Balance and Tragedy in Shakespeares Othello Essay

Mohandas K. Gandhi once proclaimed, â€Å"There is no occasion for women to consider themselves subordinate or inferior to men† (Gandhi n.p.). Women all throughout the world have been forced to endure innumerable hardships and struggles. Merely accepting women as a rightful component of society and a necessary aspect of culture has taken countless numbers of years. And to this day, unfortunately, gender equality has yet to become a reality for many. Certain judgments and stereotypes have been placed onto women from the very beginning of time. The belief that the female gender should only be seen in society as homemakers is something that is widely accepted by people in a multitude of countries and places. Despite the setbacks, various†¦show more content†¦From the beginning, Emilia can be seen as one who is entirely loyal and faithful to her husband, Iago. Under the Cult of Domesticity it would be downright unacceptable for a woman to defy her husband. Women w ere considered to be subservient to almost the entire male gender. Emilia’s husband, Iago, was a character who most would admit did not deserve much respect or loyalty at all. Iago would continuously use his wit and intelligence to manipulate others only to further his own position in society. Iago, with a great lack of sympathy for those he was hurting, focused solely on reaching his end goal of self-glorification. Despite Emilia’s dissatisfaction with her marriage, she managed to maintain composure in the beginning of the play. At one point in Act II, Iago makes a bold claim stating that women, including Emilia, only speak their minds when the men are no longer present. He believes they would not dare defy the rules of society in front of others. However, in privacy, Iago surmises that these rules quickly vanish. Emilia then proceeds to respond to the accusation in none other than a simple and respectful manner (Shakespeare 2.1.115-124). Shakespeare introdu ced Emilia into his play as a stock character, one who represents a common stereotype. Whether or not it is truthful, this excerpt clearly illustratesShow MoreRelatedTragedy In Shakespeares Othello1519 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Tragedy  is an imitation not just of a complete action, but of events that evoke pity and fear.† The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle gave the classic theory of tragedy a distinguishable definition. There are various elements included in a tragedy, making it both successful and enjoyable. From the dramatic plot to the audaciousness of characters that create intensity, every element is necessary to construct the classic tragedy. This can be observed through action as seen in Shakespeare’s OthelloRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare: Greatest Playwright of All1554 Words   |  7 Pagesunique and have timeless theme that touch everyone’s heart, and are still widely studied and performed in today’s society. During the reign of Queen El izabeth I, England enjoyed a time of prosperity and stability that led to a new era for England. Shakespeare’s works epitomize arts of the Elizabethan Epoch; through his uses of beautiful and poetic language, iambic pentameter is nearly always used in his style of poetry. Shakespeare wrote about timeless themes about the human nature surrounded themes ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare: Greatest Playwright of All1568 Words   |  7 Pagesunique and have timeless theme that touch everyone’s heart, and are still widely studied and performed in today’s society. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, England enjoyed a time of prosperity and stability that led to a new era for England. Shakespeare’s works epitomize arts of the Elizabethan Epoch; through his uses of beautiful and poetic language, iambic pentameter is nearly always used in his style of poetry. Shakespeare wrote about timeless themes about the human nature surrounded themes ofRead MoreMeasure for Me asure: The Dark Comedy829 Words   |  4 Pagesfor Measure, the last of Shakespeares great comedies, is also the darkest of his comedies, and represents his transition to tragic plays. This play differs from Shakespeares other comedies, and is in many ways more akin to tragedy than to comedy. In setting, plot, and character development Measure for Measure has a tragic tone, however, because none of the main characters actually loses his life, this play is considered a comedy. nbsp; Almost all of Shakespeares comedies have dual localities:Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello And Othello1385 Words   |  6 PagesFor the time Othello was set in, 16th century Elizabethan society held strong socioeconomic roles that governed social statuses. In Shakespeare’s Othello, class positions become a theme that emphasizes power as a major role in relationships. In the case of Othello, a general of the Venetian army, and Iago, one of his trusted advisors, that power struggle is the force that dominants the play and leads to the disastrous and memorable ending. Machiavelli’s treatise, The Prince, examines the dynamicRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1178 Words   |  5 Pagesprofitable in condition of good and immorality. Othello is presented as good and Iago as evil, but Iago and Othello’s relationship also shares a distrust of their wives. The overall logical argument is based on love, jealousy and betrayal between two lovers that ultimately le ads to their separation because of Iago’s evil plan. I am using this article to agree with Berry s view on how Iago separates two lovers just so he can take retaliation on Othello by manipulating everyone to unmasking their trueRead MoreEssay on Racism in Shakespeares Othello2541 Words   |  11 PagesRacism in Othello      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Samuel Taylor Coleridges Literary Remains is just one of the essays that presents an attack on Shakespeare for his lack of realism in the monstrous depiction of a marriage between a beautiful Venetian girl, and a veritable negro, in Othello. He sees Shakespeares transformation of a barbarous negro into a respected soldier and nobleman of stature as ignorant, since at the time, negroes were not known except as slaves. (Appendix) The extract seems to raiseRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Tragic Hero1295 Words   |  6 Pagesallow the target audience to become aware of with them. This additionally introduces pity, that is crucial in tragedy, as if the hero becomes ideal we would be upset with what happened to them and not care mainly due to their ideological superiority. If the hero became imperfect or evil, then the target audience might feel that he had gotten what he deserved. Its far essential to strike a balance in the heros character. Ultimately the Aristotelian tra gic hero dies a tragic death, having fallen fromRead MoreThe Destruction of Innocence in Shakespeares Othello2000 Words   |  8 PagesThe Destruction of Innocence in Othello      Ã‚  Ã‚   One way, albeit a partial way, of reading the tragedy of Othello is too see it as the destruction of innocence, trust, and idealized love by a cynical and maliciously motivated worldliness, which regards the very existence of innocence and beauty as its motivation: the divinity of hell. Iagos manipulative malignity is a crucial factor in the tragic catastrophe but it also serves to highlight through contrast the alternative values in the playRead MoreEssay about Language and Literary Techniques in Othello2832 Words   |  12 PagesTechniques in Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The language and literary techniques used in William Shakespeares Othello enrich the settings, plot, characters, and themes. Othello is a complex tragedy about good versus evil, loyalty, love, sexual jealousy, appearance versus reality, and intrigue, told in a first person point of view. The play takes place during the Renaissance in Venice, Italy and in Cyprus over three days. It is written in blank verse, usually unrhymed iambic pentameter. The protagonist, Othello, is