene and her father asks her who she obeys. to which she responds and feels she has a “divided duty”, though shortly after she admits that because he is now her husband, she must have othello as the primary allegiance. The behaviour from both othello and desdemona in this scene proves that they are both honourable, loyal and truthful people - a characteristic which puts them as a direct reflection of iago.
The fact that desdemona is questioned about her “duty” reveals that, in the world of the play (jacobean era) women were not considered people in their own right. but only ever exist in relation to men, first they obey their father and brother(s) and then their husband. Another reason why desdemona and othellos marriage is so scandalous is due to the fact that desdemona has not asked her father to marry othello, nor did he even want to select him due to his race. Aside from this act of rebellion, desdemona is unfailingly playing the submissive role expected of women as evidenced by the quote.
“O heavy _________, thoust praises the _______ best”
ignorance!
worst
• desdemona and iago have arrived in cyprus while they wait for othello and iago entertains desdemona by telling her riddles about “foul and foolish” women. Desdemona rebukes iago and accuses him of “heavy ignorance” for praising such qualities. to some extent this conversation reflects desdemona honest and earnest nature. On the other hand, the decidedly flirtatious element of their conversations suggest that desdemona is perhaps not entirely innocent. at the same time, she might also be just adhering to the strict and complex societal constructs of women having to attend the presence of men in a pleasant, agreeable manner, rather than expressing their own strong opinions. such ambiguity highlights the difficulty of adhering to the strict contradictory code demanded of women.
“her ________ is an essence that isn’t seen, they have it very oft that have it not”
honour
• iago has repeatedly referenced the idea that cassio and desdemona have “slept naked together” and questions whether desdemona that what belongs to desdemona she could easily give away (the handkerchief); othello, likewise, asks wether she could give away her “honour” and iago replies insinuating that her honour is intangible and that many seek honourable when they are not. Directly iterating iagos character arc as “i am not what i am”. Following Othello’s obsession with “ocular proof” iagos now fixates the distinction between visible and invisible evidence and stresses the unreliablity of evaluating desdemonas “honour” because it is not visible - just like iagos.
“O banish me ___ ______, but kill me not! kill me tomorrow l; let me live tonight!… but while i say one ________”
my lord
prayer
• this passage is taken as tensions rise between desdemona and othello rise and he is about to kill her. she insists he “kill her tomorrow” while she has one last “prayer”. desdemonas honour to the gods proves her innocence and purity. othello understands her religious efforts as he metaphorically suggests to kill desdemona before this as he must “put out the light”, insinuating desdemona as the light. the light symbolically representing desdemonas purity and innocence as inherently suggested by light. Even during this scene desdemona directly proves her nobility to her husband as she has consistently referred to othello as “my lord” despite othello’s psychological deterioration and finally, killing her.
“Then _______ have mercy on me!”
heaven
• this quote from desdemonas final moment shows a prime point of desdemonas character depth as well as the societal construct which was pressured on women, in the world of the play. Desdemona shows great devotion and loyalty to othello in this moment as although it will cost her life she is willing to sacrifice her life in order to fulfill her husbands wishes as she accepts her fate and exclaims “heaven” to have “mercy” on her. Almost asking god for forgiveness as she now feels an element of guilt, thus emphasising on desdemonas innocence, loyalty and purity. However, the passage also shows audiences the complex and often contradictory order of the societal structure as women must submit to their husband even if their life depends on it.
EMILIA
“i nothing but ______ his ________ as it is, tis proper i _______ him”
please
fantasy
• Emilia feels indebted to iago because of the strict pressure that the societal structure puts on women as shown as “tis proper to obey him”. Emilia’s indebtedness originates from her need to have social and financial security which women could not hold unless born into a wealthy family or married to a wealthy, noble man. Thus then was the wife’s job to dedicate their life to their husband and convey their reputation for them.
“they are all but ________ and we are all but _______”
stomachs
food
• the metaphor from emilia here compares sexual desire to gluttony. The link between men being the stomachs and women being the food highlights how men are above them on the food chain, as well as hinting the consumption as violence. Emilia uses this metaphor to illustrate the dangers of male jealousy to desdemona, thus foreshadowing how desdemona is consumed by othello in the final moments. Shakespearean women could only liberate each other which is why emilia is so devoted to the innocent desdemona.
DESDEMONA RESPONSE
“My ______ doth so approve him… have _____ and favour in them”
love
grace
• within this passage we understand not only her unwavering love, but also her naivety. She so openly trusts the dominant male in her life due to the societal structure that it makes her blind to the truth. Thus leaving desdemona vulnerable to male oppression. This directly foreshadows how her death will come as she is innocent and pure to the very end until othello murders her because of his deteriorated mental state which was wrought upon by iagos cunning manipulation.
“The ________ devil” Rash as ______”
blacker
fire
• this is another instance where othello is racially abused. in this passage emilia links his crimes to his race due to the societal construct of ‘moors’ being linked with the idea that they are a destructive force. Which is seen within other shakespearean texts such as ‘titanus arandochius’ which portrays the horrid acts of aaron, a black man, as he states his murderous actions are like “killing a fly”. Shakespeare emphasises this ideal as, in the world of the play, foreign men could not live a luxurious life in comparison to a white jacobean. Emilia’s biblical reference of referring to othello as the “devil” enforces the stereotype of how black men were portrayed.
“I am ______ i have found this _______: this was her first remembrance of the ______”
glad
napkin
moor
• this passage shows the moment where emilia finds the handkerchief and understands how much her husband iago wants it as it will confirm othello’s suspicions about desdemonas infidelity. Thus showing how iago is willing for everyone to get caught up in his web of manipulation. Though emilia understands how much the napkin is worth to desdemona and her allegiance with othello however, she is willing to give it away to her cunning husband due to the societal constructs of a wife having to always obey their husband. even if, it puts others in the face of danger.
“i am no _______ but of life as ________”
strumpet
honest
• this passage shows bianca standing up to emilia after iago criticises bianca’s social stature. Bianca perfectly conveys the potential ‘whore’ in the ‘madonna, who’re’ paradigm. and desdemona, conventionally, portraying the madonna sequence. Bianca is an important character within the play as she portrays the lower class of women in society and how they are mistreated due to this. Although she is a minor character, shakespeare uses bianca to show to audiences how even the lower class are ‘honest’ and trustful even though she was a ‘strumpet’ - a term which describes a woman who commits adultery.
“My _____ Cassio! My ______ cassio”
dear
sweet
• although bianca portrays a woman of having a “strumpet” background, bianca conveys the typical jacobean wife here. She greets cassio with a joyous exclamation and understands the reputation cassio has. The ambiguity of the passage allows audiences to understand that even the lower class of women can still behave like the upper class bracket such as desdemona, deepening the context this quotation portrays the social construct of how women were to always be pleasant and elegant in the presence of men, especially their husbands.
