Since she is genuine and fair, she finds Othello very attractive as he has the power, but at the same time as someone who might be lacking love and understanding from others, which she desires to nourish him with. For instance, when Desdemona reveals to her father that she is in love with Othello, Brabantio perceives it as a theft, ‘O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow’d my daughter¨ (I.ii.62).īeing said that, regards Ryan´s statement it would make us agree that Desdemona desires to oppose and fight for the equality by being direct and sincere when she speaks her mind.
In the tragedy, there are numerous discourses that display men ownership of women. It is evident that the majority of men characters consider women as naturally treacherous, as Iago claims, ¨If she be fair and wise, faimess and wit, / The one´s for use, the other useth it¨ (II.i.135). The Early Modern period was a men dominated society, that forbid women to express themselves nor their words were conceivable. However, race inevitably goes hand in hand with gender ideologies. Therefore, Othello begins to feel inferior and identifies himself as someone who is a part of the minority. Also, Brabantio says to Othello, ¨Run from her garage to the sooty bosom, / Of such a thing as though-to fear, not to delight¨ (I.ii.73-74), leading also other characters to start to judge him for his possible actions, because of his racial inequality. As Iago continues to use his manipulative skills, Othello gets to a point where he doesn´t question his reliability and becomes convinced that Desdemona was unfaithful. Othello quite easily becomes influenced by Iago and announces, ¨And yet how nature, erring from itself¨ (III.iii.233). He uses it as a weapon against Othello, knowing that if he can make Othello doubt Desdemona´s faithfulness, he is going to win his trust over hers.
In addition, Iago believes that men are more significant than women, even more, when it comes to their reliability. However, due to Iago´s successfully played mind games, that are manifested in order to achieve revenge on him. Being born as a North-African moor and not having previously experienced any racial inferiority, makes it accurate for him to state, “My parts, my title and my perfect soul, / Shall manifest me rightly” (I.ii.31-32). Othello´s perception of race in Early Modern times was gradually changing. Throughout this essay I am going to analyze the importance and effects of gender and race in the Early Modern period and finally come to a conclusion if the dominant ideologies are subverted or are they firmly re-established. Othello and Desdemona also anticipate utopian values that lead to issues in character relationships that lead to tragic consequences. The central topics that are discussed throughout the tragedy are gender and race, to which Othello exposes limitations and changes of perception during the play.
0 kommentar(er)
