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Desdemona in Othello
- Module
- Unit 1 - Drama
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
A full, in-depth A* essay plan exploring the character of Desdemona in Shakespeare's "Othello", for the Pearson Edexcel A-Level English Literature.
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DesdemonaIntroduction
- Within her critical reception there is conflict over whether she is “assertive and headstrong” (Atkins) or
weak and submissive
- Auden - simple and “rather two-dimensional” whereas Robertson mocks men of play for viewing women as
either “pure and innocent”, or “vulgar” and “common” where they are more complex than this
- Wheale – challenging to interpret due to variation between quarto and folio (quarto published first, showing
her as naïve and submissive, folio includes willow scene and includes subtle differences in speech which
change our critical interpretation and making her a more spirited character)
Witty, independent, headstrong –
1) Independent
- “I do perceive here a divided duty” – submission to patriarchy? but must take circumstances into account
(white, high status, reputable – submits to Moor, not Brabantio, defiant to father and society)
- Alliteration demands attention while emphasising underlying foundation of female duty to men as woman
came from man’s rib
- “Desdemona” -> “disdemona”, “the unfortunate” in Greek – must have been carefully chosen by
Shakespeare and reflective of her character: demise is due to Othello, not her own flaws (victim of his
savagery) showing decision to elope is dangerous showing her independence and bravery (Neill – Giraldi’s
original message was to warn women against marriage to blacks due to their dangerous natures)
- Worrall – Shakespeare’s women have “pluck not pulchritude” as they are played by men. Act 2 Scene 1
witty wordplay with Iago shows intellect and sophistication but also subtle hint that it is only men who
should have charisma and wit
- Neill – “vocal independence of spirit that makes her ultimate submissiveness in the face of Othello’s
murderous jealousy seem at once more moving and more shocking” – demise despite wit and intellect
makes it more tragic and makes him look more savage.
2) Headstrong
- Act 4 Scene 1 – Othello’s speech partakes in erratic and catastrophic retreat into prose, Desdemona remains
in blank verse (iambic pent) despite her emotional state: “O banish me, my lord, but kill me not” – calm and
collected in face of death
- Shakespeare either tries to present Othello negatively or to sculpt “assertive and headstrong” female -
Atkins
Dramatic foil to Desdemona – Saunders “polarise Desdemona and Emilia”
1) Attitudes to men
- Emilia blames men for women’s sin “it is their husbands’ faults if wives do fall” but Desdemona doesn’t
“think there is any such woman” who could commit adultery
- Emilia belittles men to animals “eating [women] hungrily, and when they are full, they belch [them]” but
Desdemona lies on deathbed blaming herself for Othello’s fault – “I, myself”
- Despite Desdemona’s loyalty and Emilia’s defiance, both die as a result of toxic masculinity (Shakespeare
presents futility of female defiance)
2) Last words
- Desdemona’s are self-denigrating and false “I, myself” – shows loyalty and reinforces wedding vows where
woman have to “honour and obey” husbands (willing to sacrifice soul for Othello) but Emilia tells truth.
Desdemona is headstrong
- Highly ironic that the supposed wife of the devil is going to heaven for telling the truth on her death bed
whereas a figure of innocence is going to hell for lying
Exposes misogyny of society/sexualised and objectified –
1) Roderigo and Iago at start
- First intro to her is derogatory and sexual “tupping your white ewe” – “your” shows women as possession,
plus white sheep is Christian symbol for purity, juxtaposed with sexual implications mocks her innocence
- Iago “look to your house, your daughter, and your bags” – within list of objects, and inferior to property
within descending tricolon
- Roderigo “tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes” – expectations of women, dead internal rhyme shows
cliché and traditional ideas (duty most important, looks more valued than intellect)
- Possession - “ornament[s] of men” (Cornelius a Lapide) – Genesis 2, women made to keep man company
- Can be explored through feminist critical perspective where stereotypes passed down through history by
men (Genesis from Moses)
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