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Shaila Garcia

Ms. Pena

ERWC/per. 6

12 December 2021

Womanhood and Gender Roles

Othello, a story of romantic tragedy and despair, explores a variety of thematic topics that

merge together to contribute to Shakespeare’s overall message of the destructive power of

jealousy. However, in doing so, he subtly portrays the duality of women within Emilia and

Desdemona, further contributing to Shakespeare’s view on womanhood and what it meant to be a

woman at the time. Through various acts and scenes, Shakespeare makes it clear that his

portrayal of female gender roles within his tragedy involves reflecting what a man wants from a

woman, and very occasionally, the independent virtue all realistic women have. In Othello, such

ongoing gender roles contribute to Shakespeare’s ultimate message of jealousy.

To a man, losing his wife was equal to that of losing his honor and manhood. Their ability

to control and continuously sustain a portion of their life is hailed as an indicator of honor and

reputability, best exemplified through Othello’s despair in realizing his wife, Desdemona, might

have been unfaithful to him. Shakespeare’s focus on what a man expects from a woman

epiphanized the realization that Desdemona—playing the role of the loyal, model wife—was

simply an embodiment of a man’s desires, while Emilia highlights the reality of women in their

feminine character.

Throughout the play, Desdemona plays the part of the virtuous wife, abiding by the

commands her husband makes of her. Early in their marriage, her loyalty is already tested. In
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insisting that Othello had won over Desdemona as a direct result of his life story, Othello

exclaims,

Of my whole course of love—what drugs, what

charms,

What conjuration, and what mighty magic

(For such proceeding I am charged withal)

I won his daughter.

(I.iii.107-111).

Later in this scene, Othello calls on Desdemona to confirm his statements, to which she

voluntarily abides and defends him. Shakespeare uses specific diction, like “I won” to portray the

ownership of women, and Desdemona’s actions further prove her reflection of her husband’s

needs. Desdemona is portrayed to be a wife without fault, because even in the end, she had died

defending her husband’s honor even though he was her murderer. Shakespeare calls upon this

unrealistic portrayal of women to emphasize the power of jealousy within this play, given she is

the subject to which many were envious. Through this absolute devotion of women to their

husbands, Shakespeare strings together the relevance of jealousy to how it can impact seemingly

innocent individuals as a result of feminine standards.

Emilia, on the other hand, represents the latter. While Desdemona portrays the facade of an

unconditionally loving, virtuous wife, Emilia offers the perspective that women, too, are flawed

and capable of independent virtues. At first, Emilia’s character could have gone in the same

direction as Desdemona’s, but splits when she informs Desdemona of her deepest thoughts.

As Emilia and Desdemona commune in preparation for slumber, a conversation regarding

loyalty and hypotheticals emerges. Desdemona fatefully asks Emilia if she would ever be
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unfaithful to her husband, to which she responds, “Why, we have galls, and though we have

some grace, / Yet we have some revenge. Let husbands know / Their wives have sense like

them” (IV.iii.103-105). Emilia concludes that women are, too, capable of infidelity, especially in

the case that their husbands were initially unfaithful to them. She offers a cynical, outlandish

perspective on marriage in relation to the times, and serves as a confounding variable within this

play.

Shakespeare employs such a modern outlook on marriage and love through Emilia in order

to establish the duality of women, and how in comparison to Desdemona, Emilia is a much more

complex, realistic character. Adding on to the thematic topic of jealousy within Othello, Emilia’s

reserved thoughts contribute to the concept of reality vs. the latter. For Othello and Iago, jealousy

distorts their reality and moral compass, to the point where appearances were enough of a basis

for murder. Similarly, Emilia hides her reality for the sake of her survival, yet dies as a result of

her strong belief in the independent virtue of honesty.

Overall, Shakespeare analyzes the role of women in Othello and summarizes his view

through the actions of Desdemona and Emilia. While both served as two opposing versions of

women, their duality and independent virtues demonstrated that women didn’t have to be mere

reflections of their husband’s desires. Emilia’s character and beliefs served as a breath of fresh

air, and an opportunity to consider a new perspective. Shakespeare uses this to assert his overall

message of jealousy: the appearance of one thing might be the complete opposite of its reality.