The Oppression Of Women In Shakespeare's Othello

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In the novel Othello, author William Shakespeare explores the definition of women and their role in society during the Elizabethan time period. He does this using the the plays three key women: Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca. However, Shakespeare’s examination into the social role of women does present numerous contrasts to today’s current day society and how women are treated in it. Moreover, it begs the question: was Shakespeare’s Othello, specifically the plot twists and conflict of women, a result of his immersion within Elizabethan society? Even more to the point, would a modern day Othello written by a modern day Shakespeare differ in its outlook and perception of women? The way that these women act and behave is undisputedly connected to the ideological assumption of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan society and to the seemingly similar Venetian society that he creates. This copying of societal characteristics is shown via descriptive diction, characterization of women and similes and works to further highlight the “property” that a wife is to her husband. Because of his immersion within Elizabethan society, much of Shakespeare's play Othello mirrors the outlooks of that time on women. One example of this outlook can be found when Brabantio confronts Othello about his secrecy with Desdemona …show more content…
The law permitted married women to own and control their own property without any interference from men. The simply stated result of the Act was that men and women could now exist as equals. In today’s ever evolving society the social rules have certainly altered. The majority of today's society has grown up with these evolved values of equal treatment towards women. Because of these evolved values today's modern day literature often adopts the same
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