Randi Aguilar

English 12

Mr. Gango

25 March 2018

Othello

Othello by William Shakespeare is based on the 1600’s and is about two people who are

in love but a few characters disagree on their relationship so they try to ruin their relationship.

While all the drama was happening in the story it revealed a lot of female criticism since the

1600’s it was very different than it is today and the tables have turned. This story reveals a lot of

feminist criticism the female characters are stereotyped, seen as possessions and are submissive.

Iago uses a female stereotype while talking about Desdemona. Iago tells her “Come on,

come on. You are pictures out of door, bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in

your injuries, devils being offended, players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds”

(Othello). He is basically saying that all women are the same. When they’re in their own houses

they are loud and talk a lot. When they complain about something they make themselves sound

like angels and once someone offends them they act like the devil. After Iago tells Desdemona

this she gets offended and shames him. As you can see, some stereotypes can be offensive to

people and that’s exactly what Iago did get Desdemona mad.

These women are seen as possessions, When Barabatino Desdemona’s father found out

she was with a man of color he took her to the Duke hoping for some kind of punishment.

Instead the Duke is releasing her and granting her permission to be with Othello while Barbatino

is forced to give Othello the blessing to marry his daughter. Barbatino says, “Please it your
grace, on to the state affairs. I had rather to adopt a child than get it” (Othello). The fact that she

needed reassurance and permission to marry a guy is making her seem like an “item” and once

she was given away to someone her father didn’t approve of he starts to disown her and wishes

for a different kid to own.

Othello pushes around Desdemona quite a lot while he assumes that she is cheating on

him with Cassio. Although Desdemona has no clue why Othello is being so rude to her and why

he slapped her she still continues to be obedient to him. Desdemona says, “I will not stay to

offend you” , Lodovico, “Truly, an obedient lady. I do beseech your lordship, call her back”

(Othello). When Othello slaps her and she stands there in shock and insists on leaving the room

so Othello wont get any more angrier at her and does something worse.

Female criticism was all throughout this story, it goes from stereotyping women, to them

being seen as possessions and them being submissive to their husbands no matter what is going

on. Although the plot of the story is dramatic the most that stands out is all the feminist criticism

that going on in this story.