Table of ContentsThe Role of Women in Shakespeare's OthelloDesdemona's Dilemma in OthelloWorks CitedThe Role of Women in Shakespeare's OthelloOthello by William Shakespeare depicts a society run by patriarchal way, where men were theoretically 'Top of the food chain'. Women were treated as if they were property to show off and display, instead of being equally human and capable of performing the tasks that men performed. Every female role in Othello in the Elizabethan era had to follow the orders of men, including fathers, brothers, husbands, etc. This creates the perfect setting for Desdemona's most reliable character, who goes through many trials to satisfy emotions. of his love. Shakespeare wrote Desdemona to fit her times and she is a great example of this when we consider her relationships between Barbantio and Othello. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original Essay The father-daughter relationship between Barbantio and Desdemona is a perfect example of what it would be like in the Elizabethan era. In the play we see the expectation that has been placed on Desdemona that she must be obedient and loyal to the men in her life, this is further explained in the text when Barbantio learns from Iago and Rodrigo that his daughter has been put under the spell of a Moor to fall in love with her “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Kills your white sheep. Arise…. Or the devil will make you a grandfather. Get up, I say! (Othello 1.1 90-93) when Barbantio learns of this he assures her that Desdemona is his property or in this case his white sheep, a representation of her purity a juxtaposition of the image of a moor. Desdemona's dilemma in OthelloIn act 1 scene 3, Barbantio has just challenged Othello on the use of witchcraft which leads Desdemona to stand up to her father by exclaiming "My noble father, I perceive here a shared duty …. You are the lord of duty... But here is my husband, and as many duties as my mother showed you, preferring you to her father” (1.3.208-218). This quote is the first time Desdemona speaks in the play. and this truly shows her thoughtfulness, as she does not renounce her respect for her father for his loyalty to Othello, but rather recognizes that her duty as a woman is divided. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay In this scene, Desdemona appears both powerful and powerless, powerful in standing up to her father and humiliating him in front of the Venetian Senate while sacrificing her power to Othello by giving him her hand. in marriage, a symbol of her passing the rod of possession from father to husband. Barbantio, now betrayed by his own daughter, is filled with emotion declaring "my particular sorrow / is of a nature so overflowing and so unbearable / that it swallows up and swallows other sorrows" (I.3.57-9). Brabantio's sense of loss is profound. The intense emotion depicted in this speech foreshadows Othello's scandalous emotions later in the play. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Othello. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Folger Shakespeare Library, 2009.