This is a character grid which identifies six key themes in relation to the character of Desdemona in 'Othello', exploring these in detail. These headings make the basis for a thorough essay/exploration of the character and all assessment objectives required in the A level exam are touched upon. He...
Transgressive Desdemona as naïve and sweet; Brabantio’s dutiful Her love for Ot
daughter:
She had agency over her own marriage, dismissing her She is prese
father’s proposed suitors and choosing to marry for love. ‘She Desdemona is a pure Christian martyr, who has the virtues of hope confessing
shunned the wealthy curled darlings of our nation.’ (Act 1.2) and devotion to her master. She is associated with light, which is by him. Her
Authority of her first speech “My noble father, I do perceive divine but also vulnerable. ending of t
here a divided duty’’. She speaks up to the senate and At the beginning of the play she is presented as Brabantio’s dutiful of Iago sym
confesses her love to Othello despite her fathers dismissal- ‘I innocent daughter- ‘A maid so tender, fair and happy.’ Desdemon
challenge that I may profess due to the Moor my lord.’’ Male ownership of women in this period meant they were subjected Othello’s v
Desdemona challenges the idea that a war should separate a to restriction of movement- in Act 1.1 Brabantio asks ‘How got she I my soul a
husband and wife: ‘let me go with him.’ The directness of the out?’, and Othello is determined not to allow Desdemona’s body to Act 3.3- ‘W
request even took Othello by surprise. She doesn’t feel that be used by other men. Desdemona is constantly presented as a the way in
she needs to be protected from the harsh realities of war. possession of male characters in the play. Act 4.2- She
Act 2- unusual power division between Desdemona and She is treated like the possession of her father- early in the play he loyal wife"
Othello’s, shown through his use of epithet and shared lines. defines her as his ‘jewel’, saying she is ‘A maiden never bold, of Act 4.2- "U
Describing her partner as “my dear Othello”, Desdemona not spirit so still and quiet that her motion blushed at herself.’’ She is life, But ne
only employs a possessive pronoun to establish her bond with silenced by her father from the opening of the play, and he presents humiliated
Othello, but fluidly completes the missing syllables in his an inaccurate depiction of her as an innocent, submissive young girl. Desdemon
previous line: “O my fair warrior!”. This smooth interchange For Othello there are two Desdemona’s- the woman he marries and reduced De
between them stresses their untouched bond and the woman he thinks she has become. She is firstly his ‘soul’s joy.’ it could kill
synchronous relationship, elevating Desdemona to the same Desdemona’s naivety is shown in her interactions with Cassio- she is said such a
position as her husband. By describing her as a “warrior”, never able to understand that this is the root of her husband’s husband's a
Shakespeare applies a typically masculine attribute to her jealousy and anger. Act 4.1- she tells Lodovico how much she cares strength, n
character, mirroring Othello’s strength. for Cassio: ‘I would do much T’ atone them, for the love I bear to foreshadow
Their love is like a healing agent: ‘she loved me for the Cassio.’ her life and
dangers I had passed I loved her that she did pity them’ (Act Act 4.2- She is unable to understand the severity of the situation Act 4.2- De
1.3)- reciprocal nature of their love highlighting it is based on after Othello strikes her, and she says quite girlishly that she is a sheets.’ We
understanding. Their exchanges are also equal and both seem ‘child to chiding.’ young wom
to share equal power- idea of their unity. Othello loves Desdemona naively implores ‘good Iago’ for advice about how to some Medi
Desdemona for her feminine grace and sympathy; she loves regain Othello’s love in Act 4.2. retire to th
him for his masculine heroism. Essentially, Othello and Act 4.3- Desdemona and Emilia discuss their views on fidelity, and sheets are
Desdemona love each other harmoniously because of the Desdemona is presented as an innocent romantic who has married had been a
differences they perceive in each other. for love and loyalty. ‘Dost thou in conscience think-tell me Emilia- connotatio
While Brabantio and the other Venetians may perceive that there be woman do abuse their husbands in such gross kind?’ By putting t
Desdemona as “subdued and poisoned” by Othello, she ‘No by this heavenly light!’ Desdemona displays her incredible trying to re
actually exercises a degree of control over him in the first acts virtue and faithfulness, which in his jealousy Othello can no longer too has duti
of the play, being free to “devour his discourse” and in turn to see. It is her lov
fetishise his strength and accomplishments. At first she seems By the end of the play Emilia speaks out defending Desdemona’s approve hi
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